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Rhode Island

this is a very touchie subject but one i feel needs to be mentioned. the integrity of the hobby as well as the common good of pumpkin growers everywhere demands it.

in my years of growing and competing i have seen just about everything immaginable at a weigh-off.good and bad.

i have seen world records being broken, exibition only weighed as official entry at the last moment, growers who finally broke the 1,000 pound barrier, growers little kids weighing a monster fruit,people who never got any dirt under there nails breaking a clubs top ten, plus people who can barely get around have also found there way into a sites top ten pumpkins from time to time.
enough is enough.

every time someone cheats (or bends the rules)to get a second pumpkin weighed at the same event are not only cheating the hobby, but also cheating there fellow pumpkin growers out of their proper order of finish.

how would you like to work your butt off only to be beaten out by a person who does not even know the bare basics of growing?

as a director in our own club i very much dislike this practice. if you have multiple fruit then go to multiple weigh-offs. or enter the second one as exibition only.

when you cheat you effect other sites and encourage others to do likewise

this by no means is a slap at anyone in particular. there are many growers of all ages and sexes who work very hard at this hobby.
it is on there behalf that i made this post.

pap

2/5/2008 8:51:33 AM

Williamsburg,KY

I agree, I have seen this happen at many vegetable contests, where the whole family wins. Doesnt seem fair, but then again, they are the ones who have to look in the mirrow.

2/5/2008 9:02:55 AM

bliss,n.y.- heart of Wyoming County

Pap!
You are right on 100 percent.
While I have only one good lung and my wife is disabled (epilepsey) we grow our own. It may take us longer to complete regular pumpkin growing chores, we get it done.. only it takes longer.. And as a result, the personal sastisfaction from doing it ourselves.. its an awesome high!

The sad part is that kids in my high school classes are doing more cheating.. must be they see too much of it in the real world.

I am proud to be associated with growers... 99.9 % are intelligent, hardworking and just great folks!
Bill P

Some days in the summer we put in six or eight hours.. carefully pacing ourselves.. other days maybe only a few hours..
Hey.. that is why I have two lawn chairs placed at the edge of the patch and one in the center. Last year we managed to care for 12 plants plus our regular veggie garden.

2/5/2008 9:19:09 AM

nOVA sCOTIA

I agree 100% PaP.Anyone who would cheat in any way at one of these weighoffs can't have a conscience but i know one thing.This would make me extreemly determined to gain as much knowlege as i possibly could through the winter months and work twice as hard during the growing season which i'm sure would at the least give me a personel best that year. Now i'm going to haul some more seaweed up from the beach. Cheers PAP.

2/5/2008 9:43:55 AM

Georgia

I dislike when somebody says a little kid grew this pumpkin. When rarely the kid actually grows the fruit all by himself. It would be dangerous for a kid to mix all the chemicals and handle the equipment used for tilling and such.If the kid actually spent all his free time in the patch working and didnt EVERYTHING his or her self then hats off to them.Its like the kids that show up to the science fair with some project that looks like it was straight outta Nasa. Slim chance they actually deserve credit.

2/5/2008 9:47:03 AM

Minnesota

Response to the mirror

"THE ONE IN THE GLASS"

When you get what you want, in your struggle for self
and the world makes you king for a day
Just walk to the mirror-take a look at yourself,
and see what that one has to say.

It isn't your father, or mother, or wife
whose judgment upon you must pass
The one whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one you meet in the glass.

You may be Jack Horner-and chisel a plum
and say "I'm a wonderful person!"
but the one in the glass says "You're only a bum"
if you can't look me in the eye.

You may fool the world down the pathway of years
and get pats on the back, as you pass;
But your only reward will be heartache and tears
if you've cheated the "One in the Glass."

2/5/2008 10:59:04 AM

Minnesota

How to be a Winner in all we do.

