Giant Monster Pumpkins...

Over this last weekend, we went to the spring fair. While there, we met a gentleman selling pumpkin seeds for giant pumpkins. Part of our yearly fun is a pumpkin contest that starts whenever we want to and ends approximately the end of October.
It has been going for many years and ages, well this is the second year and all ages are welcome. It mostly consists of our 4 near neighbors and 1 that used to be near and moved to Olympia. We all have younger children, so it is also part of teaching them to grow good stuff. I lost last year, but this year begin our unending string of victories!
Like I started with, though, this gentleman grows XXL pumpkins all of the time, so I tried to learn as much as possible with one child squirming in my arms and the other crying in the stroller (I rocked it with my foot while taking notes on my iPhone). Now I am going to pass them on to you, so you can grow monster pumpkins as well.

Step 1. Buy seeds.
Step 2. Use a nail file to file off the edges of the seed (except for the pointy part and 1/8" on both sides of the pointy part.
Step 3. Soak in 80 degree water for 1 hour.
Step 4. Wet a paper towel, then wring out all of the water. Fold it three times in half, placing seed in between the last fold.
Step 5. Place paper towel in ziplock baggy and store in an area that remains 80 degrees.
Step 6. The seed will germinate and when it does, plant in good soil (adding some fish fertilizer). When safe, plant outside and fertilize until your eyes bubble!
Step 7. Practice subtle gloating for when you win. (examples: that is a very nice pumpkin. It might have won I hadn't entered! or perhaps. Good try, maybe when I stop entering the contest, you'll have a chance.)

OK. I put step 7 in myself, but when we've never won yet, you might just have to imagine that you did. 

Giant Pumpkins in the seed. 

You can file your nails while you are at it!

80 degree.

The cookies go well with pumpkin planting.

So, there are the keys to success. Here are some pictures of me doing the steps. Now We just have to wait for germination.