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Rhode Island

EVERYONE STARTS OUT GROWING GIANT PUMPKINS IN THE SAME MANNER.

WE ATTEND A WEIGHOFF OR HAVE A FRIEND THAT GROWS OR JUST HAPPENED TO PASS BY A GROWERS PATCH AND THINK "THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO DO THIS SUMMER"

WE GET AHOLD OF SOME SEEDS, PLANT THEM, THEN WONDER "WHY DONT OUR PUMPKINS LOOK ANYWHERE NEAR THE SIZE OF THOSE WE SAW AT THAT WEIGH OFF"
WE DONT THINK MUCH OFF IT AFTER THAT BECAUSE AFTER ALL,WE JUST WANTED TO GROW A PUMPKIN AND "I AM NOT IN IT FOR THE COMPETITION ANYWAYS"

AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS WE GET A GOOD ONE ON THE HOOK AND LOW AND BEHOLD WE GET A RIBBON AT THE WEIGHOFFS ALONG WITH A NICE PRIZE, BREAKING THE TOP TEN. "HEY THIS IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD"

THAT WINTER WE BUY AS MANY BOOKS AND QUESTION AS MANY GOOD GROWERS AS POSSIBLE. EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO REQUEST SEEDS FROM THE TOP GROWERS. "WE KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER NEXT SEASON"

THAT FALL WE GO ALL OUT.WE CUT SOME TREES DOWN,ADD STUFF TO OUR SOIL,TEST IT. BUILD A REAL GERMINATION BOX, BUILD A GREENHOUSE AND READ,READ AND READ SOME MORE.

THAT THIRD WEIGH OFF WAS THE CHARM. YOU PLACE EVEN CLOSER TO THE TOP DOGS AND KNOW AT THAT TIME YOU ARE FOREVER HOOKED. "HEY I LIKE BEING IN THE TOP TEN, THE WINNINGS ARE NICE TO, NEXT YEAR IM COULD WIN THIS THING"

THE MORAL TO THE STORY IS THIS --- WHEN YOUR RUNNING A MARATHON AND ARE IN THE BACK OF THE PACK WINNING IS NOT YOUR GOAL. JUST TO FINISH IS GREAT. (AND IT IS )
ONCE YOU FINISH WITH THE TOP RUNNERS YOU ARE FOREVER HOOKED.
SAME WITH GIANT PUMPKIN COMPETITION. ONCE YOU TASTE VICTORY? YOU WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER EVERY YEAR.

PAP

2/24/2009 8:19:50 AM

Indiana

second place is FIRST LOSER! LOL

2/24/2009 8:22:08 AM

Walton N.y.

our story is a little different than that we started growing jack-o-lanterns and the neighbor grew a few bigger than us and told the wife they were better gardeners than us ... pissed off wife got A.G. seeds gave neighbors some for "friendly" compitition (yea right...) 1st year out 572lbs and neighbors under 100lbs wife never said a thing to neighbor but they no longer have a garden ... next year 652lbs - still 10th place at weigh off 3rd year thought this was easy - good way to get humbled back to 500lbs back to basics next year 2 over 1000lbs...

2/24/2009 9:38:34 AM

Wi

There is a big difference between running a marathon and growing a pumpkin. A marathon requires LOTS of God given ability in order to win. Not everyone can run 150 miles a week and expect to be world class.

Pumpkin growing requires the right mix of skill, knowledge and work ethic. It's a much more level playing field for sure...and a GOOD thing.

2/24/2009 10:26:51 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I don't have to run at all to grow an AG... I may get my share of 'broiled brains' out there tending it but it's because I want to... and I don't have so far to go to sweat or admire the results of my work!

Evolution of a weighoff... I'll keep you posted as I am well into trying to put together #2 here.... here I thought this was about putting one together to come to to show off what you had in your patch :) I need to read more. Heh. Hooked is watching that vine take over the world then the first pumpkin making basketball plus in... ten days?!?!?!?!?

2/24/2009 12:31:02 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

You hit the nail on the head, Pap. It becomes an addiction. Having finally cracked the top ten myself last year, there is no way I can slack off now.