A Winner says, "Let's find out".
A Loser says, "Nobody knows".
When a Winner makes a mistake, he says, "I was wrong".
When a Loser makes a mistake, he says;
"It wasn't my fault".
A Winner works harder than a loser & has more time;
A Loser is always "to busy" to do what is neccessary.
A Winner goes through a problem;
A Loser goes around it and never gets past it.
A Winner makes commitments;
A loser makes promises.
A Winner says, "I'm good, but not as good as I ought to be".
A Loser says, "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people."
A Winner Listens;
A Loser just waits until it's his turn to talk.
A Winner respects superiors & tries to learn something from them;
A Loser resents superiors & tries to find chinks in their arm
A Winner explains;
A Loser explains away.
A Winner feels responsibility for more than his job;
A Loser says, "I only work here."
A Winner says, "There ought to be a better way."
A Loser says, "That's the way it's always been done here."
A Winner paces himself;
A Loser has only two speeds-hysterical & lethargic.
Being a Winner doesn't come easy;
Being a Loser requires no work.

2/5/2008 11:23:59 AM

Somers, CT

Sorry that had to be said, PAP.

If you're not blowin'em you're not growin'em
If you're not growin'em your not showin'em

BTW, how do you get all the dirt out from under your nails?
I have been washing them since September and still cannot get it all.

2/5/2008 11:25:25 AM

Back Yard

You are right!!Someone should make it a rule that only "seasoned growers" or people that can prove they have been growin for however long should be allowed to be in top ten. And only one entry per any last name and any address should be allowed as an entry to any competition. That way, only the people that truely believe they alone deserve to be there will be there.

2/5/2008 1:30:47 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

$$$$$$ is the root of all evil....thats why it occurs prize money.

2/5/2008 1:34:17 PM

Back Yard

Sounds kinda messed up, doesn't it? The fact may be that the family may actually grow together, kinda like a father and son team (sound familiar to anyone. And there may be a few people out there that do cheat. Like anything else in life it should be dealt with on a case by case basis and definitely taken with a grain of salt.

2/5/2008 1:42:22 PM

No Place Special

It is common place here at Anamosa for growers to enter a fruit in their name and one in there spouses name. Since I started growing in 2001, I have witnessed other growers (myself included) being knocked down the charts several spaces due to this practice. Although this bothered me at first, it just inspired me to try harder. I cant honestly say that after 7 yrs of this, if I ever had the chance I wouldnt jump at the opportunity to "pay them back". I KNOW the thought would cross my mind but I hope I wouldnt sink to that.
This has been going on for so long that in my 7 yrs I have never seen it questioned and I believe that those who practice this, honestly dont see anything wrong with it. Maybe this started long ago to get more pumpkins to the contest, I dont know? I believe Anamosa is one of the older contest sites? It could very well be in this case that this has been accepted since day one and old habbits are hard to break? I dont hold hard feelings to those who do this and consider most of them my friends that id do almost anything for. ITS JUST THE WAY IT IS AT ANAMOSA! I accept that.
That being said, I would like to point out that Don Young is not only Iowas pumpkin King, but he is also a top notch guy(most people know this anyhow:)). He could have easily taken his 1207 along with his 1662 and bumped some of these guys the way they have been bumping for years. Instead he took it to another contest a week later. Hats off to Mr Young.
Oh ya funny story..... one of these growers who has been entering fruit in his wifes name for YEARS had the nuts to question me on my partnership with Rob and the legality of the entry of our little 800 lb pumpkin. The level to which he took this protest was just insane. In the end it is an amusing event at which I shake my head at in disbelief and cant help but chuckle. Ohhhh the drama of giant pumpkins!

2/5/2008 1:43:56 PM

ipswich, ma usa

1 --"Seasoned Growers"?, looks like a lot of people that do their homework and pop a big one early on are screwed at your weigh off.??????

2 -- Do we now need pumpkin "ID's" to prove longevity in the sport?

3 -- I guess Ronnie and Dick Wallace would'nt be able to compete at your weigh off either??????........


1ton, I think you need to weigh out your options a little bit more before you put forth this doctrine of yours to prove eligibility of top 10.....

