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[email protected]

Previous post First 8 Auctions $42,685.00

RMGVG 42 lots Avg, per lot $73.69 Total $3,095.00
VGVGA 32 lots Avg. per lot $70.00 Total $2,240.00
CWGPG 43 Lots AVG. per lot $95.58 Total $4,110.00
SNGPG 41 Lots Avg. per lot $154.76 Total $6,345.00
NYSGPGA 50 Lots Avg. per lot $92.40 Total $4,620.00
SOGPG 70 Lots Avg. per lot $77.43 Total $5,420.00
KGPG 30 Lots Avg. per lot $115.17 Total $3,455.00
NCGVG 34 Lots Avg. per lot $72.35 Total $2,460.00
BP Ben. 50 Lots Avg. per lot $93.60 Total $4,680.00

Total of these 9 is $36,425.00

Total To date 17 auctions $79,110.00

Eddy

2/19/2008 9:14:13 PM

Littleton, Colo

.....Just showz the class of this hobby !! We should be proud of each other and willing to help each other in every way we can !.....Thankz Ice !.. ......

2/19/2008 9:52:29 PM

Western NY

we have a few more auctions left, should cover 100k total on auctions. prize money payouts at all the weighoffs combined are probably at least double that. t-shirts, hats, growers meetings, direct seed sales, websites, pumpkin lifters, i could go on....

i'd bet on it being a combined economy over $1 million.

2/19/2008 10:03:50 PM

[email protected]

I was thinking exactly the same Andy, at least a million, and then some.
I was trying to do a growth projection, but it's growing so fast, that it would be unbelievable.
So in English, here are my numbers
1 share of the Giant pumpkin community in 1980 $1.00
1 share in the 1990

2/19/2008 10:37:09 PM

Santa Rosa California

should be good

2/19/2008 10:40:02 PM

[email protected]

Ooops
1 share in 1990 $5.00
1 share in 2000 $100.00
1 share in 2002 $800.00
1 share in 2003 $1600.00
1 share in 2004 $3200.00
1 Share in 2005 $6400.00
1 share in 2006 $15,000.00
1 share in 2007 $44,000.00

Better than anything on the stack market today

2/19/2008 10:41:17 PM

stack market--where is that at, the BEACH? haaah!

2/20/2008 2:55:51 AM

Somers, CT

Maybe we can figure a way to ousource growing to India so we can save money. That way all this money does not have to cycle around the GP community.

2/20/2008 9:16:07 AM

[email protected]

OK Pal sorry about the spelling
Question as to what the numbers mean
These are mostly guesses, but with some facts behind them.
For every dollar spent in 1980, we spent approx $44,000.00 in 2007.
Adding in all the ferts, sprayers, growth stimulants, compost, sprinklers, tillers, lifters, entry fees, club dues, POSTAGE (is huge), phone calls, on and on.
Most of the moneys go to things away from the pumpkin community, gas stations, hotels, farm supply,
So we are a force in the whole sceme of things

2/20/2008 9:56:14 AM

[email protected]

Eddie, when I put together the first auction for the PGPGA (which by the way started this entire craze) in 1999, we raised 2400 bucks. I was shocked that so many people cared to help out by purchasing seeds at such a price. Now with an auction happening every weekend and the free trade of seeds that has happened every day of every year, your stock market analogy is amazing. The outlying spending that happens (rototillers, tractors, ferts, pesticides, herbicides, seed starting mixes, pots, mycho fungis, sprinklers, rakes, shovels, seed packaging supplies, printing supplies, and hundreds of other items that I havent mentioned that would not have been purchased if it werent for AG's) is mind boggling.

Sometimes we forget to catagorize the little things like gas for the tiller, postage to send bubbles (and the return bubbles!), truck costs to move manure, etc that if you seriously sat down and did all of the figuring you would probably say "WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING!!!". Thank God if you are one of the ones like me who eat sleep drink and dream of giant pumpkins the cost is factor is minimized by the joy you get over the year of our hobby.

All that being said about one grower, multiply that by about 2000 or so and you will get your yearly share price, which I am sure we will say it is an amazingly high number but realistically would still be a low ball figure.

2/20/2008 10:11:50 AM

[email protected]

lol.. we typed basically the same thing at the same time Eddy! It took me about 20 minutes to type mine adn we were typing the same thing.. lol.. How scary is that?

2/20/2008 10:14:34 AM

[email protected]

Lol Rock, Pumpkin's RULE
Eddy

2/20/2008 10:32:33 AM

Frankfort Oh

WOW ,,very interesting Eddy!! thanks for taking the time ! Rob

2/20/2008 11:41:12 AM

Mulino, Oregon

Eddy, where is the 'previous post' ?

