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Berlin, Ma

GiantPumpkinsOnline.com is selling seeds by consignment for anyone who is interested in raising some extra money for the upcoming growing season. Not only does this raise some extra cash it also gets your seed out to growers who will actually plant it. Who knows maybe your seed produces a giant in 2008 and everyone will want it next year. You could be holding onto the next record seed and will never know unless you get it to people who actually plant it. All you have to do is get the seed to us and we do the rest. Give us a try before it is too late. GaintPumpkinsOnline.com

2/19/2008 10:06:48 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

No thanks, I like giving my seeds away and helping new growers to have a chance. I'll never sell a seed!

Haven't we had this conversation here before?

2/19/2008 10:59:26 PM

i had my seeds being sold
through P and P seed in i believe it was 2002.
one of those seeds, my 508
(300 Gerry '01 (1140 Stelts X 845 Bobier '00) X 845 '00)
grew the New Zealand record at the time of 737 pounds.
that never would have happened for neither Darky nor me
had it not been for the selling of one of MY seeds where
P and P as well as myself made a little something and someone very far away benefitted from this process. sure, he could have emailed me for a few 508s, but even i would not have planted them for a few years.
i had too many 845s to plant!
gone are the days when the ONLY 'respectable' way to
obtain top seeds was to ask for them from who had them.
now that the PVP thing has run-out on the AG, well,
the boundaries are a little blurrier (wow, never typed THAT before) than they used to be...

additionally, where did the 898 Knauss come from?
the 1007 Brown and the 1048 Cox were both weighed at the Clarence, NY weighoff in 2000, and i think the following
year the 1007 was crossed by the 1048 and the rest is history, as far as i can tell, with seeds BOUGHT from a 'seed store'. again, chronologically in reverse, another example of seeds being SOLD for profit, indirectly resulting in a good thing after all. i realize that this is an ongoing argument and there are several sides to it.
if i see an 898 Knauss on a seed-selling website for
ballpark 200 dollars, 250 maybe, i would be scratching my 5 o'clock shadow and sayin' "Ya knowwwww...i DO have that tax return comin'.....lol.
if i made a dime for every seed i DID NOT plant yet, i'd
have a new trailer for my bigguns this year in no time. eg

2/20/2008 2:52:09 AM

ExtremeVegetables.com

The shipping cost are a little high, USPS priority mail pre-paid BOX is only $8.95 for whatever you can fit in it and they give you the box for free. I have been looking for a supplier of 200 of those Canadian Big Boy tomato seeds but the shipping would run the cost of the seeds up too high.

2/20/2008 7:47:19 AM

[email protected]

The 1007 Brown and the 1048COx were weighed in at Clarence, BUT were not purchased at p and p seeds. Kevin Browns 769 was his own stock, (he lives 10 miles from me) and the 898 came from those crosses but were not purchased - yet- traded from each grower by Len Knauss (who lives 15 miles from me). These two growers came by their seeds the "old fashioned" way. Free trade and from within the pumpkin community itself.

As for seed auctions, the profits go to an organization, not one particular grower profiting from someone elses ability to share. Yes, they do own the seeds - basically, once they get them. But I can almost guarantee any of the heavy hitters would take note of the person who sold them for their own profit and kinda "blackball" them from further seed distribution. For an organization, I see selling seeds as okay, but for personal gain from a gift from a generous heavy hitter, I have a problem with that.