Dick is right we all have seen people bending the rules or flat out cheating. But one needs to be careful on the legislation one puts forth to "help" curve these problems.

It's to bad with the expansion of our hobby that the more the cirlce expands the more corruption it entangles. What happened to the days of Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking?

John -- 5150

2/5/2008 1:46:26 PM

Back Yard

Hey 5150, look at my following post before you pass judgement!!

2/5/2008 1:54:57 PM

ipswich, ma usa

Not passing judgement just pointing out it is a very touchy and difficult sector to work with. It is difficult to work on a case by case basis because how do you "prove" who has and who has not actually grown the pumpkin? If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a duck but in the heat of the weigh off if I our one of the NEGPGA other directors need to pass judgement on a grower what do we really have to go by but our own eyes and instincts? Thats all I'm pointing out. I agree with Dick it's to bad people are the way they are. Ive worked the NEGPGA/Topsfield Fair weigh off going on my 8th year now and I know what Dick means. I believe the GPC and all the clubs have tried to create a set of guidelines to help this problem.

John (5150)

2/5/2008 2:07:39 PM

Rhode Island

John

Dont know if your remarks were aimed at me but in my case i have been growing since 1989. Yes ron and i grow together in one patch, but also have our own plants.Everyone knows we are both growers. You have been at our patch to see this i believe.

I also dont understand what you meant with numbers 1 and 2?

Did i strike a nerve? If so it was not intended.

The intent of the post was and is to offer an opinion based on a few years of observation

PAP

2/5/2008 3:20:43 PM

Western NY

I've seen it over the years also. Easiest way to tell -start chatting with the person. Ask what seed it was grown from, pollinator, ect. When they don't know or refuse to tell you, that's when you know there's something going on.

2/5/2008 3:33:37 PM

Rhode Island

john
i owe you an apology. i just realized your remarks were in reference to someone elses post.
i forgot my own rule (READ A SECOND TIME BEFORE YOU REACT)
the beers are on me.
pap

2/5/2008 3:41:26 PM

ipswich, ma usa

Dick

I was using you and Ron as the example as to why 1tons rule for weigh offs would not work. I know you guys grow together I've drunk beer with ya at your patch..:). I thought by using the world record holder and you as the example of why the rule would be bad it would be a great example as to why that rule would not work. No nerve struck I'm on your guys side, I guess my wording must not have been clear enough sorry for any misconception out there.

The number 1 and number 2 was just a way I was looking at the post and breaking it down.

John (5150)

2/5/2008 3:42:25 PM

Back Yard

There is an obvious need for an early spring. If there were a problem with more than person contributing to a top ten prize winner in any way (yes, that would include rototilling their own patch or handling chemicals/fertilizers) that would disqualify alot of people/children and older growers because from time to time, we all need a little help! If you know for a fact there is someone cheating, maybe it would be best to confront that person in the manner that Andy has provided and see what the result is. I got out of these weighoffs for the same reason Pap is discussing. the fact remains where there is a prize fund or bragging rights at stake, there will probably be someone trying to get a leg up on the competition by doing dishonest practices to ensure themselves of money or recognition. When there is a sure fire way to out these cheats, maybe more like me will return to the weighoffs for the fun it used to be. Until then good luck to the decision makers to curb the cheaters. it will not be an easy task. I know.

2/5/2008 4:01:12 PM

ipswich, ma usa

I totally agree with you 1ton hence my points above. It is a very tough thing to try and fix and unfortunately no real way to do it. Like I said integrity is going the way of the horse drawn carriage.

John (5150)

2/5/2008 4:05:08 PM

Back Yard

Well,
as the fuel prices continue to rise, we just may see a return of those horse drawn carriages and none too soon. I need more manure for my patch!

2/5/2008 4:10:59 PM

Mt Vernon Ky

I totally agree with pap my wife and I grow together from the beginning she dose as much as i do or more but we have not got to the 1000 to the scales yet but its coming if it wasnt for her i couldnt grow at all and we have seen it happen at some weigh off

2/5/2008 4:49:29 PM

Dallas, Oregon

I agree pap, seen it before. If you want to put an end to 90 percent of this give out ribbons instead of thousands of dollars of prize money.

