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Whidbey Island

So this pandemic seems to be spinning out of control. It may be months or up to a year and a half until things taper off. Who knows? If the economy tanks, sponsors may close or not be able to afford prizes. Weigh-offs could be cancelled due to crowd control. Even if we hunker down and the number of infections taper off, it could come roaring back once people get out there again.

So grow or not grow? If you grow and there are no or limited weigh-offs, how could you get an official weight? Maybe grow for the fun of it and get any old weight from a commercial scale near you? I would hate to burn some really good seeds just to have the season go bust. Ideas?

3/19/2020 11:21:13 AM

President - GPC

Life finds a way. I plan on growing...weigh offs or not. Already tilled with cover in... flower seeds starting in two days inside... Veggies to get started in new few weeks. I encourage everyone to Grow, we as growers know, their are few things more satisfying.... When you are growing outside, you are growing inside....

GROW BIG

3/19/2020 11:28:47 AM

Colorado

Grow, gardening is a good distraction from media/virus panic.

3/19/2020 11:35:54 AM

Grittyville, WA

Tokyo wants to host the Olympics. I say we should grow.

3/19/2020 11:39:28 AM

Grow for pleasure, then front yard(peoples' reaction when they drive by and see some large pumpkins is a bonus). It is so nice to go out to the garden early morning when all is quiet. Weigh-offs are the last of my reasons even though they are nice to attend.

3/19/2020 11:44:22 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

The PANIC is spinning out of control. I am still growing. About the only change I am making is in the areas getting rested from pumpkins and watermelons. I had planned on planting mustard. mowing and tilling and then planting a brassica mix. Some was going to go to sweet corn followed by mustard. I will be increasing the sweetcorn area. I will plant more tomatoes and peppers. I will grow green beans, onions, and maybe some other crops. I can still plant the rape/radish/turnip cover crop after harvest or interseed between tomato and pepper plants. I will be freezing and canning more, and giving away or donating to the food pantry, as long as I get a decent crop.

The big pumpkins, watermelons and long gourds always bring a smile on people's faces. We get all kinds of attention when driving to the weigh-off sites. With all of the craziness and insanity going on now, people will need something to smile about.

3/19/2020 12:32:32 PM

Central NY

Grow....and grow big

3/19/2020 12:41:51 PM

Georgia

Is the pandemic really spinning out of control? The number of cases and deaths is literally 99.99% less than the flu. Everyone should be concerned and take reasonable measures, but the only thing spinning out of control is the media coverage. Not saying it cannot get worse because it will, but a bad flu season can kill 61k Americans. We are currently at about 150 corona deaths in the U.S.

I say plant away. Not much chance of catching corona in your own garden.

3/19/2020 1:09:44 PM

Newcastle, CA

Grow, I need to do something to keep my kids out of trouble. Initially, they said no school until April. Depending on the direction this takes they might not be going back this school year.

3/19/2020 2:20:48 PM

Plymouth, MN

I'm going all in this year. My summer conferences are cancelled, I doubt we'll be vacationing anywhere for more than a couple of days. Kids will likely be stuck at home with us for month and months--we need stuff to do outside to keep everyone sane.

3/19/2020 2:48:45 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I just came up from the basement and finished getting my seed starting area ready for pumpkins and garden veggies. I will not grow in the tomato bucket challenge. Using that space for more veggies. However it is likely that I will not participate in any weigh-offs if the chance of catching Corona-19 still exist seeing we are in the mid seventies with multiple medical conditions.

3/19/2020 5:20:22 PM

Lakewood, WA

Take care, Bill!

3/19/2020 5:44:47 PM

Johnston, R.I.

Grow and enjoy life..

3/19/2020 5:51:23 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Crazy here in Central New York, Stores are slim picking for grocery's. I know a lot of people. Some have been told to stay home, No work. Some have been cut back on hours big time.Some got cut back to 20 and some to 32 hours. All schools closed.All State Colleges are closed... Some guys grow for fun, some grow for the money. Now if things don't improve a great deal, I think all the weigh-off's won't have the Sponsors backing the pay outs, prizes..Probably a lot of weigh-off's will really hurt in holding them. Just my 2 cents

3/19/2020 6:24:14 PM

Brandon,WI.

Growing pumpkins, veggies and anything else in the ground, is my escape,my exercise, my enjoying a fresh vegie in the garden and having a beer while I m weeding is all that matters.BUT the enjoyment I see from kids and adults alike of them touching and seeing a big orange pumpkin, that's what really makes me want to grow these monster pumpkin. stay healthy everyone, grow big and say a prayer, we'll get thru this.good luck in 2020

3/19/2020 6:33:53 PM

Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783

grow it will be good for your health.

3/19/2020 8:34:09 PM

Penryn CA

I'm under a "Shelter At Place" directive in California - Directed to only leave your house for essentials until April 13, 2020 - Must maintain /comply with 6 ft of spacing during Essential Activities

3/20/2020 1:54:39 AM

On a cliff in the desert

Grow because it's your hobby not your job. It's nice to get payouts at weigh offs but a hobby shouldn't be about the money you win at competitions. Spend what you can afford. I was planning to 2 weigh offs that might not even have a prize fund this year before all this virus stuff started.

I get a lot of pleasure having all my neighbors come over and gawk at the giant vegetables I am growing. One neighbor used to complain about the smelly fertilizers I used until I put some in his garden and he saw how big his vegetables grew. Now he uses smelly fertilizers.

3/20/2020 2:04:01 AM

Saegertown Pa.

