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Williamsburg,KY

This will be the first time I will be taking a pumpkin to the Weigh Off in Nancy KY. I hope someone can give me some guidance..I will be traveling about 60 miles, not sure if we will take the highway or smaller roads yet. I have seen in Growing Giant Pumpkins II that some growers placed the stem ends in jugs of water,is this a good idea. Also, Im sure I shouldnt put a tarp over the pumpkin, the wind would just beat it up..but I guess I should use straps over the pumpkins with some padding, just in case it wants to move in the trailer..Am I on the right track?

Also, I will be using the P&P strap lifter, any tips on using this equipment? The directions says to use a slip proof knot that can be easily untied..and get some advise. Im hoping someone can help this first timer. Thanks Croley Bend

9/8/2008 9:42:00 AM

Buffalo, New York

my first time also, i plan on just placing the pallet/padding/fruit in the bed of a pickup truck and driving down to pumpkinville with it like that.

about 1.5 hour ride so maybe 90-100 miles?

9/8/2008 12:05:12 PM

Western NY

Jugs of water if you're worried about losing a single pound. That's really all it amounts to, if that much.

The main thing is to strap it in good. You don't want any little bit of shifting if you slam on the brakes, or get hit by another vehicle/deer.

9/8/2008 12:36:13 PM

sevierville, Tn

strap the fruit to the pallet & the pallet to the truck !

9/8/2008 1:16:55 PM

sevierville, Tn

Also i would take the smoother straight roads as oposed to bumpy curvey if at all possible.

9/8/2008 2:43:57 PM

Columbus,ohio

You could always put the pumpkin in the car with you and strap your family on the trailer. lol

9/8/2008 4:11:51 PM

Buffalo, New York

how do you strap a pumpkin in the bed of a truck?

9/9/2008 1:48:55 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Thanks for your replies...Wont worry about a single pound loss...heck I heard there is a big one coming to Nancy, so Im just taking it to show. Again, thanks for your time.

9/9/2008 7:16:45 AM

Belmont, NH

I put a blanket on top of the pumpkin, then my lifting tarp over that. Both the front and rear are secured with homemade seat belt straps. You can use a good grade of ratchet straps. Down both sides I use bungee cords through the hand holes to keep any tarp flapping to a minimum. That is why the blanket is put on in the first place. As a side note I have a friend who was transporting an engine block in the back of his truck when a car ran a stop light. The engine block ended up across the intersection and into the woods. I have never forgotten that. So maybe my tie down procedure is extreme but I know that no matter what happens that pumpkin will always be in the back of my truck. I see way too many unsecured pumpkins showing up at weigh offs. They look really neat going down the highway, I agree, but the results could be deadly. Just one tragic accident would give our hobby/sport/obsession a black eye.

Bruce

9/9/2008 7:19:31 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Keep the pumpkin uncovered and take the route with the highest traffic. Its great to see the reaction of the "galkers" as they drive by with cell phones taking pictures. You will have lots of fun. Over the years we have had truckers pull up alongside and block traffic as the driver had made a sign asking us how much it weighed and waited until we responded and then blew the horn and pulled away. Another year a state trooper came flying up behind, followed us a bit and then pulled alongside and gave us the thumbs up. One year a bus load of Hooter Girls pulled up and when they saw the trailer they............ no just dreamt that one.

9/9/2008 7:42:29 AM

Team Munson

Corley,
I have seen many mistakes in transporting these giants and have seen the results of transporting incorrectly. You don't want to have your years work end up on the highway conversely you don't want to strap it so tight it cracks during the trip.

First I would find a good 40"X48" pallet that can get a pallet jack under all 4 sides. My pallet of choice are the blue Walmart pallets that use 4"X4" to separate the top from the bottom. I then use a a piece of 7/16" OSB board to cover the top then get 1 sheet of 1/2" styrofoam insulation from Lowe's and cut in half to put on top of the OSB. This makes a great cushion for the fruit to form to ensuring that it has more support much like where it was grown. Doing it this way also helps when using the lifting rings making it easier to get the rope under and out from the fruit. I have used thick cushions in the past and find they are a bigger pain than they do good. Make sure that you do not over due the size of the top to many times I have seen 600# fruit on 6'X6' pallets sitting on mattress the only thing this does is cause headaches for the fork lift driver and makes it very difficult to move. I moved 2 1,500# fruit on a 4'X5' pallet top and had room to spare, remember you just need a platform for the area that sits on the ground.