2/5/2008 7:03:05 PM

Ohio

I gotta say, I couldn't do it without my wife ether, at the beginning of the season especially. While I'm at work and my plants are covered she will go out and uncover them when the temps starts rising, if it wasn't for her doing this my plants would never make it and burn up. But would I enter another pumpkin in her name at a weigh off because she does only this, the answer would be NO. The reason is because I do everything else myself, does she water, bury, do the pollination's and and the rest of the good stuff? No she doesn't. I just wouldn't feel right entering another pumpkin in a weigh saying she grew it when in all actuality she really did not grow it, she helped a little yes, but to growing it, it was really all me.

What I'm saying here is this, there has got to be a line to who enters a pumpkin and using some common sense on claiming a pumpkin for someone eles.

2/5/2008 7:16:01 PM

Frankfort Oh

Pap your point gets, accross clear ,,,we have had this issue ,,in our weigh offs for the past two years ,,but things, like this, don`t get ,,,,addressed ,,,due to upsetting the growers,,so how do we ,,sort out, this kinda problem ,,,without ,making, a stink and hard fillings toward ,,a whole group of innoscent people,,just because we want to make it fair for the whole group?I do wish we had an ansew for this,,In my opinion,,it`s needs to become a rule in the GPC!

2/5/2008 7:18:56 PM

Roselle, IL GJGEM@sbcglobal.net

Isn't the GPC ruling one pumpkin per household per weigh-off? How are legit husband/wife, Father/son, brother/sister
teams weighing their pumpkins at these events?

2/5/2008 7:20:57 PM

Ohio

Ill tell you guys who I admire the most, and thats the Mckie brothers, these two guys could have taken alot of prize money(doing it fair) in alot of weigh offs entering their pumpkins seprate but they didnt. That shows alot of class I think, and it also shows me that growing pumpkins for just the enjoyment comes first with these two guys and everything eles is extra(money).

2/5/2008 7:25:26 PM

Back Yard

I agree %100 Brooks!!

2/5/2008 8:53:53 PM

Mt Vernon Ky

i wasnt call any group but when ones wife son grandson does there own i think they should be in if not they shouldnt maybe who ever over the weigh off should ask them a few ouestion and if they cant answer them then there out and i do agree 100% with brooks

2/5/2008 9:17:29 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

I agree with Pap, I've seen this at our weigh-off. Sometimes it is painfully obvious that the same person bought more than one "big" pumpkin and knocked some other growers out of prize money. It seems the biggest pumpkin is "always" registered to the primary grower and the smaller to spouse, child, etc. We all know there are honest "team growers" out there but I would say the majority are not. The only rule at our weigh-off is one entry per person. If you make it one entry per household it still wouldn't solve anything. I guess it's all about honesty and integrity.

2/5/2008 9:32:33 PM

Rhode Island

unfortunately the only way to curtail the double dipping would be to have a hard fast rule that only one entry per fixed address per catagory
unfortunately people like myself or ron or those mom and pop, husband and wife growers ,etc, would never be able to compete both as entrants at a weigh off should this come to pass
and why should the honest growers be punished for the dishonest ones?
i think the problem is not so much at every weigh-off? but at the same ones every year.
like someone mentioned above " its been going on for so long its an accepted practice at some weigh-offs"

pap

2/5/2008 9:49:35 PM

Iowa

Are you for real MIKE FRANZT??

2/5/2008 11:19:33 PM

Iowa

Oh thats right it is FRANTZ as anyone can see three times in the 2007 results from Anamosa.

