From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Says it all. Now I have to go pick up tools, carnage, and repair the back fence. WEEEE!

10/6/2009 8:05:49 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

First there is no 685.75 on the OTT chart, it's either 684 or 691. You made that number up.

Second that scale has been shipped in a box and needs to be recertified by somebody other than a grower. Scale companies have been certified by the state to inspect scales. I know for a fact Oklahoma has a State weights and measures department every state has one. If that scale is 'Certified Legal for Trade' it will have a sticker on it from the state. And how was it calibrated? If it wasn't calibrated the results are no good.

Third you say it has 'Structural Problem' that's another way of saying it has rotten spots or splits. You will have to provide pictures to insure the quality of the fruit.

Fourth, if you used that sling scale you will have to deduct that weight from the total, but even is that questionable.

Fifth you stated it was inspected according to GPC rules. The GPC calls for 3 to 5 judges, you stated you only had 1.

I am sorry but your 'victory' is a hollow one.

10/6/2009 8:12:40 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

We had three. Gal in charge, an assistant she brought, and myself.

We have pictures.

I had our rep of dept of Ag to witness.

702.5 was before rig, rig was tared at 13 even.

I will have witness letter tomorrow.

10/6/2009 8:34:59 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

Was the scale calibrated?

10/6/2009 8:37:13 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I had taped 319.75" Call it 684 then, that is 319 even.

Main measurerer (aka not me) came up with 318.75"

10/6/2009 8:37:17 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I will put the pertinent picture up tomorrow with the rest, Pat.

10/6/2009 9:05:04 PM

Rapid City, SD

sounds like a hatfield and macoy saga.......lol

10/6/2009 9:33:13 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Sorting all pictures and a couple of accidental vid clips...

10/6/2009 9:51:26 PM

Las Cruces NM

I read these for my edumacation -- not sure what I'm learning here but sure it is something...

10/6/2009 9:51:33 PM

Ohio

Pat, I feel for you bro, sorry you have to go through this,,,,,

10/6/2009 9:57:31 PM

Cochecton, NY

wow! I never imagined it would get this heated! Can't we all just get along??

10/6/2009 10:21:48 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I have put up a few raw images to address some concerns. I will personally escort the scale to proper authorities to verify it's accuracy and acquire sufficient proof to the same. If it is proven to be inaccurate, I will accept this as a UOW. At the moment I believe it is accurate to the best of abilities, fruit was examined satisfactorily by multiple people with witnesses (and probed as well) and a verification letter by expert witness of the original weigh will be acquired in the morning.

10/6/2009 10:41:45 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

This is why there are certified weighoff sites...

I am travelling to one this weekend to weigh non-record pumpkins so that I can get an official weight. Will most likely be a record for me....but not something this important.

10/6/2009 11:11:10 PM

Las Cruces NM

OkieGal/Amigatec, I understand the GPC has rules, and I apreaciate them and their efforts for the sport, but when all said and done, isn't it the state Ag that records state records?

10/6/2009 11:14:42 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

The scale in question needs to be cleared because it is an in-house for over a certain weight for a weighoff. It will return with proof of accuracy or in this case I will be UOW. Matter should be clear by tomorrow night. (Wed night)

10/6/2009 11:16:27 PM

Glosta

Congrats to pat for being the Oklahoma record holder, No matter how long it lasted. And to Deb also for doing it too. Both of you should be proud of your accomplished growing season. Let the scales tell the truth and the numbers be as they are, then just grow em bigger next year. Anger uses too much energy, save that energy for patch prep.

10/7/2009 4:43:53 AM

Salisbury, MA.

sounds official to me!

10/7/2009 6:06:43 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I have a container of water on the stem and she's covered in the front yard. Scale will be verified today and I'm going to do her again tonight.

10/7/2009 9:03:24 AM

It should a) still pass an inspection that will be performed by someone else using GPC rules and GPC approved pokers/prodders; and b) be liftable without becoming 'compost' or voiding approval under a) and c) hopefully come in over tape estimate like it's heritage says

Ok that above part was copied from Deb's previous post. I don't know what the "structural integrity" issue is, but if the fruit has a spot that is through to the cavity, I would sure hope ANY pumpkin grower would do the right thing and call their fruit a DMG, even if the spot is so small that it might not be recognized by GPC officials.

On more than one occasion, I have seen fruit that were soup in the inside, but were weighed as official the day prior, and had judges that knew what they were doing inspect them.

If there is a damaged spot through to the cavity, however small and unnoticeable it may be, do the right thing and weigh it DMG.

10/7/2009 3:01:28 PM

Ohio

*crickets chirping*

10/7/2009 3:11:34 PM

Dresden, Ohio

Doesn't anyone like cheese???

10/7/2009 4:05:52 PM

Long Island,New York

Looking around for cheese but I only see sour grapes....congratz Deb.

10/7/2009 4:21:12 PM

Minnesota

Cheese lover here.

10/7/2009 5:24:06 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Not one photo of the stem end, nor a photo of the admitted "structural integrity issues" or a photo of the underneath....all smells bad to me.

Looks like a duck, swims like a duck and sounds like...you know the rest.....

10/7/2009 6:14:19 PM

[email protected]

I tried em G, they taste sour..

10/7/2009 6:46:55 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Structural integrity issues were on the top side and about where the woman in the white sweater had her hands, in the image with her and I with our hands on it. She pushed, she prodded, and she poked with her poker.