9/9/2008 8:49:14 AM

Team Munson

The water jugs are a good idea to help slow losing weight but have not proven to help gain weight after harvest. If you want to do this I would suggest cutting your vines and using quart zip-lock bags with duct tape. Please make sure the bags do not impede the moving of your fruit at the site and they do not hang down past the top of the pallet.

Transporting is done preferably in a bed of a truck but if you need a trailer try to fit the trailer to the load. Example don't get a 10,000# trailer to haul a 1,000# pumpkin it will beat it to death. When strapping it down keep it from sliding from the front and the back and don't pull a strap down directly over the top. I hope this helps I have been to a few shows and this is what I found to work the best.

Dave

9/9/2008 8:49:37 AM

[email protected]

Ned, that was a scene from Dumb and Dumber... Ever see that one with Jim Carey when the Hawaiin Tropic bikini girls stopped to give them a ride? haahaa.. I can see you and Andy and that happening!!!

Ned is right.. It is a friggin riot to watch the people freak out on the highways when they see your fruit.

9/9/2008 8:59:39 AM

Rexburg, Idaho

I've driven to Canby, Oregon (600 miles one way) twice. I set the pumpkin on cushioned pallet in my pickup and have not had any problems. I have not strapped the pumpkin down as the surface of the pumpkin will rub off. I've driven to Utah (300 miles one way) twice. I had the pumpkins on a trailer with the same cushioned pallets without any problems. I did strap the pallet down but not the pumpkin.
Drive slow, hold up traffic and watch the people it is a hoot. Write on a piece of paper the wieght of the pumpkin and stick it in your window.

9/9/2008 10:14:07 AM

Coventry R.I.

Croley,,,,, How much does it weigh,,,,,

9/9/2008 1:48:27 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Thanks everyone. I sure feel better equipt to handle the job at hand. I do have a trailer, 5x7 I believe. I will make sure the pallet does not move. I also have the styrofoam and some plywood to fit the pallett. I was gonna use carpet padding but perhaps styrofoam may be better. I had no pallets last week, today I have 5 to choose from (everyone came thru on that one).
I really appreciate the time it takes to read and reply to this little ole pumpkin growers question. I am estimating that my pumpkin may weigh.....under 1000 lbs...probably closer to 700 give or take.

9/9/2008 5:16:44 PM

milford, CT,

In addition to all the great input...I cut a pallet to fit the space between the pumpkin pallet and the tailgate. This makes it so the pallet can't slide. That doesn't mean the pumpkin can't move...but...if the pallet is sliding around the pumkin will become unstable...not good. Mark

9/9/2008 7:26:17 PM

Salem, NY

Make sure you place the pumpkin and pallet away from the tailgate!!!

9/9/2008 8:12:28 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Croley,

You are going to be SOOOOO hooked after this weigh-off.

9/9/2008 8:14:09 PM

Williamsburg,KY

Giantpumpkindude..you are so right..Im already hooked. I did attend Nancy last year with a scraney watermelon, took last place. So I thought I would give it a try with pumpkins. A few years ago I grew a giant for fun and a local contest and the guy who won made the comment of no competition, so the next year I grew 452 lbs pumkpin, won and the guy wont talk to me. A year or so later, here I am today. The people at Nancy are great and you cant beat them VanHook boys and the rest of the gang, tons of fun. Even my husband enjoyed himself. Croley

9/10/2008 7:53:24 AM

Kalamazoo, MI ([email protected])

Dave...what kind of styrofoam are you referring to? The pink or blue board kind or softer white stuff?

9/10/2008 10:03:18 PM

Kalamazoo, MI ([email protected])

Or anyone...do you double up on the styrofoam so it's an inch thick?

9/10/2008 11:56:55 PM

Roselle, IL [email protected]

Bales of hay or straw make a good buffer around the pallets when loaded in a pick-up or dump truck

9/12/2008 8:58:33 AM