2/20/2008 10:02:09 AM

Frankfort Oh

WELL>> this is my personal ,,,(imput on the topic) ,,I see nothing wrong, what, Marks trying to do here,He`s trying to give something back to folks,,who invest alot of time and money for there efforts,,he`s not, trying to get rich off anyone ,,I`ve personally talked to Mark on the phone trying to understand ,where he`s going with this ,web site ,and his attentions was nothing ,but good, to try and give back to folks, who might, not have alot of money in the back burner,come spring time ,,Lets face it ,,and be honest about it ,,,how many seeds have you given away?and still not see any get planted ?,, I for one have given almost all my 667s from 06 away ,,and seen only one get planted that I know of,,,and my 668s gave over 50% of them away to see only a few get planted ,,now I know ,alot of people, won`t plant a seed, untill it`s proven,,but to leave, seeds in a closet ,just to age away ,,when someone else, could be planting it ,,just does`nt make sence to me !!And I see how this seems to some ,,he`s out to make a buck off me ,,,,,But I (lay) my life down on it !! it`s not what Marks trying to do ,,,So lets not judge a book by it`s cover unless you have read it !!Give the guy a chance to prove himself!And I also look at it like this ,,If a person buys a seed, there more out, to plant it, because they have an investment in it!to me thats better then someone promiseing to plant it then not .So MARK I`ll be sending a few of my seeds out Monday ,,anything I make will go to my charity,, for people who have huntingtons disase,,,witch i`ve lost four family members too ,,Mother ,Brother ,Sister ,,Uncle,,,and withen the next year, will lose two more brothers ,,and a cousin,So in ending (thanks Mark) for taking the time to care about other people! In this ever growing sport of pumpkin growing

2/20/2008 12:40:15 PM

[email protected]

I see no problem if it is your own seed from your own pumpkin, BUT, if it is a seed that was given to you from another grower (lets say a 998 Pukos) and you got it to try and turn a personal profit from it, that is where the problem is. Sell all of your (patchgrown) seeds you want,but when you become a profiteer from someone elses pumpkin seed (kinda like scalping)that has made it big in others patches. How does everyone else feel about individuals (not clubs or organizations) profiting from seed sales (that are not their own, but given to them)? I would be curious to see the outcome of the BP communities feelings. I think you will be surprised to see the answer "Little Bit".

2/20/2008 1:31:16 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

$$$ ruins this hobby. You loose accountibility when seeds are sold this way. I heard a comment that there has been more 845 Bobier seeds planted than actual seeds in that pumpkin.

2/20/2008 2:14:22 PM

ordinary,VA

"gone are the days when the ONLY 'respectable' way to
obtain top seeds was to ask for them from who had them."


WOW!!! hope Joe Pukos,Ron & Dick Wallace,Steve Daletas,Bill Northrup,Don Young -- dont ask for there seeds back! and yes they will see dirt-dont hold'em grow'em

2/20/2008 2:24:22 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

AMEN Ed!!!! All the growers you mentioned and many more here are VERY generous. A big thanks to each and every one!

2/20/2008 3:07:15 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

I'm sure all the guys Ed mentioned could sell their seeds and make a "respectable" profit but they don't. The fact that all the growers here are so generous, friendly, and willing to help is what has made this hobby the most appealing to me. Shannon is right "$$$ ruins this hobby."

2/20/2008 3:10:44 PM

Coventry R.I.

WELL,, its helps out with all the fertilizer,s,, and other things that goes into growing these giant,s pumpkin,s. I ALREADY donated to one store SEEDS ,,, but NOW I like Mark,s idea .. FRANK

2/20/2008 4:28:11 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

When I first started growing in Spring of 2001. The only source I could find was by buying em.

Sometimes the only way u can find em is by buying em. A lot of growers can barely afford to raise pumpkins. ex fertilizer, hoses, materials to grow the bigone. It all adds up.

Some growers have o choose between buying items that their kids need or pumpkin stuff. Extra money could help buy that seed u want at an Auction. But a lot of growers will never be that lucky to sell their seeds. one out of 100-200 growers has been given the chance to sell seeds.

But I see problems with that, and thus could hurt our great sport.

2/20/2008 4:41:44 PM

Frankfort Oh

The way I understand it ,Its (your) seeds on the list (not) somebody elses ,,I wouldn`t go for that myself ,,I mean I wouldn`t take anothers growers seed and send them for someone else to sell,,,that would be wrong!! but if it`s like, I stated before your own personal stock ,,,,that should be up to the individual,,,thats all i`m saying

2/20/2008 5:37:34 PM

Dresden, Ohio

Just looked at the site and wondering if it is like SeedOutlet.com? I like the way the seeds are sealed and tamper proof. He turns a small profit, IMO, from selling seeds this way, but I think it is worth it.

