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Garner, NC

Since things are slow, I'll post a question I have seen on other messages boards before. Maybe its been done here, but i don't think so, or atleast not since I have been coming here.

Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Personal best melon:
Years growing and what got you started:
Hobbies other than melons:

Todd Dawson
40
Ice carver
282
I started in 2009 with the hopes of winning a ribbon at the state fair. I ordered some seeds off Ebay and planted 1 plant in the regular garden. 136 pounds later I was at the fair in last place, but more proud of that melon than anything else I have grown. I found this site, met some great people and have been hooked ever since!

As far as other hobbies, its deer hunting!

Ok, now who are you?

12/7/2011 1:49:28 PM

sevierville, Tn

Chris Kent
49
office manager for a construction company
291
I started growing pumpkins in 2005(still do) i added melons in 2008. My 1st was 213 & i was hooked. Melons are the best & i have had so much fun growing i will never stop. I wish i had a place south of the equater so i could grow 2 crops a year !

other hobbies= well melons take most of my time, but i like games in the offseason(board,chess,computer(C&C))
I'm a weather nut too. I love snow, storms(off season) forcasts.

12/7/2011 3:31:30 PM

formerly RGG

Dennis Masterson
59
unemployed at the moment
207
The first time I grew Carolina Cross was in 1991. My dad had grown watermelons for most of his life and was very proud one year when he raised a 50 pound melon. So when I saw CC seeds in a greenhouse supply store I decided to try my luck. I grew 3 melons that year that were a little over 100 pounds each and felt like I had really accomplished something. I entered the largest watermelon the Tennessee Valley Fair had ever seen.Due to a change of residence I did not grow again until 2008. My dirt at my new home was hard clay and there were large trees shading the back yard and it was on a fairly steep hillside. I began working on my dirt and it is now mostly good topsoil. My first year was a bust as I raised a single long skinny melon. The second year I grew my 207. The third year I discovered I had stage 4 cancer and my treatments kept me from paying much attention to my hobby. Last year I made several key mistakes but still managed to grow a 204 pound melon.I have big hopes for 2012.

My hobbies are my yard and gardening in general and collecting various things.

12/7/2011 5:41:03 PM

Fenton, MI

Marvin Mitchell
Born on a farm in 1943.
Retired from GM - UAW Representative
255# What a seed that turned out to be.

Grew my first melon in 1998. Weighed 186# and was from a seed my buddy, Bill Edwards, gave me and we've been best friends ever since. Plan on growing melons as long as God lets me.

Hobbies are building race engines, NASCAR, fishing, hunting and Texas Hold'em.
Joys of my life are my wife, 2 kids, 2 grand kids and dear friends, most of which grow melons.

12/7/2011 6:35:37 PM

Muddy Waters

Mark Clementz
50
Licensed contractor
(HandyManService)
260.5
Started in 1996 grew a 137.5 with store bought seeds(Weeks)
took 4th place at PORT ElGIN.P&P contest got me started on kins.
Fishing,bowling,

12/7/2011 8:40:32 PM

Southeast Texas

paul fiedler
52
truck driver
108#'s
been growing pumpkins for 4years,grew a cc in 08 but didnt take care of it.next year grew the 108 in the shade never serious about melons til last year,but then my hip went out had to have a hip repacement and my melon plants died in the drought.gonna give it another shot in 2012.

hobbies are huntin,fishing,cooking,eaten wild stuff that i kill,catch,are grow and messing with folks on pb..lol

12/7/2011 8:53:12 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

I won't win any popularity contests but here goes:
Andy Hamilton
47
Unit Commander Western Traffic Services- Serving Digby, Yarmouth and Shelburne Counties.
Still Learning
Wood working/carving
Love of gardening and growing anything unique
Been growing AG's for 15 years, started other stuff like beets, swede, melons and long gourds 3 years ago. Melons still have me baffled but I will figure them out sooner or later. This stuff is heaven for me. Melts away all the stress of the day.

12/7/2011 9:34:55 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Andy, they luv you, me they're going to toss compost!
Deb Rebel
Almost 50
Self employed with retired hubby
Grew some bowling ball sized ones before, then the 2.9 oz'er off the 80.3 Fiedler...with viable seeds.

Melons for real, 2009. Gardening, since 1966 ..2010 was just a bad year, 2011 doc said no growing which I kinda had to do I found out..
Competition growing, kins and maters; water gardening; yarnaholic, queen of crafts...

12/8/2011 1:29:35 AM

Mount Vision, NY

Sandy Houck
46
Surgical Services Asst.
First PB in 2012, hopefully
I've been gardening since I was 6 years old, though 2011 was my first year for growing giant veggies. For as long as I can remember I wanted to grow a giant pumpkin and that drew me into growing other giant veggies when I finally took the plunge this past season.
Hobbies include several tanks of African Cichlids, raising Holland Lop rabbits and German Double Crested Trumpeter pigeons. I've hybridized daylilies for 15 years though much less now than I used to.