2/20/2008 1:05:19 PM

[email protected]

Jim here it is
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=234043

2/20/2008 1:51:56 PM

[email protected]

Make this a little easier, here are the numbers
These are the numbers from the first 8 auctions.

1) Conn. Auction 53 lots avg. $121.88 Total $6460.00
2) GPC Auction 51 Lots avg. $127.97 Total $6525.00
3) Ohio Auction 56 lots avg. $121.52 Total $6805.00
4) Pac. N.W 41 lots avg. $84.15 Total $3450.00
5) PGVG auction 113 lots avg. $71.64 Total $8095.00
6) Michigan 29 lots avg $157.76 Total $4575.00
7) Indiana 43 lots avg $85.70 Total $3685.00
8) Illinois 34 lots avg $90.88 Total $3090.00

Eddy

2/20/2008 2:16:32 PM

[email protected]

I guess I need to elaborate a bit more on the Numbers.
I took averages on what people add to their Patch, ie lime, humic acid, compost, etc etc and put numbers to them, and multiplied it be the number of pumpkins listed on the GPC and AGGC sites, and then added 25% for fruit that never made a scale, DMG, EST, too small, Non sanctioned weigh offs. And 5 % on top of that for Misc.(fruit nobody knows about) I know growers that grow for the pumpkin etc.

Now as an example: 4000 fruit and an average cost of $500.00 per fruit, That's $2,000,000.00 Dollars, Yup Really.

Now What does it cost to go to Niagara, Well add 200 Growers at an average cost of $500.00, Oh there goes another $100,000.00.

Now add the moneys We as a group inject into Niagara for the few days we're there.

This hobby is huge and growing faster than the fruit can even keep up with.

If you have any more Questions Post here please
Eddy

2/20/2008 2:30:45 PM

ordinary,VA

Eddy not trying to hijack your post but this needs to be said..

YOU THE MAN!!
I have enjoyed tremendously watchin your vigorous style of bidding over the years!you have been a blessing to many grower clubs.
I myself try to help as many clubs as i can--but i hate sleeping on the couch-my wife thinks im crazy as it is..

and no im not trying to kiss up to Eddy -he has already sent me a bubble....
just not sure how to tell Brooks about the 1068 Eddy sent me!!!

2/20/2008 2:55:52 PM

Ohio

Ed, Wait untill you see what I plant this year that Eddy sent me, it might not be a 1068 but it will still knock your socks off,lol, You will find out soon in October what seed that is,,,,,, that pumpkin will be so bright orange in will burn your eyes out,LOL!!

2/20/2008 8:19:39 PM

ordinary,VA

LOL@ Brooks ---you kill me man....hahahahahahah

2/20/2008 8:41:32 PM

Southeast

There was a lot of controversy last year regarding auction order. Does this data tell us anything?

2/21/2008 10:06:15 AM

[email protected]

It seems that scheduled times mean nothing, If you have the right seeds, they will come.
The more auctions that are out there, the better the seeds need to be.

Ed, you were supposed to keep it quite, now I'll have to answer to Brooks.
Eddy

2/21/2008 11:03:38 AM

Long Island,New York

Great seeds in the Green jacket auction this Saterday at 8 !!!!

2/21/2008 2:56:25 PM

[email protected]

I don't care when an auction takes place. The lineup matters a lot more. The SNGPG auction proves this out.

But just listing the good seeds isn't enough. If the CT auctions have taught me anything, it is that gathering the stats & SELLING the seeds makes the most impact on the auction take. Look at the individual sales totals (per lot & seed) for evidence.

The CT club takes a lot of pride in obtaining the best seeds stocks we can from the most credible (and generous) sources. But it is then up to the auctioneers to HYPE & SELL each lot like it is the clubs last chance to earn the members a viable weigh-off.

Clubs & their auction committees would do well to examine the seed make up & lot organization of these auctions. Likewise a look at their transcripts might yield some insight to the in-auction sales approach of the auctioneers.

Highest "per lot averages". "Per seed" is hard to ascertain from the data here.

Michigan avg. $157.76
SNGPG avg. $154.76
GPC Auction avg. $127.97
Conn. Auction avg. $121.88
Ohio Auction avg. $121.52
KGPG avg. $115.17

One thing I see that is very interesting: Some of the higher grossing auctions offered a smaller number of lots. Looking over their seed lists & how the lots were organized should be telling.

2/21/2008 5:37:31 PM

ordinary,VA

1068Papez Thanks Eddy--now the cat is out of the bag!!!

2/21/2008 7:11:34 PM