2/20/2008 6:02:10 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Maybe Mark could arrange an option for growers sending in their own seeds, to have the reasonable profit go to a charity.Probably 80% of the seeds grown every year never reach "auction quality" status. That way the ones sold for charity will have served a good purpose even if they never get planted.

2/20/2008 6:12:29 PM

Rhode Island

THERES AN OLD SAYING " THERES AN ASS FOR EVERY SEAT "
ITS A PERSONAL CHOICE.
I HAVE MY OWN REASONS WHY I WOULD NOT PURCHASE SEEDS FROM ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ORIGINAL GROWER OR A FRIEND.
BUT THAT DOES NOY MEAN ITS NOT A GOOD THING FOR YOU.
PAP

2/20/2008 6:13:27 PM

Webster, NY

I've bought from clubs, but there are just too many good seeds out there to be had for just a trade or a friendly note. But, each to his own.

2/20/2008 7:59:10 PM

ExtremeVegetables.com

From what i see here the guy is only selling his and other's personal seeds grown from from pumpkins they have personally grown.
I totally agree that selling anothers seed is wrong unless it has been previously discussed and the reason for sale is for other than personal gain. That being said, hypothetical situations are not a good enough reason to despise the man for what he is doing and do not apply to this situation.
If Joe Jutras had his seed for sale for $10 each on that site the very same people who would complain about it would be buying them by the dozen.

It's a personal choice wether or not you sell the seeds from your own fruit. No different than selling seeds from any other plant really.
I have given away seeds, often at an expense to myself. If a person sells a couple of seeds to help pay for patch items or even take the good wife out to eat for putting up with him during the summer, I don't see a dang thing wrong with that.
I have a few extra seeds, they are Free to ANYONE who sends me a self addressed stamped bubble with the PROPER amount of postage on it, @ 1.30 each way.
If you take care of the expense and make it easy for me I'll be happy to send em and you can do whatever the hail you want with em.

2/20/2008 9:16:58 PM

ExtremeVegetables.com

Except sell them for profit. ;)

2/20/2008 9:18:41 PM

Berlin, Ma

I have never sold nor intend to sell any seeds that have been given to me for free. Pumpkin growing is getting expensive and I have found an innovative way to help fray the cost of the ever increasing gardening bill. This idea is also open to anyone who wants to sell their seeds on my consignment website (GiantPumpkinsOnline.com). I am also willing to help anyone who wants to sell their seeds for charity or raise a little money for their pumpkin organization. I had no idea this was going to be such a controversial topic and do not mean anyone harm. I am a grower who believes you have the right to sell your seeds if you want to. I have to laugh when I see the Pukos and Wallace seeds selling for $300-$400 at auction yet people getting upset when I am selling seeds for less than $10 dollars and 60% of that is being returned to the seed owner. Please feel free to contact me on my private email [email protected] with any questions or suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Mark Lewis
GiantPumpkinsOnline.com

2/21/2008 12:06:36 AM

okay, couple things---i hope i didn't somehow make it sound like it was okay to sell SOMEONE ELSE'S seeds that
were sent to you or i in good faith that they would be planted by you or i someday. NO! BAD! BAD!
i am KEEPING my 1X31.3 and X85, thank you !
only YOUR or MY OWN seeds should ever be sold through a
site 'cause they are YOURS or MINE to begin with. done.

when i said "gone are the days when the ONLY 'respectable' way to obtain top seeds was to ask for them from who had them. now that the PVP thing has run-out on the AG, well,
the boundaries are a little blurrier...than they used to be...",...
there is no mystery there---NOTE THE WORD 'ONLY'...i just meant that since the PVP ran out, people can more commonly get ahold of seeds that are otherwise (maybe) unavailable because there are now websites and growers here and there that want to get a little something in return for a seed rather than another seed that may still not get planted,
or nothing at all.
i trade my own seeds with a handful of the best growers that there are, and wouldn't have it any other way with THEM. so, i am into a hybrid thing, i guess.
and lastly>>>---i am sorry, i didn't know the slightest thing about how the 898 Knauss came to be. i just THOUGHT
logically that since they were weighed at the same site,
and P and P keeps the seeds from the top 3 fruits and sells them (1007 by the way, not 769) in the following couple of months and years, and the 898 just happened to be created from those side-by-side-fruits weighed in '00
at Clarence...well, that was how it seemed to have
happened. i didn't indicate well-enough that i didn't know the whole story, lol---EG

2/21/2008 12:21:58 AM

Porterville, Ca.