2/6/2008 12:34:31 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

So what may be the final answer here? Only one per address? Im not really liking that.... We community grow our here because we live in the city, my garden at home is bigger than the Biz's entire yard..for him to be able to grow we share dirt up at a nursery, that is 25 acres, there is talk of wanting to get a few others to grow and extend it out to a schools education patch too. A great co-op, Thats one hell of a large address block. He takes care of his, and I do mine...LongBeard does his own, patch is open for anyone to come visit to watch and regularly does with the owners permsission, its his land.

Biz constantly walks by me, goes up to his dirt and tosses coffee grounds or egg shells out with a smirk on his face...take that attitude...Tit for tat.... Its a great competition and exactly what this hobby is all about....Tough call here, but I say If we grow it, theres proof, then we get to show it....perhaps not eligable for $$ but the ribbon and pictures get talked about for years....

2/6/2008 8:39:07 AM

Rhode Island

THE FINAL OUTCOME AND COMMENTARY ON THE SUBJECT OF SHOW IT IF YOU GROW IT

MOST GROWERS WHO ATTEND THEIR AREA AND REGIONAL WEIGH-OFFS KNOW PRETTY MUCH WHO THE QUESTIONABLE GROWERS ARE.

AS JOHN MENTIONED "IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK AND LOOKS LIKE A DUCK" YOU ASSUME ITS A DUCK.
A BIG PART OF OUR HOBBY FROM SEED IDENTIFICATION TO TRADING ,ETC, IS BASED ON HONESTY AND INTEGRITY

IF ANY OF THE GROWERS IN QUESTION READ THIS THEN THEY TO KNOW WE HAVE NOT LET IT GO UNNOTICED

THATS THE BEST THING THAT CAME OUT OF THIS

PAP

2/6/2008 10:03:41 AM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

Thanks Pap for these great posts and threads, If helps everybody, from the GPC to the new grower just starting out.
All we need to do is go duck hunting
Eddy

2/6/2008 10:11:25 AM

Team Munson

This is a very interesting thread, thank you Dick!!!

First I would like to have you look at this link http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Attachments/GPCRulesAndRegs2007.pdf then direct your attention to Article II section 1 & 2. Some have asked "doesn't the GPC have rules for this?" well the answer is right here on BP.

The executive committee works very hard every year to get the rules in place to uphold the integrity of the sites and growers. We understand that that these practices go on every year but the bottom line is before we can DQ a fruit for these reasons the growers have to police themselves. The GPC does not interfere with sites as to how they pay for fixed address pumpkins. The sites have every right to pay 5 fruit or more from a fixed address if they choose. The suggestion I would give to you would be to either police the site better or not participate in a weigh-off that you do not agree with their pay out practices.

Dave

2/6/2008 10:11:59 AM

St. Thomas Ontario

Although not a "heavy hitter", i've been at this since 1983 @ age 11 in Windsor Nova Scotia...I love this gardening game:) Just a thought...most of us have had bird scratches, gouges from a groundh hog and nics from a wayward shelter.

What about a customized "abbrasive stamp" bearing our initials applied at say day 10-15"? Nothing too deep that'll affect growth, but something that says, "this is mine,and i'll be babying it for the rest of the season"?? Just a thought.

2/6/2008 11:28:25 AM

Jericho Vermont

Our local Vermont weigh off rules only allow one "official" pumpkin per address. The second pumpkin can be officially weighed as a GPC fruit but is not eligible for local prize monies. I personally like this rule and like the idea that the local weigh off site can/should have their own governing rules above and beyond the GPC. This idea was put forth a few years ago from our best competitors who could have potentially dominated all of the top prize slots. Shows upstanding character as far as I am concerned.
John

2/6/2008 12:33:14 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

So question I have, My dad and I are growing pumpkins at my patch but we have two different addy's. Is this okay?

I was at my county fair this yr and saw some very pretty vegies, I later found out that the judge had saw that person buy the vegies at our farmers market.(almost right next door)

2/6/2008 1:34:46 PM

Indiana

I am sure my father and I come up in this debate behind our backs all the time.

