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Pleasant Hill, Or

The West Coast represented this year! I cannot believe all of the huge pumpkins I saw at the 3 weigh offs I attended. It was a spectacle that will be very hard to repeat. Here is a list of the fruit I saw weighed;

1794 Pugh
1704 Urena
1693 Bordsen
1610 Starr
1580 Starr
1560 Urena
1554 Mathison
1548 Hawkley
1521 Root
1504 Sherwood
1502 Daletas
1487 Starr

I haven't included the list of monsters from Elk Grove or Canyonville either. Truly a magical season for the West Coast. I have a feeling there will be plenty more years like this in the future too. I met many new or second year growers that went toe to toe with some of the biggest heavy hitters around with great success. Pete Glasier and Gary Miller need to be commended for mentoring a stable of incredible new growers that will rewrite the record books.

Thanks for the good times guys! As always it is great to rekindle friendships with growers from other areas we don't get to see enough. And I had the pleasure of making a few new friends along the way.

Thad

10/11/2011 10:24:52 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

It was TRULY a west coast year Thad. It's funny how trends change from region to region here in the states. I keep expecting another east coast year, but Mother Nature has a lot to say.

Leonardo had a once-in-a-lifetime year and I was truly happy to see Jim Sherwood back. Congratulations to you all!

10/11/2011 11:06:15 PM

Ohio

you guys really kicked butt this year Thad, congrats to all the growers who weighed in them huge Monsters.

10/12/2011 4:52:26 AM

Team Munson

I agree Thad the West Coast is well represented this year at the top of the GPC standings awesome job to all the growers out west!!!!!

To better emphasise this there will be 2 CA growers getting their pumpkins shipped to the New York Botanical Garden next week. Leonardo Urena & Brant Bordsen along with their wives will be the feature guests with their pumpkins in NYC so stay tuned for more information coming soon.

10/12/2011 8:50:39 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Thadd.....Great Weights indeed. What a growing year. Cant wait to hear how it was done in Vegas, Hope to see everyone at the Circus Circus in Feb and lots of new faces. One heck of a haul. Well done all.

The GPC is looking to send a couple of nice 1000 pounders to the hotel to "Get the juices flowing" with more media blitZ. (Gee did you guys grow any small oneZ?)

The GPC will pay for shipping. The closer the easier it is to do. If someone wants to volunteer their kin for Starr-dom and the good of our sport.......PLEASE send me an email so we can work out the details and logistics. Let'Z grow our sport BIGGER and take advantage of the pumpkin fever we have all witnessed across the media highway.

GrowZ'EM BIG

10/12/2011 8:53:49 AM

Deer Park, WI

Yes indeed, congrats are in order for the west coast growers who have put the left side of the map back on the map. Its encouraging to see that all three regions (west, central, east) have proven that world class fruit can be grown in these climes.

With all the west coast success, this should make the Circus Circus convention quite a circus. Looking forward to interacting with you folks!

10/12/2011 9:32:00 AM

Santa Rosa, CA.

1532 Pugh
1528 Dabel
1508 Ceja
1504 Pingrey
1494 Bordsen
1491 Root
Long list of big pumpkins this year

10/12/2011 9:38:40 AM

Wi

Wow, that is an impressive list congrats. Mother Nature was due to smile upon the West Coast at some point.

Look at the damage that could have been done bringing all these together at one site!

1570 TTA would have been pretty crazy!!!

10/12/2011 11:16:42 AM

soon there will be west coast pumpkins heading east to go to weighoffs very nice everyone . remember when some crazy guy traveled out there from 2000 miles away

10/12/2011 1:39:10 PM

Joliet, IL

Great job Thadd and all the west coast growers on an outstanding year!!!

10/12/2011 1:55:58 PM

South Hero, VT

The west coast rocks this year. Congrats to all.

10/12/2011 2:51:35 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Your right Don, one of my neighbours drove down there a few years back.

Our part of the West Coast did not produce this year like our Southern friends...congrats on that...those are impressive numbers and names on that list.

10/12/2011 3:52:21 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I think the East Coast did well considering the hurricain and power loss not to mention the early season winds that took some of us out. Oh and the humidity and heat followed by rains. Never a dull moment...good job to the West Coast growers. Impresive weights. Next year will be here soon enough!

10/12/2011 6:50:55 PM

[email protected]

So What about Alaska, percentage of growers vs sizes produced are better than anywhere else.

10/12/2011 8:25:45 PM

Parker, Co

no kidding, iceman! what those guys have done in Alaska is REALLY amazing!!!! just think of the climate they are growing in. just amazing. we enjoyed reading the Alaska diaries this season.

10/12/2011 10:20:22 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Way to go West Coast!
Alaskan growers are inspiring. I see J.D. expanded his greenhouse.

10/13/2011 1:41:31 AM

Joliet, IL

Dale and J.D. and their posts and pumpkins were great this year and so much fun to follow. I would love to see a film crew turn that good natured rivalry into a t.v. show called something like "Frontier Giants".
An old documentary about the 2 brothers from Alaska and their giant cabbage growing rivalry is still one of the reasons I started growing pumpkins for competition. Thanks again guys for the great show this year!

10/13/2011 8:43:17 AM

Littleton, Colorado

I didn't see this discussion earlier, but to J.D. and Dale--I just want to tell you guys that you both really inspire me. Our altitude makes growing big ones tough, but I can't imagine any tougher conditions than you guys face in Alaska!

10/22/2011 3:48:42 PM