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Grittyville, WA

Beginners will get scared away by needless fees but attracted by small prizes. Is it an issue of having a certain optimal number and size of pumpkins? The weigh offs want the biggest pumpkins, but the hobby needs the newer and smaller growers. There always seems to be a time crunch at the weigh offs because of the awkward loading and moving of pumpkins... The best thing would be to give small prizes for the non-pumpkin categories to promote participation and don't interfere with the overall duration of the event. Tell me if any of this makes any sense on any level.

4/17/2026 6:16:30 PM

Germany

Last year, at one of the weigh-off sites that I had been to, I also attended the pumpkin-giveaway in November (when the pumpkins from the weigh-off, which served as exhibits for a while, were opened and passers by were welcome to get a big chunk of pumpkin and/or some seeds therefrom). As one never knows if there are any good seeds in your pumpkin, and interested newbies should have good seeds in spring to start with (properly dried seeds with no mold), I had prepared many packages of seeds from my seed stock (from a fruit of similar weight) accompanied by a sheet of How-To for beginners. Indeed, the seed count in my pumpkin was pretty poor, and there were many flat/hollow shells, and the interested crowd still got plenty of seeds (for free, of course). Can't wait to see if any of them will show up as a weigh-off entry this fall.

4/18/2026 6:46:24 AM

C N Y

Wow, you two outdid yourselves with the proper English type-a-rama, lol. Not a hair/vine nor letter out of place! A taste of my own medicine in that I had to start over like 3 times my first sentence, even, lol. I re-read most of it because I was so enamored with the style rather than the information. Very nice and a lot of good information, thereat, therefore and there-within.
There-ya-go! Nice---eric g

4/19/2026 12:22:59 AM

C N Y

I have thought to offer for sale some giant pumpkin...errr, medium-giant pumpkin Gerry plants at a veggie stand where I sell the pumpkins under the gracious auspices of the stand owner. In MY case, the repercussion would be that they would buy a MGP plant and not have to buy a pumpkin at the season's end, where the money made to myself is high incentive to grow more and be able to deliver them (Yay! Trailer hitch is installed!) at an incredible value already. I am trying, literally trying to get seeds to a relative and also to a guy with grandkids and I sell them, besides. Fantastic, yes, agreed, that your giving away the plants is commendable and I am sure, very-much-appreciated. I am just a bit wired tonight, so a typing loon as well, lol.
Take Care---Nice seedlings, with males already!---eric gerry

[Last edit: 04/19/26 12:38:19 AM]

4/19/2026 12:36:45 AM