From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Rhode Island

life got ya down bunkey? that super star pumpkin you fussed over just up and broke wind on ya? so ya say ya wanna call it quits?

was it over when the germans bombed pearl harbor? hell no.
(i always liver that line)
did hillary jump ship just because her husband enjoyed an occasional cigar? hell no.
how many former and/or present world/site/fair champions do you think ended the season with average to poor results? every one of them.

counting all the years i have been at this hobby id guess more than half ended in extreme disapointment and failure.
(thats a lot of failure-lol)
unfortunately growing giant pumpkins is a lot of work and planning.
no one cares if a few egg plants or peppers and tomatoes rot. but when its something you worked on for several months not including winter planning ,etc.it hurts a bit.
how do i handle it?
i walk away knowing there are more important things in life like family and friends. and i go back after it the next year.

pap

8/27/2008 12:37:12 PM

Buffalo, New York

exactly, i say the same thing to myself.

this is a hobby, family and friends come first.

life goes on.....

8/27/2008 12:43:11 PM

Cochecton, NY

pap,

well said! true, family does come first. I am hoping to get every ounce that I can from now 'til the end. when is the end you ask? I am not sure where I would like to go for a weigh off. I have four that all have at least gone beyond the minimum for entry. just not sure where to go. the closest for me are durham and cooperstown. the one thing I can say is that I am proud of where I have gotten so far. at 34 years old (35 is 3 weeks away)and having never planted anything ever except maybe a foot in someone's rear, to have made it this far. I think I will by myself a beer at the end, when ever that may come.

Nick

8/27/2008 12:53:47 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Well said Paps.....

It does indeed hurt....but there is alwayZ next year.....and what one has learned from this yearZ adventureZ to apply to next years successes.

Gary

TheWIz

8/27/2008 1:07:44 PM

Preston CT

Well said...

8/27/2008 1:16:00 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Lol Pap re writes history ! I think that Pearl Harbour had more to do with Japan than Germany. Regardless of that great post Pap.

8/27/2008 1:16:54 PM

Woodburn, Indiana

start hauling manure lol.

8/27/2008 1:20:21 PM

[email protected]

Agreed well said. There is alwayz next year and Fall patch prep can immediatley begin when that pumpkin goes down. You get more time to prepare. I did that last year and took my time to learn what went into patch prep, and there are still things I would like to tweak for next year. Always that learning curve, and it is a hobby and is supposed to be fun. Hobbies fill those extra hours of time we always seem to find, family/friends come first. I've learned that this year and it's partly why my patch is in the shape its in, it's not bad, but room for improvements for 2009. Taking notes this year for next season.

Thanks Pap for the words of wisdom.

8/27/2008 1:20:51 PM

milford, CT,

Pap..my wife noticed a common trait amongst pumpkin growers...none are quitters. Even when the worst thing possible happens and we are totally broken down we pick ourselves up and do it again in the hopes of learning from past experience. It has been a tough year for many growers but .....we'll all do it again next year with the same enthusiasm and hope. We are a special breed of people and it shows that have a lot of character. And...as Pap said it..it isn't just in our pumpkin growing that these traits are expressed...family comes first. I have yet to meet a pumpkin grower that doesn't have a heart of gold. Mark

8/27/2008 2:22:00 PM

Atlantic Canada

Thanks, Pap....needed to hear that!...will be planing next year's patch as soon as I get home.

Bill

8/27/2008 2:31:24 PM

Williamsburg,KY

This is exactly what the Dr ordered. Thanks Pap, always next year. Ive learned lots this year and will continue to learn and ask questions. It is fun even if those close to you sometimes dont understand, they still hang in there with you. Most growers are wonderful and helpful, you always have a stick in the mud, but that is what makes he world go round. Im not giving up on reaching 1000, some day it will happen. Croley aka SteveAnn

8/27/2008 2:54:54 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

The only problem is when EVERY year ends in disappointment. Ah, well, someday I'll get to 1000, but I hope I can do it before the world record is over 2000.

8/27/2008 3:45:31 PM

Frankfort Oh

Yep!

8/27/2008 6:22:34 PM

Jefferson, Ohio

0 fer6 here.. unbelievable bad luck and bad weather. I have had a pb every year for 4xs , so no complaints, instead, I called around for a week and finally found 15 yards of mushroom compost and am starting next years patch right now. Jim

8/27/2008 7:36:14 PM

Western NY

Phil - you need to watch the great american classic movie "Animal House".

season isn't exactly in the crapper here yet, but could have been a lot better. already planning for next year.

8/27/2008 8:28:29 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

Pumpkin growing is an art. u start with a blank cancas add some materails and plant your seed. to mee its relaxing to see what happens. but luckily i grow other stuff but pumpkins are still my love next to growing cabbages lol.

