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Rhode Island

I HAVE ALWAYS QUALIFIED MY REMARKS REGARDING WEIGH OFF COMPETITIONS BY STATING "IT AINT NO BEAUTY CONTEST", AND WHEN YOU WEIGH OFF AT ANY GIANT PUMPKIN COMPETITION WEIGH IS THE PRIMARY FACTOR. (AS IT SHOULD BE )

BEAUTY IS A SECONDARY CONSIDERATION IN MY OPINION. AS WELL IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERING OUR HOBBIES OVERALL GOALS.

IM WONDERING OUT LOUD IF WE CLUB DIRECTORS NEED TO ALSO PUT MORE EFFORT INTO REWARDING COMPETITORS THAT GROW FOR BEAUTY RATHER THAN SIZE?
I REALIZE MOST WEIGH OFFS GIVE OUT A PRETTIEST PUMPKIN AWARD. BUT REMEMBER THESE PUMPKINS ARE STILL ENTERED IN THE OVERALL TOP WEIGHT COMPETITION SO A GROWER AT PRESENT WILL NOT PICK THE PRETTIEST FOR A COMPETITION, HEAVIEST IS STILL THE FIRST CONSIDERATION.

IM TALKING ABOUT A SEPERATE COMPETITION.GROWERS CAN BRING TWO PUMPKINS TO A WEIGH OFF SHOULD THEY WISH.
ONE FOR THE WEIGH OFF COMPETITION , THE OTHER TO COMPETE FOR "MISS ORANGE AMERICA"

THE "MISS ORANGE AMERICA" ENTRIES WOULD NOT NEED TO BE WEIGHED. JUST JUDGED BY A FIVE OR SEVEN MEMBER VOTING PANEL AT EACH SITE.BEAUTY BEING THE ONLY FACTOR.( HEY THEY DONT WEIGH MISS AMERICA CONTESTANTS DO THEY )?

PRESENTLY, ITS VERY DIFFICIULT FOR THOSE GROWERS WHO LIKE TO GROW ORANGE AND PRETTY, TO COMPETE AGAINS PURE BULK GROWERS.
THATS NOT TO SAY THAT BULK WEIGHT GROWERS DONT CARE ABOUT COLOR,WE DO.
BUT ITS A SECONDARY CONSIDERATION.SOMETHING WE TRY AND BREED BACK INTO OUR LINES.

FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE THAT GROW PURELY FOR COLOR AND SHAPE POSSIBLY PUTTING MORE EFFORT INTO REWARDING ORANGE AND PRETTY HAS COME OF AGE?

PAP

12/24/2006 7:08:15 AM

Long Island,New York

Pettiest pumpkin awards are great, but I don't think "most wieghoffs have them"....but most should. I've competed in Cooperstown, Altoona, Amaganset,Connecticut's Penfield, and Frericks Farm and yours was the only one who had one !!!!
I think its great...will include more growers...many lose "the big one" and have the pretty porch pkn sitting in the patch....G

12/24/2006 8:16:40 AM

Johnston, R.I.

I think that weight is the main goal but there should be an award for the prettiest pumpkin at all weighoffs. Only one pumpkin per competitor. Norm G

12/24/2006 9:15:52 AM

Berlin,mi.(zuhlke2@hotmail.com)

Great idea Pap. Our Michigan group had a Howard Dill golden globe award for prettiest pumpkin this year. It was a autographed picture of Howard Dill on a nice plaque. I would like to see some monetary reward for this category to encourage more people to grow for color and size.

12/24/2006 9:23:56 AM

"Pettiest pumpkin awards are great",, freudian g ?

I think that there needs to be more and better rewards for good color and shape,,,maybe voted on by the public at the weigh off to get them involved with this category.

I also think it's important to weigh and show comparison to the charts (IF that data gets submitted) for future "big and orange" genetics however.

12/24/2006 9:24:51 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Prettiest Pumpkin is a subjective category which leads to controversy. LOL

Maybe if we were to ask the spectators to vote on their favorite. We might make them feel a greater part of the event & determine the winner without having the entered growers influencing the decision.

12/24/2006 10:05:55 AM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

I think prettiest pumpkin awards are a nice idea. I've won prettiest pumpkin in local events, the past two years. It motivates me a little more to grow good color genetics(I would likely grow good color seeds anyway, though).
Maybe the GPC could adapt a prettiest pumpkin category for each of it's sanctioned weighoffs?

