From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Little-TON - Colorado

What has been some of the going prices and the highest price ever paid for a pumpkin.....Anyone ever get $1000 to sell it....awards do not count....

Interested......Thankz

11/7/2008 8:21:24 AM

Santa Rosa, CA.

I sold 4 pumpkins this year ranging in price from $250-$440. Two smaller pumpkins at about 500lbs, an 800lber and my 1214.5. All the money is going into growing in 2009.

11/7/2008 9:09:47 AM

Western NY

I sold my 1236 for $1000 to a mall in Niagara Falls (US) last year, but I delivered it. It was my half of the deal to have it carved for display: http://www.grumpkins.com/newton/index.php

most of my other ones in the 500-800 pound range have been selling for 300-500 bucks each, depending on the buyer and the pumpkin

11/7/2008 9:14:24 AM

Interesting topic, the "going" rate for the last few years in the midwest has been 10 cents/hundred pound; i.e.400lb fruit bring 40cents/lb, 600 lb fruit bring 60cents/lb, 1000 lb fruit bring $1.00/lb.

What has happened here with more growers hitting the 1k mark is the market has changed to a "buyers" marketfor the big ones. That means growers are getting "worked" on thier prices. At the risk of hearing "price fixing" we need to stick together on that original schedule and do more direct marketing of fruit to develope more outlets for selling them. It's great to recoup some of the patch funds, but not at the expense of other growers and allowing already low prices to drop even more, imo.

We all know that in this economy there is NOTHING that has held the same price for the last 4 years, table squash are bringing .69 cents/lb here. I would gladly grow an acre of those compared to AG's for the money involved, but since we are talking AG's and what they sell for I am a firm believer in the concept of developing the market and setting some prices that reflect the value of these giants.

One of the biggest problems we face as sellers is getting the seeds back in a proper fashion. Something else a few of us are addressing every year.

A really great option is to be creative and find a storefront that will work with you to display a fruit and find a workable plan to generate funds for a charity. This seems to be getting more popular all around the country and does well where it's been tryed.

11/7/2008 9:37:33 AM

Santa Rosa, CA

Hi Wiz,

There is a man who goes to weigh-offs and will buy pumpkins from the growers. In northern California he is paying $0.35 per pound.

Chuck

11/7/2008 10:40:06 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Great Posting here....I felt shy asking for so much $$$

11/7/2008 11:10:26 AM

[email protected]

Or that you even should ask for money. I have a hard time negotiating stuff like that since I'm the one approaching the issue.

11/7/2008 11:11:56 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

80 cents a pound i heard

11/7/2008 12:06:08 PM

ipswich, ma usa

In MA we were getting .65 to .75 per pound. One pumpkin on day of the Topsfield Fair was sold to a gentleman for $1000 for a thousand pounder.

John (5150)

11/7/2008 12:06:55 PM

ipswich, ma usa

In MA we were getting .65 to .75 per pound. One pumpkin on day of the Topsfield Fair was sold to a gentleman for $1000 for a thousand pounder.

John (5150)

11/7/2008 12:06:55 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

I agree with dan we need to stick together form a pumpkin Union.

I was offered 50 buck for my 453 2 yrs ago, found out they had told some one that it was over $100 to buy. I never sold em a pumpkin. But evey yr they call me. And ask.

You could charge em so much a pound, plus dilevery and disposal.

11/7/2008 2:20:08 PM

Utah

Most people who want to buy don't know how difficult they are to grow and how few there are out there. So I try to explain that to them before I give them a price. If they still complain a lot then I tell them they can always try to grow their own next year and I offer them some seeds.
One guy took me up on it. He didn't get anything the next year and called me again for a pumkin... and didn't complain about the price.

I've had ok luck selling 200-400 lber to local profestional people for 50 cents/lb. plus delivery and pickup. (usually $20) Mostly orthodontists who use them for a guess the weigh contest at their office.

I've donated some to the local zoo. They had me fill out a donation slip that way I can deduct it from my taxes. I have use 60 cent/lb for 6XX, etc just as Dan and others have said. They also give us a family season pass for the next year.

I agree sticking together helps.

11/7/2008 3:35:16 PM

Simi valley, ca

Where huge pumpkins are more rare like here in so cal-I think they are worth more,! I sold one for 500$ this yr, But it was 730 in size ,but weight 892. one other yr i sold a 560 lber for 750$ , Whatever you can get!! I was driving home from weighoff & someone offered 100$ for a 683 lber& Very Nice color& shape , The yr was over' but i would rather it rot Than be insulted with 100$ !!! Close to here theres a stand that got 1700 for a 600-700 lber !!