2/24/2009 1:59:44 PM

Indiana

Chris, that is a really great way to look at it. I hadnt thought about it in those perspectives before.

2/24/2009 2:52:18 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Not so... I get second or third every year. Second if there are two growers, and third if there are three.

2/24/2009 3:36:57 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

Thats nice Cliff,lol.

I have a the challange of a small patch next to the neighbors garage that blocks the sun till 10:00 and little money to throw at the hobby. It will just make me more proud of whatever I can bring to the weigh off. If I can beat three growers with those challenges I'm fine with that for now. We all want a PB at least of course. Great thread pap.

2/24/2009 4:02:59 PM

Columbus,ohio

I started by getting exited about grow stuff when the local discount grocery store had seeds...I was interested and got some...went home did some research and has hooked.
About a moneth into the season after making every mistake I could since I was reading outdated information..I had read mricle grow is good and I should dig a pit...ended up with no pumpkin...But still considered it a good year because I learned a mind boggling amount, and made a few new friends along the way...This year a plan to get a biggin to the weigh-off (knock on wood) good topic

2/24/2009 4:31:57 PM

Johnstown, Ohio

I have to say, I just cracked top-ten territory this year, and it feels great, but I was hooked years ago by the friends mostly. The second thing that hooked me was taking my big ones to my daughter's elementary (my god, she is 16 now!) It didn't matter how big it was, it was the biggest they had ever seen!

2/24/2009 5:59:15 PM

Pataskala,OH

Made it to top 15 last year. lol

2/24/2009 6:03:32 PM

Pataskala,OH

in the sogpg weighoff

2/24/2009 6:03:48 PM

Alternate plan, start at the top and never look back ;-)

2/24/2009 6:15:28 PM

Rhode Island

dan remember when you start at the top theres no where to go but down. lol
pap

2/24/2009 10:09:34 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Dan,
It seems Wisconsin is a breeding place for rookies of the year. Good comeback point pap.
I got hooked on orange, I think partly because the orange colored pumpkins tend to draw a lot of kids and spectators. The "prettiest" pumpkin award and prize is kind of cool as well

2/24/2009 11:37:50 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

The biggest pumpkin I've been able to touch so far are the ones I raised. So I didn't do it the way Pap said. I was so proud to have six pumpkins (we had an E-xhibition even!) and none of mine there, for our first weighoff. I'd had five bigger, but didn't bring any; letting the others have their day in the sun, the fun, the ribbons.

I'm in it again for all the gutsNglory and painNsweatNheartache. Don't even need a ribbon to be hooked! However I DO have my sights set on 1k and Anamosa... just to say Howdy to Don and the others! Would be nice to place high enough to pay gas!

2/25/2009 12:07:53 AM

Rhode Island

theres noting like the sight of a monster pumpkin heading to a weighoff stuffed against the sides of a pickup bed.
especially when its your own.
pap

2/25/2009 7:27:21 AM

Litchfield N. H. 03052

there's nothing like growing the biggest pumpkin of a particular seed. ( I should have all the rest of them to grow)lol

2/25/2009 9:40:03 AM

Indiana

If you dont have a real giant, I suggest everyone cover their pumpkin with multiple layers of carpet padding until it estimates 2000 pounds and then puts a blue tarp over it so noone can see it isnt real

2/25/2009 1:33:43 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I thought about doing that if I'm coming to Anamosa, pad that bad boy out to about 2500# and tarp it well! :D

2/26/2009 12:40:09 AM

Rhode Island

in that case "the bullshit does not stop when the tail gate drops"
rather " the bullsit stops when the tarp and coverings drop"

2/26/2009 7:38:27 AM

Joliet, IL

truth is...i think it is like close encounters of the third kind. we were all drawn to giant pumpkin growing like richard dreyfuss and that blond chick with nice cans to draw or sculpt that devils peak thing that looked like frankensteins head with out the face and all.....anyways...we were meant to grow giant pumpkins...it is who we are...we would have found this hobby eventually one way or another...it is what it is...and i like it

2/26/2009 11:20:12 PM