Talk to dad at the contest, and you know he grows them. Like someone said above. You know from talking to them. The only thing dad doesn't usually know is the pollinator. I handle all the genetics. He does pollinations with me, but just sticks the stake in the ground from the pollen collected the night before. He knows nothing about the pollinator other than me telling him pollen from the plant and pointing.

Tou can always tell by talking to the person. They usually have stories about how the almost killed it, or thought it was aborting, or thought it might be starting to smell, etc.

Tom Beachy

2/6/2008 1:56:23 PM

Ontario

Problem is how much tending to the plants is enough and whats not enough? I'll use my situation. My wife open and closes the huts early in the spring. She waters for me when needed. Will help out with weeding, I'm at work when the pollinating needs doing. I have not pollinated a pumpkin in ten years. Will mark flowers night before and then she will pick and pollinate for me. Will uncover pumpkins for me late in season, helps me dig pits and when I have not been up to spraying she will spray plants. Ask her what she sprays or how much water, she does not have a clue. Fetilizing she has no idea. Genetics she is lost. Sq ft no idea. How many pounds a day clueless. Without her help I could not grow. Her helping me out priceless. So my question is would she qualify? In my mind yes. What about all the wifes who sacrifice for their husbands, do they qualify? What about the ones who don't even step foot in patch but without them there would be no pumpkin? Too complicated of a subject, too many variables. Again you could include number of plants grown. Growers with large patches have more of a advantage so should they be allowed to go to more then one weigh off? I say yes but if your going to put restrictions on who's a grower and who's not then thats a subject that needs visiting, also if your trying to make it a level playing field. I'm neither against or for multiply growers, one plot or large plot growers, just pointing out theres too many variables. Again its up too the individual and weigh off site. Pretty hard to prove and disqualified on a did you grow it or how much do you know rule.

drew

2/6/2008 2:15:53 PM

Ontario

Best answer for this debate and if it bothers you that much is simply "grow bigger pumpkins and multiple fruit would not be an issue

drew

2/6/2008 2:18:20 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

I'm glad our small weighoff hasn't become "too big", as it were...

We weigh all fruits that anyone cares to bring, from field pumpkins to the largest giants. When it comes to prize money, one per family is all you get. Seems like the GPC already has the rules, so follow them.

2/6/2008 3:44:22 PM

Somers, CT

This is a needed conversation. I would hate to take away from the hard working growers such as the Beachys and Pap and Ron by placing restrictions. Maybe just some dialogue regarding the growing effort has to be exclusively provided by person named on the weighoff entry. That way the four-year-old granddaughter does not get credit unless she germinated, tilled, dug weeds, polenated etc.

2/6/2008 4:17:43 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Does anyone remember the VWO (virtual weigh off)?

You could only compete if you had grew your VWO seed with a diary right here at BP. For those who stuck with their diaries there was never any question who grew what.

Most club members are the same. We go on patch tours, swap emails/pictures/ phone calls. Whether father/son husband/wife or just two friends, teams may submit together or apart. But everyone will know. I grew with a team this year & we never once considered entering the individual pumpkins in our individual names. That's not how we grew them! See my diary & you'll know we were a team. We could have each grown our own plants & recorded it that way but we didn't.

What I don't like is when an unkown grower shows up with multiple fruit & all of the cousins in tow & not a one of them knows what a 723 Bobier is. So you ask what Warrior is & get more blank stairs.

Integrity is earned.

2/6/2008 4:41:06 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Article II Fruits and Growers

1) The entry must be grown, cared for, from seed to harvest, and exhibited by the grower. In case of an emergency the site coordinator, club/grower representative, and site representative will make a decision on the validity of the excuse. Only the heaviest entry, one per class (pumpkin-squash) from one fixed address/household will be eligible for GPC prize money.

A) A fixed address/household will be defined as any two people or more that grow compatibly at a single address or household i.e.:husband/wife, father/son, two friends or more, etc.

B) The growers must still adhere to Article I Section 11 paragraph A and Article II Section 1 for multiple residence entries to be deemed official.

C) This rule must be enforced by the representatives and growers of each GPC weigh-off site.