11/7/2008 3:49:52 PM

Griffith, In

This is a good thread. I never realized what people were selling their pumpkin for, price wise. It seems an insult to offer some one .40 cents a pound, when field pumpkins are selling at farm markets for .29 and .39 cents a pound. A real eye opener!!!!

11/7/2008 4:33:43 PM

Long Island,New York

You have what they want. 1 dollar a pound minimum here if it looks like a pumpkin...hold out for a good price. I have donated to orphanages and farm museums and schools.

11/7/2008 5:11:52 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

This was the first year I ever had two pumpkins of any weight. Consequently, it was the first year I had one to sell. I was insulted by the offered prices from various businesses that I had previously loaned my pumpkin to,for a week,before bringing it home to carve. I'd rather kick it over the hill and compost it. I think Dan's idea of 10 cents a hundred pounds is a great idea...I also think it should go on taped measurements...if it's volume is good the you should be paid by it's size...You should also get an adder for "best of show"...if it's a great color, nice and round the it should be a premium...shot around here they were selling "little jacks" for 1.50 each or 6 bucks a pound...Yikes! They grow like weeds...100 to 125 lb AG/big max are the usual guess my weight pumpkins...You'll never make money growing AG's as a backyarder..but it would help if you could pay for some insecticide/fertilizer etc. Time spent, water bills, are your own costs. LOL another rant, I'm sorry but let's get what we can for em!

11/7/2008 5:19:39 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Ahhh G...the voice of reason...! If we all make it a business to grow em we can write off all the costs and profits for 5 years......hmmm garden state giant pumpkin Inc. I incorporate in delaware and write off all the cost of growing and niagara visits..when I sell the one i seldom get I write it off against all my losses.hmmmm

11/7/2008 5:59:59 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

sounds good alex

11/7/2008 6:15:41 PM

Massillon, Ohio

we "sold" a 200 lb pumpkin to pizza hut for two pizzas. LOL. i thought it was worth more.

11/7/2008 6:25:42 PM

Rhode Island

supply and demand sets the market price.

a few short years back when giant pumpkins were scarce $1.00 per pound was the average sale price.
large world record types could also fetch several thousand dollars back then

if you live in an area thats flooded with plenty of giant pumpkins the price will be down around .50 per pound.(or less)
if you live in the boondocks and giant pumpkins are scarce then a retail store might pay more for the attraction.

also, depending on the amount of growers in your area theres always someone willing to under cut you just to grab a couple bucks.
this also has driven the price down.

i agree its great to sell a couple so you can recoup some of your gardening costs. but its getting to be dog eat dog in many areas.

pap

11/7/2008 6:53:21 PM

Dallas, Oregon

Traded one for a case of wine from a local winery. I'm going to be thinking good thoughts about that punk everytime I uncork a bottle.

11/7/2008 9:15:29 PM

ExtremeVegetables.com

When i first started reading BP 5 years ago the norm seemed to be .10 per pound, per 100 pounds as unkadan wrote.
I think that is a great standard to go by. At Ramseyer farms in Orrville OH, "very large pumpkin farm" http://www.ramseyerfarms.com/ they were selling "pick yoru own" for .29 per pound which is very cheap.
WalMart was selling them for .49 per pound.

Several pumpkins sold at the OVGPG weigh off this year. I had my 823 sold for $300, but the man could not ensure me that I'd get the seeds back, so no deal. The two buyers were looking for pumpkins mostly in the 300-500 pound range. They are easier to sell at that size because the buyers can move them without heavy equipment.

11/7/2008 9:17:46 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

At the weigh off i sold 2 pumpkins for 400 and at the feed store sold 2 more pumpkins for the same price..i see it as found money..they were all open pollinated and still had enough for the front yard display

11/8/2008 9:45:11 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

regular field pumpkins go for .19-.29 cents wholesale you would be a fool to sell them for anything less than 50 cents a pound.

11/8/2008 6:16:15 PM

Cheshire Ma USA

Just to look back, I sold a 772.6 lb pumpkin in 1998 [3rd at Topsfield] for $1000 and also a 665 for $800. Itlooks like the prices haven't even gone up with the price of living.

11/8/2008 9:21:10 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

When donating one to a charity.....like the Ronald McDonald house.....TaX deductible......? Even trips to Niagara...?

11/9/2008 12:06:36 PM

Johnstown, Ohio

I keep it simple at $.50 per pound no matter the size. It is true that the 500 pounder seems to be the most desirable for selling...great impact, yet easily movable on a tarp, sheet or tablecloth. As i am getting to be a better grower, I find I am just providing bigger pumpkins for the same price (per pound). I would be willing to move to the progressive scale (10 cents per hundred) over 500 pounds, but to go below that for smaller fruit is insane looking at your average field pumpkin sales.

11/9/2008 10:21:35 PM