8/27/2008 8:57:54 PM

[email protected]

I just love the garden stuff in the Summer. Just wished it didn't all come in at the same time of year. All good stuff, fresh veggies are the best. I tried corn and potatoes this year for the first time with some really good success on the potatoes, and the corn did ok, with very minimal care, probably would have been better with more fertilizer and weeding of course.

Pumpkins is still new, fun, and still learning what to do, what works for me may not work for someone else, that is the unique part of the hobby.

8/27/2008 9:00:13 PM

Wi

I'm glad I'm not the only one that's 0-6. Lots of positives here though too.

8/27/2008 9:16:28 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

You can never ever fight mother nature.......take what she gives you. A very disappointing year this year.:( But this weekend, my son from North Carolina is coming home for nine days with his family. We'll get to see there new baby girl. Now that will be more fun for nine days then worrying about no big pumpkins this year. Always next year to plan ahead. I already plowed up some more lawn in a new spot to grow two pumpkins in a new place. All seeded down with a cover crop and it's up already....

8/27/2008 9:44:07 PM

Minnesota

Maybe disapointing for the heavy hitters, but, I have a new personel best, it was 100 now it is at least 212. So I consider it succesful.

8/27/2008 10:06:40 PM

ordinary,VA

Animal house line was great pap!!!

yes it does hurt...but its in the blood...
if i can just keep myself and family members healthy
next year will be better than this one for sure..

8/27/2008 10:08:56 PM

ordinary,VA

Here you go Phil (about 28seconds in).



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lf74T5t-f3k&feature=related

8/27/2008 10:19:37 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I think I hold a record for seeing Animal House (long story and frat BF ages and ages and ages ago-loooong before DVD's) but, glad to know that's still around.

Right now I go out in that patch every day, face the weeds, the bugs, the heat, the rain, the (fill in blank) and see if I'm still growing today. If they haven't split, been et by something, blown away... I'm still in business.

There's nothing like setting a 2 year old down next to a 400# pumpkin and watching their eyes get BIG. Even if I lose that pumpkin it still was worth it for that moment.

What's better is when your other half finally susses why you're doing this, and will let you have a bigger chunk of the yard yext year.... and will make the pilgrimage once in awhile to be ushered next to big-round(sorta)-orange(sorta) greatness.

There's nothing like EXTREME GARDENING. I think it costs just as much as other extreme sports except I don't have to go very far to do it. :)

Making a six year old grower (and her mother, who was crying harder than her daughter) understand that losing her vine and her pumpkin (turkeys then softball hail) happens to even the really big guys like the one on the poster (Joe Jutras and the 1689) and nothing to be ashamed about. There's next year. (she already picked out a name for her new plant she's going to have NEXT year...)

Reasons to remember why you're gonna grow again when you need a six pack of anesthesia over what happened and are planning next year before the hangover wears off!

8/28/2008 9:53:02 AM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Thanks Ed that rounds off my understanding of American Humour. I missed the movie!

8/28/2008 2:01:40 PM

Cochecton, NY

Is it me, or is it very ironic that the one guy was wearing and "ORANGE" shirt??????????

Seen that movie a million times and laugh every time as hard as the first time. What happened? Oh yeah, thanks FCC. What about the days when there was movies like animal house, fast times, stripes, and many other classics that were made when you did not need to leave your tongue at the front door of the studio????

8/28/2008 2:24:43 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

I have many reasons that I wish I were back east. pap over time has given me another.

8/29/2008 2:21:52 AM

Hanover,Ontario,Canada

Me too Pap/ Dave Mc

8/30/2008 8:56:28 PM

Santa Rosa California

yep squrrils won is this year

9/1/2008 1:53:23 PM

Paoli,in

didn't do as well as i expected,but better than last year.easier to go into next year disapponted ,than go in to it with a higher goal

9/1/2008 8:45:16 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

The big one is down here as well. Hopefully we can get one to a weigh off.

Phil

9/2/2008 12:14:23 PM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

I lost my biggest on sunday est. at 946 lbs. I just covered it back up, cracked a beer and went back to playing baseball with my kids. It seems to get easier every year when I loose one.

9/2/2008 1:11:25 PM

Buffalo, New York

well my season is not in the craper but is has ended pap.
she has stopped growing. my goal was 100 pounds and estimating her i hit 330 pounds, as it is 250" OTT.

Not bad i guess considering she was grown on a plant about 120 sq. ft. in size. and not getting any sun until about 11am.

life goes on......

9/3/2008 1:48:33 AM

porterville, calif.

My season was over about a month ago. but didn,t want to amit to it. But I am not given up. I enjoy growing these beautiful Giant monsters. .One day I will get a Big One.
I believe I won,t grow next year but work on improving the area I want to plant in 2010.Nothing that i had thas was a Squash or a Pumpkin did well. It either got sick, was eaten by something or heat.But I will be back. I have seed i want to plant in 2010 picked out. I,ll stick around here and learn more about these things and enjoy the great people who come here also. Next to my grand children this is one of my favorite things to spend time with to enjoy and be around.

9/7/2008 11:28:21 AM