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Bemidji Minnesota

Hi all,


Just got back from the University of Minnesota, after carving Travis’ 1028 Giegner 2009, into a scary gopher for the Hockey and Football games display.

There was a nice spot for us in the loading dock, where we had plenty of room to carve her. Was useful too because of the level floor and the pallet jack helped too. I had a really great time down there; everyone’s hospitality was class act.

Travis was generous enough to allow me to take a shot at carving his 1028, when I had not previously done anything over 200 pounds, so for me getting to carve her was a real treat. So thank you again Travis, and I am very glad the pumpkin got some publicity.

FSN liked his 1028 so much they used it for their return to game from commercial breaks shot. They took it down to the basement. Travis had his painter’s light in it and one of the TV guys put a piece of red gel paper over it, and that gave the light a reddish glow, they put a couple Hockey nets behind it, and hung both teams shirts from it. Travis got some dry ice, and it was used for some effects as well for the shot. They were originally going to use just one net, but the pumpkin was too big, so they had to cheat and use 2 nets!

After the shot was taken the pumpkin was put outside of the Hockey center on display, still lit up the red light. It was a huge attraction down there, and likely has been photographers by about 1,000+ cell phones cams.

Unfortunately, my camera was out of memory by the time we got it outside the center, but I have plenty of pictures of it while carving it, before hand as the pumpkin is just standing on its blossom end, and some real nice shots of it lit up in the basement during filming.

10/31/2009 3:28:04 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

So I have put them up on image shack, with links here.


http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5448/1028carved001.jpg

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/2271/1028carved002.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/8392/1028carved003.jpg

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1187/1028carved004.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/8412/1028carved005.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6702/1028carved006.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/9697/1028carved007.jpg

I will also put some images into the photo Diary.

The 1028 is in my opinion the best looking AG grown this year over 1,000 pounds, and its cross was 1110 Wallace x 1347 Wallace, both of which are 1370 Rose and 1068 Wallace. Hopefully those 1370 genes will stay at the top for those looks to continue next generation.

The seed count was low, but the seeds Travis did get looked very healthy, white color seeds.

10/31/2009 3:28:14 PM

[email protected]

THAT IS SOME VERY NICE WORK. WELL DONe.

11/1/2009 12:12:47 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

k-e-w-l!

11/1/2009 12:19:33 AM

Minnesota

"Awesome"

11/1/2009 12:44:19 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Excellent carving job on a beautiful pumpkin! You guys should be proud!!!

11/1/2009 1:12:51 AM

Bemidji Minnesota

Thanks guys.

Those compliments mean a lot to me, I was really happy with how she turned out. I had not previously done anything over 200, and well size does matter, so I was very intent on doing a good job with her. It took a long time to do.

One thing that impressed me a lot about the 1028 when carving her was both her thickness, and how solid she was.

She may have gone 6.1% light, but those walls a rather consistent around 10” thick. I think the reason for the lighter weight was because the bottom side was concave, and the blossom end was also concave, and those areas don’t get subtracted from the OTT.

Even though the bottom and blossom ends were concave; on the inside these areas were still very thick. Overall the interior was very sound, and I could not find any internal cracks or dill rings.

Before carving her, the skin only had a few scars from the kids climbing and using her like a trampoline at the Apple Jack’s weigh off in September. Since then she had been weathered by both frost and even got snowed on, and other than losing just a bit of color, she held up to the abuse really well.

Once I got to carving her I understood why. The meat of those walls was harder than a Hubbard squash. It was practically granite. I was very impressed, as the hardness made a very sturdy medium to carve.

11/1/2009 11:20:15 AM

Ham Lake, Minnesota

Very professional looking! Great job!

11/1/2009 7:47:13 PM

Dillsburg, PA

Wow- awesome. I wish I had that kind of talent.

11/1/2009 7:51:58 PM

Johnstown, Ohio

Nice job, very professional!

11/7/2009 10:01:46 PM