12/24/2006 12:32:35 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Can we agree that "prettiest pumpkin" encompases both color & shape? If so...then a solid green might be just as "awardable" as a solid orange right?

For prettiest pumpkin at our weigh-off this year I would have voted for the 466 Lombardi* Squash which was niether solid grass green nor (obviously) orange. But it just had the special combination of shape, color & surface texture I like.....subjective remember? LOL

12/24/2006 12:38:21 PM

Long Island,New York

Actually Steve.....I do believe a squash won "Prettiest pumpkin" in an even in 2005 out west...so it can happen. And yes...the S. Lombari squash was wonderfull..

12/24/2006 12:42:52 PM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

we have prettiest here at HMB, I think $500.00 prize, the crowd hollers for their favorite, then the mayor had to pick, it was not clear from the yelling who had won. To make it as fair as possible, do not tell who the pumpkins belong to when voting

12/24/2006 12:44:57 PM

Coventry R.I.

i think its a great idea i,m all for it ,i no steve davies would like it.

12/24/2006 12:48:40 PM

Greencastle, PA

It seems that some of the above posts are suggesting a "people's choice" type of award judged by spectators. That would be a great way to include more people while also avoiding controversy. I'm sure asthetic quality would be a crucial factor in determining the "people's choice" because unlike us, the spectators aren't obsessed with size(of pumpkins that is). Therefore, we would have an interactive activity (judging/voting) which would engage spectators and also a comprehensive award which would implicitly recognize qualities such as shape and color while being free of controversy.
Tom

12/24/2006 1:38:10 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

I love the idea for a prettiest pumkin award, it might encourage more growers to bring fruit to a weigh off, but lets keep it fun, I think if we go too far into tiny nit picking details it will become subjective and cause controversy.
I like the peoples choice!

12/24/2006 2:33:21 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I Like the idea also. Some growers like you said, grow only nice orange pumpkins. Over all good orange color and shape.

12/24/2006 2:51:02 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Then perhaps multiple "beauty awards"...?

People's Choice
Judge's Choice
Grower's Choice

or some combined point system....nah....too complicated.

People's Choice would be the most fun & as both Toms point out...inclusive & simple.

Applause meters (actually decibel meters) are costly & subject to "local noise". Using an elected official or some other visiting dignitary to "interpret" the voting is a neat idea too.

12/24/2006 4:38:55 PM

Mt Vernon Ky

It is not no BEAUTY CONTEST just look at some the growers LOL not calling no names Jamie Doug John AND ME TOO it sounds like a BEAUTY CONTEST for the pumpkins would be great

12/24/2006 5:50:54 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

At our weighoff we also have a "prettiest pumpkin" category and my other favorite "ugliest pumpkin" which is always good for a laugh.

12/24/2006 5:56:49 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I really belief that there should be a beauty contest, even more this year after recieving so much attention while showing a real beauty at the MN ST Fair this year.
After ponder it for several months I felt the only fair way would be people choice or in our weigh off case the owners of the orchard/pumpkin farm choice. They should be a totally independant of any grower or judges.

12/24/2006 8:45:29 PM

So. Maine

PAP ! You mean after all these years we were growing for the heaviest weight ??? I always took my best looking .... lol ...
This year up here in Maine we invited Miss Maine to appear at our state weigh-in to pick the most beautiful giant pumpkin entry in both the adult and the childrens entries ... AND SHE SHOWED UP !!! Did a great job .. You can check her out (he he he ) at our website mainepumpkins.com and scroll down to "click here for more pictures of the 2006 maine state pumpkin weigh-in. AL B.
WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR PAP !

12/24/2006 9:03:48 PM

Linwood, NC

Well, seeing as to how I think a pumpkin should be a nice color orange, instead of whiteish, or salmon, I love the idea. I would enter one in it.

12/24/2006 11:18:00 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ spacemaster400@earthlink.net

One thing to remember that always holds true is that BEAUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER......LOL. Tremor makes a good point that this orange beauty contest could cause controversy. Some men think some women are pretty and some do not, likewise some women see better traits in some men that other women do not.In the pumpkin world this could be a dilema also.Thus everyone and everything is bound by the fact that BEAUTY IS IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER. I do not want to stir things up, but had to express my 2 cents as a beholder... I like the idea of a pretty award also ........Merry Christmas to all...JK

12/25/2006 4:31:25 AM

Ohio

How about we have a contest for the prettest grower aswell, my vote would go to Glenn, hes one pretty ugly grower,LOL G!!