Howard Dills Own - WORLD RECORD- Giant Pumpkin Seeds. $5.95 for pack of 5 seeds. Lowes in Visalia, California yesterday. "Be the first kid in your town to grow a 600 lb. monster pumpkin" the pack says

2/21/2008 1:30:22 AM

Santa Rosa, CA

There are many ways for pumpkin growers to obtain seeds.
1)Trade seeds with another grower via the postage-paid bubble method.
2)Pick them up from the seed table at a grower's meeting.
3)Join a club and get the annual seed promo.
or
4)Buy them. For the people who like to point & click I found a number of ways...
A)Ray Leonzi's Seedoutlet.com ($1.95)
B)Howard Dill's Howard Dill Seeds (3 for $7.00 to $15.00)
C)Tom Beachy's seeds (3 for $5.00 to $15.00)
D)Ray Waterman's P & P Seeds ($10.00 to $35.00)
E)web sites for pumpkin growing clubs
F)seed auctions
G)raffles

It looks like Mark's new site is another way to buy pumpkin seeds for people who want to buy them.

2/21/2008 11:12:01 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Just to still the pot a little....1156 van Kooten....are you sure????

If you are gonna sell seeds (even your own) would be worth listing the correct genetics....sorry just splilled a can of worms...lol

2/21/2008 11:12:53 AM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

I've read these posts over a couple of times and I honestly don't see what the fuss is about. Many growers are selling seeds and have been doing so for many years. They have also been very generous distributing seeds via the SASBE method. Once the requests have been satisfied, why would they sit on 100, 200 maybe 300 seeds. It's important to remember also that the vast majority of AG growers in the world have never heard of this site, no offence intended. They simply type "giant pumpkin seeds" in the search engine and order their seeds from a number of reputable sites. When I first ordered seeds from the Dills in the mid nineties it was $7.00 for 6 generic AG seeds from a pumpkin 700-900 lbs. The idea of getting free seeds never ocurred to me. All of the sites listed in these postings are above board. The idea that it isn't kosher to obtain free seeds then sell them for profit I thought was a given. I visited Giantpumpkinsonline.com and I don't see anything wrong.

2/21/2008 12:14:20 PM

Hamburg, NY

I would like to put out a challenge to anyone who thinks they have given away more "free" seeds than I have over the past 25 years. I'd also like to know who has put more time and money in promoting giant pumpkin growing. Ray Waterman -www.atlanticgiant.com

2/21/2008 12:49:23 PM

Marion,IN

Would anyone happen to know the genetics behind the 1156 Van Kooten? I've looked on the AGGC and Brians Insanity web sites and can't find anything listed. Any help out there on this one?

Mark G.

2/21/2008 1:28:42 PM

[email protected]

I don't want to start an arguement but Ray, I'd have to say Howard Dill.
Eddy

2/21/2008 1:35:01 PM

ipswich, ma usa

Hugh Wiberg.....

John (5150)

2/21/2008 1:36:13 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Ken and John have made the resource to get free seeds...Hands down I think they have you beat 1000:1

2/21/2008 2:03:43 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Exactly Mark...there is no 1156 van Kooten...perhaps just a typo but geez...credibility gone when you are trying to sell seeds and list a non-existant parent seed.

2/21/2008 2:15:01 PM

[email protected]

Is Jake Van Kooten selling this seed, or is this a second hand grower selling this seed? If it is Jake, sell away! If it isnt Jake, that is where the problem lies. I too, like others above have mentioned, have no problem with people selling their own seeds. The problem I see is someone selling something they sent a request for (SASBP) to possibly grow and now find it a chance to turn a buck. Yes, this is an expensive hobby. If I was a heavy hitter and found someone selling my seed, after I sent it to them to possibly grow, I dont think I would ever send them a seed again. AND, if they did sell it, the money should go to the heavy hitter, not the prospector.

