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Ray, North Dakota

What does UOW mean? Any other acronyms a guy should know about in the pumpkin world? lol. Thanks.

2/24/2006 8:42:08 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Un Official Weight
DMG= Damaged
EXH= is a tricky one, some weigh offs allow a damaged fruit to be weighed, then give it the EXH. On others EXH means it was an exhibition fruit. Since I am allowed to only enter one pumpkin, I bring my second pumpkin along to weigh as an exhibition.

2/24/2006 8:56:31 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Ohh I forgot EST..Estimated weight meaning it was measured out and never weighed.

2/24/2006 8:57:20 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Like Shannon said, UOW means it was weighed but not at an official weigh-off with a certified scale. The weight is probably still accurate. Just not "official".

Ironically, when no abbreviation follows the weight-grower-year it IS an official weight.

2/24/2006 9:15:30 AM

Ray, North Dakota

OK so if I weigh my pumpkin at the grain elevator where I work, which is a state certified scale, and have my secretary notorize the scale ticket, is that official? Everything would check out, and I could have witnesses. But, not at the official weighoff if why it would get UOW. OOOOOOOOOOH, I answered my own question. DOH!

2/24/2006 12:26:54 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

In my opinion (and that of most) if you weigh it on a
certified scale and have a witness, it IS an official weight.

There is no consideration for an "official weighoff" other
than if you want to be considered for GPC prizes, you'd need
to be in a GPC weighoff.

2/24/2006 1:27:02 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Hmmm good question...We had one weighed on a grain elevator scale last fall and it weighed 1125 lbs..Being the honest grower I am I told them that the scale was wrong even though certified. Had it reweighed on a digital meat scale actual weight was 818.5..

2/24/2006 1:27:14 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

This is a topic that we as growers should pay more attention
to. I think many times we use UOW or EXH when we should use
DMG. The DMG is important. That DMG (like it or not) must stay
with the pumpkin for all time. History books will be written
with DMG still tacked onto the name.

EXH, given the definition above, the EXH could probably be
dropped at the end of the weighoff. If it's not damaged, and
if it's weighed on a certified scale, it should be official.
It just might not be counted for the prize structure in
that particular weighoff.

EST is very important and should always be used when it
applies.

UOW would fall to any fruit weighed, but not officially.

2/24/2006 1:34:55 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

Wow, I'm surprized at the grain elevator mis-measurement...

Last year at the fair, we really don't have a proper scale
here. He have one for regular sized fruits. It goes up to
about 1000, but the platform is very small.

They also have a HUGE scale that can weigh your pickup and
six horses all at once.

Last year they sent me to the HUGE scale. The weight came
out to be 412. I protested (in a friendly way) as I thought
the weight was rather light. So we went in to the produce
section of the fair and used their little scale. It came
out to exactly 412.

So, those HUGE scales can be accurate. On the other hand,
they might not be.

2/24/2006 1:40:10 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Our scales are certified every year by the state, so they are accurate for commerce, so they should be appropriate for official weights, even for world records. I would rather weigh on a grain elevator truck scale than a small platform scale any day. If prizes aren't important to me, or I cannot drive the 250 miles to the weighoff, I will use it, and call it official.

2/24/2006 1:51:13 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

gonna have to be an HO designation...herbie official!

2/24/2006 3:38:17 PM

Ray, North Dakota

heh heh. "The world according to herbie"

2/24/2006 4:12:04 PM

Piqua,Ohio

remember large truck scale such as elevator normally break on 20# increments but they can be set for whatever but ussually ar not set less than ten or up to 50. so if you use that type of scales it is official and certified but could be off ten pounds one way or the other depending on were the break falls they should be wieghed on scales that break on one pound increments such as pallet scales

2/24/2006 5:24:55 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Thank you Sam. When the grain elevator & junk yard dogs start paying the prizes, then their "certified" weights matter. Till then....

2/24/2006 7:04:17 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Prizes schmrizes Tremor. I'm talking about the people who CANNOT make the contests. We also have a beam scale that measure in increments of 1 lb. I am talking about recognizing someone like myself, who lives way away from our contest, possibly being recognized officially for a record, not a prize. If I feel it is something of significant weight, I would have to travel the 250 miles to the North Dakota weighoff, but I have fall harvest at that time. And by the way, your "certified" elevator might be one who sponsors your contests Tremor, because we would have the equipment to use for free, and some possible agronomy materials you may need later. Smartass. And the huge scales are state certified to be accurate guys, the one with the mismeasure couldn't have been working properly within state guidelines.

2/24/2006 9:06:46 PM

Piqua,Ohio

truck scales still break on twenty pound increments so they are not accurate to the lb but the beam scales would be just fine. I travel over 200 miles to the weigh off during harvest season too it only one day.

2/24/2006 11:05:31 PM