I like the peoples choice also, great idea! Its ideas like this that gets other new growers and old growers feel more involved for something they can shoot for at their weighoff. Not all growers will have a chance to grow that monster because of there climate or they simply just want to grow for great shape and color.
Brooks

12/25/2006 9:44:32 PM

caro mi.

these giant pumpkins seem to be getting more tv time each year , now if these same world class growers , would grow for a big and beautiful orange pumpkin , I think the interest nationally would be fanominal !

12/25/2006 10:13:57 PM

maine USA

I really like the idea. My son Randall won best looking at the Cumberland fair in Maine and we were all thrilled for him. People that have small patches could have something that they could to compete for. Who knows, maybe if more people grow for big and beautiful eventually maybe the big beauties will eventually start beating the big uglies. LOL love them all. KathyT

12/25/2006 10:55:29 PM

Circleville Ohio USA

At the Circlevile Pumpkin Show the " prettist pumpkin " is chosen by a member our local art league who has no connection to any growers.

12/26/2006 9:49:35 AM

President - GPC

I vote for the GPC steering commitee to take up this matter as a way to encourage additional public interests and participation into our sport & hobby. It could serve to "grow" and enhance our hobby to include more enthusiasts. Big and Beautiful and Perfection wrapped into another category. What say ye?

12/26/2006 10:01:42 AM

SF Bay Area, California

I'll never forget one of the first giant pumpkin competitions I went to. A big ugly brute that looked more like a huge off-color cow pie won the competition. I overheard a spectator say: "sheeet - that weren't no stinking pumpkin" and I had to agree.

The problem is that regular folks expect a pumpkin to be orange and have a roundish shape that resembles an image in their mind of a pumpkin. Even if the shape is not that good they expect the damn thing to be orange.

Particularly folks with young kids gravitate toward the big orange ones. At the Usugi Farms weigh-off they lined up the top ten pumpkins and let the crowd walk around and take pictures. Every time I saw anyone taking pictures of their kids with the pumpkins they had their kids standing in front of the sixth place entry, Pippi Loongstockings, because she was a deep reddish orange and all of the bigger ones had very little color.

I was real happy to see that the new world record looked like it had take a turn toward the orange side.

So I personally think that orange is what people expect a pumpkin to be an if it ain't orange it's a squash or a gourd and if you wanna call it a pumpkin it should look like what most people think a pumpkin looks like not a misshapen cantaloupe.

Half Moon Bay does a great job with their prettiest pumpkin award. The judges select the top three orange fruit; usually smaller pumpkins, 500 pounds or less and these are presented to the crowd who does a clap off for the prettiest. The crowd really gets into it, (some of them yell like crazy for all three) so you get lots of crowd participation and more growers are showing up at the weigh off with orange fruit.

I know a lot of growers would boo me off the stage for saying this, but I wouldn't mind going back to 70+% orange to call a fruit a pumpkin. Even if not, then a pretty pumpkin award for the nicest shaped orange beauty should be standard at every weigh off - it's a real crowd pleaser... vince

12/26/2006 10:31:37 AM

Litchfield N. H. 03052

In NH, at some events we ask spectators to pick pritest or most challenged, the growers never agree with the picks. I don't like contest that the results anr subjective, give me black and white ( the scaleBill

12/26/2006 11:03:59 AM

Napa Valley, CA

I have been to weigh-offs where the cheering and applause of the crowd decides which is the prettiest pumpkin.
One problem I see is that the crowd is usually most often a LOCAL crowd and goes nuts with enthusiasm when its time to vote for the local guy.
Some growers may drive 10 to 15 hours from out-of-state to get to the weigh-off and may be bringing the most beautiful pumpkin in the world with them but the local crowd will be pullin' for the local boy, and he is most likely to win. Perhaps this is how is should be.
It may not always be 100% fair........but the enthusiasm that if creates is almost worth it.
I know the local TV cameras really eat it up.

12/28/2006 12:57:33 AM

Bristol, ME (stunner906@roadrunner.com)

I would tend to agree that it is difficult to get consistancy when judging color across many, many weighoffs. However, I do believe that we here at BP could come up with some basic rules and guidelines with the help of the GPC board to institute the first annual BP Growers Choice Award for the Prettiest, Symetrical fruit. Dunno what the award would be, or if we do 2, one for squash, one for pumpkins. Guess all that can be fodder to banter around for the winter instead of bickering due to boredom.
Since the majority of the Pumpkin Nation comes here to BP, whether visibly or under the guise of silence and invisibility, we could easily get nominations, narrow it down then vote. We could even vote annonymously somehow..whatever. This is the pumpkin capitol of the world, an award from BP would be as coveted if it were of the growers, by the growers..
Just a thought.....