2) The GPC will recognize two entries per fixed address/household for top ten average only.

2/6/2008 5:49:16 PM

Mt.Pleasant,Iowa

I am like what Drew said, my wife helps a bunch during the growing season,watering weeding,pollinating,covering and moving the pumpkin in place.She even hauls manure for me. But if you ask her what cross it is she has no idea. We have only anamosa weigh-off close that is GPC so its hard to get to other sites as easy as other clubs. It would be nice to take 2 pumpkins because its the only chance we have. I have only taken 1 pumpkin to a GPC weigh-off for the last 4 years. It would be nice to have 4 Big pumpkins to take to 4 GPC events but there not there and most are the same weekend as Anamosa. But someday they will be there I believe If we work on it. There are new weigh-offs being formed as we speak. Tough subject

2/6/2008 6:28:35 PM

Iowa

Well Said DREW!!!Without her help I could not grow. Her helping me out priceless. So my question is would she qualify? In my mind yes.

2/6/2008 10:13:44 PM

Rexburg, Idaho

Personally I don't understand the rule. The pumpkin was grown, cared for and deserves the attention that it weight gives it. I'm not saying that it should be listed under another name that is WRONG. But why descriminate against a grower who grew two (three) big pumpkins. Make it so that only one member of the family can recieve prize money but recognize the pumpkin and the grower for its weight.
In Idaho we only have one weighoff. I take all my pumpkins but only one is eligible for prize money. One reason why we are not part of the GPC.

2/7/2008 2:08:58 AM

Western NY

That's generally how it happens even at GPC sites, Brian. The closest one to me (which is GPC) had one guy bring in 5 pumpkins in between 700-1000 pounds. He only took money for the heaviest, he just wanted the official weight for them all. If he would have made the top 10 with 2 of his pumpkins, those would have been able to count numerically towards the site's top 10 average when the GPC calculates them, but he was only collecting a prize there for one.

2/7/2008 8:09:52 AM

Team Munson

Brian, your reason for not being a GPC site is the same rule we use for issuing GPC money. The site has the right to pay the growers however they wish. The GPC does not interfere with prize money at individual sites other than the main prize schedule is available for all growers that participate.
We want to have more sites in the mid west and rocky mountain regions but this is a very vast area with the growers spread out. In this instance your complaint would lie with the site not the GPC feel free to call me I would like to hear your other reasons for not being a GPC site. My number is posted on the GPC home page, please call after 6pm est.

Dave

2/7/2008 9:08:01 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

One more comment about Anamosa. I did notice last weighoff that Ralph Trumm brought 2 pumpkins, 1 over 1000# and one just under 1000#. He entered the small one as exhibition rather than under his wife's name. Way to go Ralph.
My son and I grew gourds and watermelons together last year, but we have always grown our own pumpkins. We might trade a little labor back and forth: I do all of the chemical spraying because I don't want Jacob exposed to too much of that. Jacob pays me back by doing some extra "grunt" work, like mowing around the electric fence and hauling mulch. Still, we split up the patch at the beginning of the season, take turns picking out which seeds we get, and for the most part do our own weeding, watering, fertilizing and pollinating. Sometimes I have the big pumpkin, some years Jacob beats me. I see no problem with that.

2/7/2008 1:24:13 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

http://www.ctpumpkin.com/coppermine/displayimage.php?pid=121&fullsize=1

One Official entry, two Exhibition entries (& a forklift).

There is no reason to limit the entries at a GPC event so long as the grower(s) understand there is only one that is eligable for GPC prizes. In the case of Penfield, only one of these was eligable for site prizes too.

We brought them all to get Official weights & as eye candy.

2/7/2008 7:06:47 PM

New Carlisle IN

I like the one per household rule, but why are exh fruit basically disqualified? I can understand the not eligable for prize money part but if it's a top 10 fruit why take the ribbon? It's just as hard to grow an exh. pumpkin as it is to grow an offical one.

