From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Mulino, Oregon

It has come to our attention that a lot of the sites that have already weighed in have not filled in the necessary information on the GPC spread sheet (Mother/Father & measurements). Site reps, if you have this missing information please update your sites on the spreadsheet as soon as possible!

Thank you!

9/27/2011 1:29:03 PM

Team Munson

Please check the entries & if you see any information missing contact the site & ask to have the information updated.

We do our best to get all sites to comply but for one reason or another there can be information missing. All growers have the right to contact the site to get all of your information completed. Call the site, e-mail, till they have it 100% or keep contacting them till they do.

When you go to the site make sure you have your OTT & parentage on your registration so they can use it to complete the BP spreadsheet completely. Before you leave the site ask if they have it down loaded and complete.

It is every sites responsibility to have all information completed on the BP spread sheet & uploaded to BP with in 24 hours of the completion of the weigh-off. This is far more lenient then the requirement of 100% by 4 hours of the end of your weigh-off that it used to be.

9/27/2011 3:47:36 PM

Muddy Waters

I was told not to give OTT on entry form,they would handle it.Then when I asked later why it wasnt posted.They didnt have my OTT,& asked me for it.I think we members will have to stay on them if needed.Squeaky wheel gets the grease!

9/27/2011 8:03:24 PM

Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada

I'm not totally educated yet but I think you need all three measurements - over the top (OTT), end to end (E-E) and total circumference - you cannot enter your total figure (ensure you have all three measurements) - the BP spreadsheet will calculate these measurements and determine your percentage to chart

9/27/2011 11:46:28 PM

Rhode Island

this info is critical especially when determining what seeds may be available from over the chart pumpikins. plusparentage is also very important.
my 1408.5 at durham for example was over 18% to chart and have forwarded the measurements as directed.pap

9/28/2011 4:56:59 AM

Muddy Waters

I was told the site measure the fruits & give OTTS,How can they trust that it is taped right.Some people hug there fruit or tape on a slope,instead of a flat surface,your OTT can change from patch to scale,due to ground surface,So does the site tape or does grower give OTT?Which is correct??Maybe a E-Mail needs to go out telling sites,there may be some confusion at site level.

9/28/2011 6:35:04 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I will measure my pumpkins and write on each one in black magic marker the CC, SS, EE, and total OTT. If the site coordinators want to measure them themselves, then have at it. I'm just hoping to cut down on the mad scramble to get them measured before weighoff time.

9/28/2011 8:05:34 AM

Team Munson

Handy - The site is supposed to get all the OTT measurements to ensure consistency of the numbers. Some sites can not get all fruit measured so please provide your OTT on your registration form for the data entry person to use in case they can not get it officially measured.

Sally you are 100% correct please reference the you tube link for more info on how to measure the OTT.
http://www.youtube.com/user/tremor6614#p/u/17/Cd1S8gUC-Ew

Pap if your info is not getting posted then keep contacting the site &/or person that was responsible for getting your info posted on BP. Bottom line here is the growers need this information & it goes a long way in determining seed selection for the coming year.

Joe great idea but if you do not want to mark your fruit just write them down & get the measurements to the data entry person for the BP spread sheet at the site.

Great feed back & very good points & suggestions!!!!

9/28/2011 8:38:21 AM

Muddy Waters

Thanks Dave!

9/28/2011 5:25:50 PM

Meadville, PA

As a person who does data entry at weighoffs each year, I would suggust a couple of things.
#1 Growers are encouraged to pre-register. This will allow for parentage to be entered with correct seed names and weights. This saves time for us in having to input so much info for each fruit and growers know that the info is correct.
#2 ALL fruit should be measured at a site for consistancy and an "official" measurement. If sites need help measuring due to the number of fruit.....ask for help. I've never seen a grower who hasn't pitched in to help when needed. With this, ALL GROWERS deserve the respect that their fruit is recognized with an official measurement for the hard work they have put into growing NO MATTER what the size of the fruit.
#3 Don't get testy with those doing data entry for error with weights or spellings....we only enter the data given to us for non pre-registered fruit and we don't know all growers names and seeds.
#4 To those responsible for uploading data, TRY to upload as soon as possible. This is looked at world wide and everyone is on pins and needles to see what's happening with their counterparts near and far. It also provides grower recognition showing that we care enough to get the info out as soon as possible so that they can have their "day in the sun".
I'm not out to offend anyone, but just looking at things from the computer side of the weighoff.

9/28/2011 11:33:23 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I do our data entry; and also judge. We take the measurements at site...and our measurements may vary over what you got in the patch.

You learn the place you like to plop the tape, fresh eyes and hands with the tape may get a different result. We try to get the data all entered the next morning if not that evening; the site data can be corrected if needed by the person responsible for data entry.

We take SS, EE, CC, and the software automatically figures the OTT for those three numbers; still it's 'field added' to compare to the chart at the time and tell the grower if they went over or under.

Write legibly on your forms, block print caps if you need to. We color coded our weigh packet stuff, and make the grower fill out an additional form for mailing address so that is correct AND complete in at least one spot! Use the GPC forms, it will make your measuring and scale time that much easier, not to mention at the screen afterwards doing data entry.

If you have a laptop and wifi, do it as you go at your site. This makes post-weighoff duties that much less!!!!!

9/29/2011 12:37:12 AM

Team Munson

Another reason for providing your OTT is the site & grower can compare numbers. If your OTT varies from the sites then (if time permits) review with the measuring team how they got their numbers & remeasure to see how they did it.

9/29/2011 8:36:34 AM