12/28/2006 8:24:04 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Is Bill thinking about an online "Viewer's Choice E-Award" for beauty? It would broaden the field a bit. This would make a nice supplement to local weigh-offs....hmmm....Like the VWO but just for looks...

12/28/2006 9:48:32 AM

Greencastle, PA

The problem with an online contest of that nature is that pictures don't always give an accurate image.

12/28/2006 10:41:00 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Good point Tom....Brooks would win every year.

12/28/2006 12:08:27 PM

Napa Valley, CA

When you have a "Prettiest Pumpkin" contest you open the door to varieties other than AG's as well.
I don't think we would want to be telling guys who arrive with a nice looking Big Max or Prizewinner that they cannot enter a contest because their pumpkin is not an Atlantic Giant.
Also kids will likely show up with some beautiful field pumpkins in hopes of winning.

Do you have categories with weight restrictions ?

Do you have categories for different varieties ?

Just some thoughts.

12/29/2006 10:57:14 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

We just had several rules for the prettiest pumpkin contest in Delano, MN. All the contest rules were published in the news papers, online and on the entry form.
1. had to be a solid pumkpin
2. had to be 100lb or over
3. Judging was to be done by Apple Jack Orchard employee/s

It was won by Doug14 with 7xx lber from the 1233 Reiss

12/29/2006 11:37:13 PM

Ohio

lol tremor!!!

12/30/2006 5:00:03 AM

Long Island,New York

Well...I do think it should be AG's...so I think a 300lb limit would be best...or 275 maybe...something that would eliminate the bulk of the Prizewinners...if for no other reason than we should be promoting big and pretty in the AG gene pool and it should be for the AG growers who might not have had the best of years, or best of conditions. Should someone bring a 300lb Prizewinner and win>>all the power to him. He's the kind of grower we want growing AG's. The grower of 300lb Prizewinners brings back to mind the old White Owl commercials..."Sooner or later...We're gonna getcha...."

12/30/2006 9:39:36 AM

Cincinnati,OH

To be fair a beauty contest would have to be judged by adding up scores from 3 different criteria.
One would be color. First we would all have to decide what is the best orange or green color (could take decades)and come up with a standard color card. Then the card could be scanned by a pumpkin color meter (never invented) The pumpkin in the contest could then be scanned and scored for color.
Second would be shape. First the ideal shape would have to decided on. Then we could develop a scoring system by using the relationship of the OTT measurements.
Third would be weight.
The highest combined total would win.

12/30/2006 11:21:29 AM

Long Island,New York

Ron...you're such a joker...lol....good one !

12/30/2006 12:36:41 PM

SF Bay Area, California

Hey, don't laugh, that's how I picked my wife!

12/30/2006 5:30:01 PM

Auburn Maine, USA

I own just under an acre of land, but I have a patch. Because of my neighbors trees (which I can't cut down) my patch lacks some when it comes to sunlight. It's a patch that many growers that live in farming communities would snicker about, but it’s a patch. I've been adding manure, massive amounts of leaves, seaweed and alittle of this and that. My PH is close to what I want. This passed summer was alittle rough money wise, but I was still able to get some liquid seaweed/fish emulsion to fertilize. Also had a lot going on. I cannot devote all of my summer to pumpkin growing (I'm sure there are going to be some Gasps to that comment). Adding up all of what I have just said, one can assume that Im not going to grow a record breaking pumpkin. Oh well. I really do enjoy it though. This passed year I had 2 that I considered bringing to the fair, and I brought the smaller of the 2 (407lbs. grown from a 781 Frantz) hoping I'd get "Best Looking". I knew the other wouldn't have a chance against what I knew that would be there. I think that there are a lot of spectators in the crowd that are like myself. Not a lot of land, time, or cash do dump into another hobby. Many, like myself, have kids (that goes along with the lack of time and money thing) and growing a huge pumpkin that will end up as a Jack-o-lantern infront of the house would be ideal. I think how ever the pumpkins are judged, nothing but good would come out of it. Local celebrities bring good media coverage. If a person with public importance isn’t available, have an elementary class, or a cub scout (or girl scout) pack judge. Something fun. Many pumpkin growers that grow for weight invest A LOT in their patch, hence they take it seriously and hope for some return on investment. I can understand being serious about that. Keep the beauty pageant fun! I hope all that made sense.

1/7/2007 11:20:08 PM