2/7/2008 7:45:56 PM

No Place Special

Amy, I love and respect the Krug family, please dont ever think otherwise. I know there are some wives that actually have their own fruit and or pull their own weight and there are some that may turn on a sprinkler now and then or open the door on a hoop house and end up with a pumpkin in their name. I was just pointing out what i have seen to add to this discussion and didn't feel it was appropriate to name names (only the grower will ever know the truth, others can just assume). Personally im not even sure I agree with the rule. Grow it, show it and compete with it....if you bust your butt and have 2 or 3 monsters, more power to you as far as im concerned! Like someone said above, if you dont like it, try harder. Now im sure there are perfectly logical reasons to have the one per grower rule or we wouldnt have it. And from what I understand, that is the rule and it should be respected. My wife will help me when needed also and if it werent for her I would never have a pumpkin to show either but she is not the primary grower. I think the primary grower would be the person who does 50% or more of the work. I guess this percentage is what everyone is in disagrement about? Hell I really could care less anyhow, until one of these rule benders tried to accuse me of bending the rules.

2/7/2008 9:22:01 PM

No Place Special

Oh ya as far as the 3 pumpkins this year at Anomasa with the Frantz name on them.... The two 700 lbers were grown by Rob Seals and myself (a team that shares the work equally) and the third 400 lber was grown by my kids, Ashley and Austin Frantz. They did 99% of the work. They planted the seeds, transplanted the seedlings (incorrectly as far as which way the main would go) did all the watering so on and so forth and they learned about the birds and the bees (even did their own pollinations) The only thing Rob and I did for them was to spray insectacide and lift the pumpkin into the truck. Im darn proud of them for their efforts this year. Anyhow this third pumpkin was not in any money, matter of fact it cost me money ( i knew this before we even put it in the truck) to let the kids show it at Anamosa. 10- $20 whatever the entry fee is I dont know. So yes there were 3 pumpkins at Anamosa with the Frantz name on them and all 3 were grown at the same address. Im not sure whats wrong with this? And Iowegan is correct, Rulph did have a beautiful just shy of 1000 Lber he brought as exhibition! That one would have bumped Rob and I down another spot this yr...HE HE! Somehow Ralph's exhibition only fruit did manage to grab the $100 prize for prety pumpkin. The 714 Frantz / Seals was the unofficial runner up though.

2/7/2008 9:25:40 PM

St. Thomas Ontario

To Mike's point. We shouldn't ever discredit the efforts of the young, and those efforts should be recognized. I remember taking a 300 lber to an Ontario weighoff and while watching proudly the volunteers lift my "moster", one of the lifters said..."I hate it when people buy these things at a market and enter it just to get a cheap room"...Well rest assured i didn't buy it at any market, and i didn't want a cheap room. But I was very hurt and felt like never trying again. The young and inexperienced are the future. If you grow it, you SHOULD show it...proudly.

2/8/2008 8:45:50 AM

Iowa

Mike, Really never felt bad about your post in the fisrt place, you have been here you KNOW what has gone on here since the spring of 2006!! Sorry your wife hates the fact that you grow mine no longer does!! The part I don't understand is this?? (Oh ya funny story..... one of these growers who has been entering fruit in his wifes name for YEARS had the nuts to question me on my partnership with Rob and the legality of the entry of our little 800 lb pumpkin. The level to which he took this protest was just insane. In the end it is an amusing event at which I shake my head at in disbelief and cant help but chuckle. Ohhhh the drama of giant pumpkins!) How could to be such a boy about something you said was water under the bridge?? This person helped you out when ever he could, and gave you advice, seeds and most of all FRIENDSHIP!! Maybe you should email him not me! Oh by the way everyone I have no problem looking in the mirror, nor does Amy....

2/8/2008 10:34:40 PM

No Place Special

Steve your one of the good guys, im not sure where or why you thought my comments included you but they did not. When you look in the mirror you should see nothing but a top notch and respected grower.

As far as this "other" person, ummm hes not everything you think he is. Im leaving it at that.

2/8/2008 11:57:42 PM