Don’t let the rain stop you till the rain stops you, im growing.

3/20/2020 4:25:48 AM

Topsfield,ma.

I Grow because I Love It! Why would anyone even consider not growing?

3/20/2020 9:18:56 AM

Topsfield,ma.

Worst case scenario my personal best will be a unofficial weight on my digital scale.

3/20/2020 9:25:09 AM

Bethlehem CT

Agreed, grow because you love it. Think about it. As growers we start out and work tirelessly in hopes of a harvest. Nothing is ever promised. Most growers who have been growing for any amount of time have had years with nothing to show for their efforts. Yet that doesn't phase any of us.

3/20/2020 9:44:23 AM

Massillon, Ohio

Thought for the day......

"Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do."

3/20/2020 10:29:58 AM

Central NY

Words to live by....thanks Nana

3/20/2020 10:35:47 AM

Germany

The current situation gives a shit on all people´s situation and pisses at their plans for the next couple of months, but even in such a situation, which can be called manure, we pumpkin growers are nonetheless a bunch of lucky ones who can actually still develop something big and beautiful.

3/20/2020 11:54:14 AM

North Of The Border

Unless you need something like toilet paper for your plants, you should be fine with getting your supplies. Lol. Just saying, we are not going to run out of fertilizers in the stores anytime soon. I say GROW and GROW them BIG!

3/20/2020 12:10:43 PM

North Of The Border

In response to Pumpking, "when life gives you manure, turn it into a well fertilized pumpkin bed." It may actually help the season. If anyone gets quarantined, it will let them get their patch hours in. Kid growers are probably loving it, because of the prolonged March Break that may mean there will not be much more school this year.

3/20/2020 12:16:49 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

https://www.aol.com/article/news/2020/03/20/new-york-state-orders-all-nonessential-workers-to-stay-home/23956384/

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Friday issued the state’s strictest and most grave policy yet to stem the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Cuomo ordered the entire state to “remain indoors to the greatest extent,” mandating all workers stay home unless they are performing essential functions, like providing food, utilities and health care.

3/20/2020 1:56:48 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Under California state law, people who violate the order could be found guilty of a misdemeanor and punished by no more than a $1,000 fine and up to six months in prison. But Newsom told reporters Thursday that the order will not be enforced by law enforcement.

3/20/2020 2:07:02 PM

Central NY

Coming to a state near you....

3/20/2020 2:33:15 PM

NILES , CALIF

Right now if it was October ,they would not allow any pumpkin weigh off unless its under 50 people, and you have to stand 6 ft away from each other.
It may get rough for the rest of the year, will see

3/20/2020 2:58:49 PM

Westmoreland, KS

My wife and I work at a college so we are home bound for the foreseeable future...That being said I have tons of time for pumpkins...I'll be starting early this year! Grow big baby!

3/20/2020 9:06:27 PM

Deer Park WA

Hi Lee,
Great post in this time of fear and uncertianty. We too have hopes of growing whoppers in our new farmstead this year but worry about current health issues and social gathering concerns. We believe fresh air and good hygene will have a minimal inpact on our fellow growers and our 2020 season.

Kind Regards,

Gerry & Dani

3/20/2020 11:21:54 PM

Deer Park WA

So giving Ya'all an elbow bump at the weigh~offs, LoL

3/20/2020 11:36:54 PM

Walhalla, ND.

Coronavirus is starting to wind down in both China and South Korea, so hopefully things will soon get better.
I’m here in Port Orchard, Wa again this winter but will be headed back home next month. I certainly plan on growing AGs and veggies.

3/21/2020 11:53:02 AM

About that elbow bump. Just wondering. Are you not supposed to sneeze or cough into your elbow?

3/21/2020 12:44:20 PM

Germany

Yes, and this elbow bump is the final treatment, it squeezes the last bit of juice out of the virus sitting there.

3/21/2020 1:08:40 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/coronavirus-cases-new-york-state-now-top-10-000-n1165626?fbclid=IwAR10LPUDbLNPCiVL4a5aZdwLWIFeN7_PN7fL2cSwEpJHAIzywDRBELTtZ4c

3/21/2020 4:59:46 PM

Western NY

Full steam ahead here as long as I'm alive.

3/21/2020 6:28:21 PM

North Of The Border

China has not had a case in multiple days, so we just have to what they have done, and close down the country. It would completely eradicate the disease if all countries could do that. It would then mean that those with the disease could not spread it, and those without the disease would not catch it. However, not all countries can completely shut down the country and that means that the virus will spread through those countries. This will cause it to stay in that coutry and when someone visits thay country, they are at risk. I dont think it will quit till it is done going through those who catch it. I am hoping that happens sooner than later.

3/22/2020 2:23:40 PM

Midway, UT

I don't grow for the weigh-offs. I enjoy the art of it just as much as the competition. In the end, I compete against myself first. Every time there is a PB, I won.

3/25/2020 3:15:13 PM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

Growing this year will be a beautiful distraction:-)

3/28/2020 12:09:10 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I don't know why anyone half interested wouldn't grow some type of garden, pkn patch etc... We look to be having a lot of home alone time, so something growing in the yard will be a great distraction.

3/28/2020 5:01:05 PM

North Pole,Alaska

I'm sorry, I've been extremely busy with my indoor plants and getting set up for moving out to the greenhouse. Is there something going on in the outside world I should be aware of?

3/29/2020 2:12:16 PM

Central NY

Lol....nah Dave....nuttin new...you should be good up yer way

3/29/2020 8:04:56 PM