2/21/2008 2:23:23 PM

Ohio

Duane, I agree with you 100%.
I have given my 1402 seeds to be sold on the Howard Dill site, and sure I made a few bucks off them, but who better to help out then the person who started the entire world of growing giant pumpkins.
Id give them seeds every year if they wanted them, if it wasn't for the Dills I don't think we would even be online talking about this right now. They deserve something in return for what they have done with out a doubt. Because if it wasnt for them there wouldnt have been a 1402 in my opinion.

Like I said, sure I made a few bucks off the 1402 seed, but I also filled ever bubble I could(for free, untill I ran out) for any grower that asked for one.
Hell I gave so many of my 1402's out that I had to ask Allen Gibson for a few back from my OVGPG club for my personal use to grow.lol.
What Im saying is that most growers who sell there seeds will also give them out for free as well, all ya gotta do is ask. I see not a thing wrong with what BlackDog is doing.

2/21/2008 3:32:29 PM

Ohio

Ray, could you send me a free 919 Richards?,LOL!!
Just kidding ya Ray, You also had a hand in getting this sport started, cant take that away from you.

2/21/2008 3:37:39 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

LOL Brooks

2/21/2008 3:38:16 PM

Waquoit Mass

is it spring yet

2/21/2008 4:23:06 PM

[email protected]

Contests are for giant pumpkins with the winner decided by a scale.

Warnock, Dill, Waterman, Wyberg, Gancarz, Beachy, Desrosiers, Bobier, Stelts, Wallace, etc, etc, etc...the list is long & each has made a tremendous contribution to this sport. Some having never sold a single seed others have. So what? All have made a marked contribution to the sport. All are part of the fellowship of growers.

Those I've met I proudly call friends.

2/21/2008 4:33:32 PM

Frankfort Oh

well said brooks!

2/21/2008 4:45:47 PM

Berlin, Ma

The 1156 was an error on my part and will be changed to the correct weight of 1195 asap. Thanks for all the nice emails everyone has sent when they detected the error.

2/21/2008 5:20:50 PM

Port Alberni, BC, Canada

The 1156 van Kooten is a typo. I've already contacted the seller and he will correct the mistake. IMHO, leave the selling of seed by private individuals out of this hobby. It would soon ruin it for those who are in it for their enjoyment. I have been asked by many people if they could buy some seed. The answer is always the same. "No, but I'll certainly give you some." It's the generosity of growers that make this hobby what it is.

2/21/2008 6:51:32 PM

Commack, NY

there's selling seeds, and there's "selling seeds". two very different things....some can "sell seeds" all day long and not have anyone say one word edge wise. some others sell seeds and are ostricised for doing so. All of my best seeds ive gotten for free. its been the generosity of all growers that has propelled this hobby to what it is today. so, you can sell seeds or "sell seeds", either way im sticking with the friendships ive made and look to do an annual exchange.

2/21/2008 9:29:38 PM

Ohio

I bought a 805 Pukos last year from the port england pumpkin festival last year and it grew me a 1289 lber!,lol

but I like cheese, does anyone eles like cheese?

2/21/2008 11:05:30 PM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

I like cheese to !

2/22/2008 5:41:38 AM

Frankfort Oh

brooks i hope spring gets here soon ,,your really starting to lose it ,,,with the cheese dill,,,,,but sence you asked ILOVE CHEESE

2/22/2008 7:28:34 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

I was too proud to ask before but what is this cheese stuff about? I'm clearly missing the joke, or Brooks is just having a stroke, would someone please explain the cheese references.

2/22/2008 8:27:42 PM

Minnesota

I love cheese to.

2/22/2008 8:40:21 PM

maybe it's just a topic-changer---
references to food always work.

2/23/2008 2:00:23 AM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=I+Like+Cheese

2/23/2008 8:53:44 AM