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San Diego, Ca.

AG's come in so many different colors it made me start to wonder what the orgins of the Atlantic Giant are. We all know Howard Dill is to thank for his work but how or what did he do to make this variety. I have never heard this explained fully. I'm sure somebody here can enlighten not only me but quite a few others here who would like to know.
Vince

12/20/2004 9:48:46 PM

Syracuse, NY

there's a book called "The Pumpkin King",
by Al Kingsbury, i believe.
i'm pretty sure i may have ordered it from
Howard Dill Enterprises when i got some seeds from them,
it was a couple years ago, so a bit fuzzy...
can't find the book right now, under all these jars of seeds, lol......>>>>>>>>>>eric<<<<<<<<anyway, a good book!

12/21/2004 1:13:55 AM

ENGLAND

The Book can be bought from Howard Dill himself. This is the link to the page that the Book is on http://www.howarddill.com/seed.html#book

This is the promo introduction to the Book....
The Pumpkin King
by Al Kingsbury, 55 photos, 110 p.
"The Story of Howard Dill & The Atlantic Giant" $12.95

Hope this helps
regards
Mike

12/21/2004 5:06:48 AM

Knopp, Germany

A quote from "The Pumpkin King" by Al Kingsbury:

"Dill had good reason to believe that the seed his father had been using had come from the now-defunct Rennie Seed Company in Ontario.......Rennie's had purchased Warnock's prize specimen in 1904 for just $10.00 and then sold its seeds at three for 25 cents.

Dill realized the genetic potential of the seed when making the right crosses between the Gooderich Giant and Genuine Mammoth, another variety his father had been growing in the 1920s and '50s.

During the '50s and '60s. Dill began a self managed selection process, using the family seed stock."

pages 24 and 25, published in 1992.

12/21/2004 6:46:54 AM

Cologne / Germany

http://outside.away.com/magazine/0297/9702fepump.html
Article from 1997, quite intersting to read.

By the way, did you see that pic? :-)
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=16389

12/21/2004 9:16:56 AM

Itzetown City

Amish on their way to the weighoff?
Must be funny to watch that in reality. LOL

12/21/2004 12:26:14 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Hey that is a good link to the Outside article.


Interesting how Craig Lembke is mentioned at the end.

12/21/2004 12:36:44 PM

Greencastle, PA

intersting how big those pumpkins are for only 400ish lbs.
Tom

12/21/2004 3:25:14 PM

Cologne / Germany

Hey Tom, or maybe the growers had been MUCH smaller that time -:)

12/21/2004 5:50:44 PM

Hayes, Virginia

Thanks Floh.
very fun read..

12/21/2004 7:17:27 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Type in 609 Laemmle in the search box and read the post Origin of todays giants for some good info.

12/21/2004 7:36:23 PM

Cologne / Germany

Pretty good link Ron. Alan Nesbitt doing a short and compact history overview, and page 3 from this link:
http://www.pumpkinfest.org/growers/vine-12-2002.pdf
Warnock speaking. Almost no difference what he did around 1890 and how we do it today. Amazing.

12/21/2004 8:00:42 PM