There was nothing found underside and only picture of that is not the entire bottom.

I have just spent an entire day in another city trying to get the load cell certified. He did not have enough weights and we did not have any way to load the cell, to 1,250#. This is the state mind you. Tomorrow I must attempt to *build a rig to attach to the load cell* for him to load to attempt to certify it.

How accurate is this going to be?

10/7/2009 8:29:55 PM

Ohio

I gotta agree Glenn, put some pictures up, not just for us, but for Pat, how would you like to be in Pats shoes right now?,,
I bet you wouldn't, especially if you drove your pumpkin 200 miles like he did to get a official weight on a possible state record that he did end up getting.
Then 2 weeks later someone claims he was beaten from weighing a pumpkin in a back yard that only shows half pictures of a pumpkin, and a friend or relative judging their fruit that has no idea about anything related to how to inspect a pumpkin or even weighing one for that matter. anyone can post numbers on a scale with no pictures of a pumpkin, anyone, ya need alot more proof then that. Get a picture with it hanging on the scale with you standing next to the pumpkin holding the read out, thats not hard to do, is it?
I hate to be the bad guy here but Ill be the one to step up to the plate and tell you straight out, this isn't the way I would want someone to take a record off me if I had a record, how about you guys? This kind of weighing needs to be stopped somehow, cause any Dick or Harry will continue to weigh like this, and straight out, its just not right,,PEROID. We need to find a way that any kind of record should be weighed at a official weigh off, that way never ever is in question here.

Sorry to be the bad guy to speak out, but us as pumpkin growers need to change the way records are weighed and thats why Im speaking out, put yourself in someone elses shoes that has a record that you worked so hard for, then someone takes it away with half pictures of a fruit and just a picture of a number on a scale.

10/7/2009 9:21:25 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Brooks, part of the reason I'm letting this continue to play is to bring up several issues.

As for Pat, at the moment he does hold the Oklahoma State Record, I have congratulated him; and that is where it stands.

I have a claim and it is in various stages of limbo which I am working on resolving; and it may need taking it to Niagara in the end to clear up some things so there are no more issues.

Scale issue is killing me in general, if I can't get it resolved our weighoff is off. It is much more than just this weigh at this moment.

If she holds I will bring her to the Oct 17th weighoff IF we get the scale resolved and display her again.

10/7/2009 9:28:43 PM

Long Island,New York

Sorry Brooks...you misunderstood me...or I'm not clear......I'm saying pictures have been posted....certified scales...certs are posted...witnesses etc...sounds official to me. Amigatec is being a sore loser as I see it.(sour grapes).....

10/7/2009 9:41:08 PM

Ohio

Glenn, I know your not serious,,, where are the pictures?
You mean this picture??, surly your kidding right?

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=122127

You would call this official Glenn?,, with a towel still on top of the pumpkin with a persons legs up against the pumpkin while its being weighed? Surly your not serious,,,lol

10/7/2009 9:51:36 PM

Cochecton, NY

I feel like this has gotten way out of control. Should have been @ an official weigh off site or any certified scale with a GPC rep! That brings up another question. Why has this not been done in the first place?

10/7/2009 9:59:59 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Great point Big24nut...and Brooks is right too. There is just not enough proof or effort of proof to allow this kind of backyard weigh to determine a record of any kind.

10/7/2009 10:05:22 PM

South East

weigh it again Okie, document it properly. And get your state record, make em pipe down.

10/7/2009 10:57:15 PM

Ohio

exactly Lisa. The way Frank Cook had his weighed was the correct way to do a record if a weigh off could not be attended.

10/7/2009 11:04:14 PM

New York

I have to agree with Brooks. Like Frank and Tina did, get that thing on a scale with some real photos....many photos. Make a real effort to cover all the bases and get your record. You deserve to do this for yourself. All season working in the patch only to play guessing games...I just don't get it? It's just not fair for everyone involved when you're talking State Record. It's a bitter pill for Amigatec to swallow right now...I can't blame him from what little I've heard about this.
OkieGal...I wish you all the best in a possible new record. Get her on a scale.

10/7/2009 11:54:50 PM

Liberal Kansas, USA

I just want to congratulate you on a really nice looking pumpkin, I know how hard you worked at it this year. Good luck with the certification on the scales ,Pics, etc. for the State Record. Doug H.

10/8/2009 9:24:32 AM

Liberal Kansas, USA

For some of us out here in new newer pumpkin growing areas ,where allthe weigh offs are new and we only have the official rules to go by , The rules should state 4' x 4' I have been to several GPC weigh offs and the scale size has varied from 4' x 10' or 12'( Kansas State Fair 07) down to 3'x 3' (Kansas State fair.06,08,09 and Assari weigh off 07 and 08 This is the first i've heard of 4' x 4' Platform being official.Is This a Fact? Doug H.

10/8/2009 11:06:27 AM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Forget the cheese. We all need some chocolate.

10/8/2009 11:10:46 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Chocolate, yeah I could use some too, pass it around!

10/8/2009 11:55:19 AM

Taylorsville, California

I agree 100% with Brooks,,need to bring it to a weighoff or its gotta be UOW,, too many questions here...

10/8/2009 2:49:54 PM

North Smithfield, RI

Let's all go to the white house and have a beer !

10/8/2009 6:33:09 PM