12/8/2011 6:35:47 AM

Muddy Waters

Im sorry I forgot Sherry & the Drama Queens,Imagine my girls,lol.Some real drama around here folks.My 2 stepsons & 4 grandchildren There beautiful little gifts from God.Ive been gardening since the mid 70s,when I was in middle school,had a patch about 50x50 cared for by me,siblings wanted no part of it.I worked so hard on it my mother gave me 20$ a week allowance.My siblings got 5$ a week.Ive always been it for the money. lol.I sold gardening seeds in grade school.I found them on a bazooka Joe bubble gum wrapper add.My great great grandfather 400 generations ago took care of the Garden Of Eden untill he got fired.I think its in my blood.Sorry for hogging the board.lol

12/8/2011 7:05:16 AM

Corryton, TN

David Cantrell
Sprouted in 55
Grounds keeper on small plot of this earth where I raise peaches, melons, sweetcorn, cattle and on occasions a couple of acres of strawberries.
PB so far 251 (out of a seed no one else has grown)
Planted a few seeds in 2009 to see what they could do. Grew some mighty fine weeds and found a couple of melons in the 130 pound class. Had a family gathering and ate melons (I didn't eat). Been hooked since.
Hobbies: Hunting, since 2001 only 4 legged critters, golf, raising show chickens (dark cornish, silver spangled hamburgs), training retrievers and grappling catfish.

12/8/2011 7:44:18 AM

Bethlehem CT

John Ciesielski
37
Estate Gardener
139.5 in 2011
I have been gardening for most of my life, I have always been interested in growing the big ones. Usually that meant buying seeds from seed catalogs and hoping for the best. In 2005 I met John D at the Bethlehem Fair and he told me to check out Bp.com. I did and 2 years later took my first real attempt at growing giant pumpkins. I also grew a melon plant that year which I bought from the Howard Dill seed company. It produced a 128 and 136 pounder off the same plant. I am still hoping for my first 200 pounder. I have a wife and 4 children. My hobbies are basketball and gardening. I love the people here in the melon forum!

12/8/2011 8:01:19 AM

Ontario

Bryan Mailey
48
Vibration Analyst running my own Predictive Maintenance company for past 19 years...
206.5 lbs
Been growing AG's for 5 years, got started to try and win the local fall fair. Past 3 years have been competitive after joining the GVGO, I just started growing Giant Watermelons last year, and now I'm hooked.
I also enjoy growing and braiding garlic and teaching others to grow and braid their own at local fairs, as well as many aspects of community theater from acting to directing, some of my other interests include cooking great food, watching live sports and monthly poker night with my buddies.
My two daughters are the joys of my life....turning 17 and 19 next March.

12/8/2011 8:08:57 AM

Lexington,IN

Dewight Blanton
48
Unemployed
232 in 2000
I started gardening with my Grandfather as soon as I could walk. Started growing AG's and melons in 1999. First melon was grown with store bought seeds and weighed 140 Lbs. Second melon grown was in 2000 and is still the current Indiana State Record at 232 Lbs. I have been trying to beat it ever year since then...
Other Hobbies are Coaching Little League baseball, NASCAR and other asphalt racing series, (dirt is for growing giant melons!) I raise poison dart frogs and recently purchased angel fish for a future breeding project.

12/8/2011 10:56:00 AM

Marshall, MI

Bill Edwards
Born in 1938 in Battle Creek Michigan
Retired in 2003
267#
Started growing in 1995 with some catalog bought
carolina cross seeds .
Grew a 120#
Will continue growing as long as Ican
What a great hobby

12/8/2011 1:38:43 PM

Lakeville, OH

Lewis Morris
37
Office Manager for The Scotts Company
197# in 2011
First year growing watermelon, 3rd year growing pumpkins(competitively)
Have always grown "large" vegetables and flowers for our county fair--it's in my blood. Currently plant 4000+ gladiolas every year, 3+ acres of gardens.
Hobbies are Appalachian style clog dancing, farming, and hunting. Still looking for the big buck!
Like Chris, I am also a weather fanatic. Would love to "storm-chase"!

12/8/2011 2:42:09 PM

Ut

Kyle Clark
34
Dentist
130#
First year growing CC- what a blast. I just thought it up one day and got online and found James White's tips and he sent me some great seeds. Thanks James!
I ski this time of year, have been doing photography for a long time, and lots of other little things (scuba, gardening, mountain biking, canning, raise trout, guitar).
I've hiked 500 miles of your Appalachian Trail out there.

12/8/2011 6:40:25 PM

Ut

Looks like I’m in the right place for people who do weird things and get carried away with it.

I love Todd’s ice carving , have done lots of chess like Chris, and could definitely see myself hybridizing daylilies Sandy, or poison dart frogs Dewight.

Bro Dave a couple acres of strawberries!!!?? My dream minus the work.
Deb what is water gardening?
4000 gladiolas Lew?

You are all nuttier than squirrel terds, just like me.

I’m glad to see how many of you grew 200 pounders on year two! Watch out because my 239 Leonards came yesterday:) I’m the youngest of the bunch so I hope to see melons do what pumpkins have done by the time I’m an old man. I am surprised to see how young this is for so many of you. I guess Lloyd and friends have been at it a while, but as a hobby I think it has tremendous potential for the future.

12/8/2011 6:42:07 PM

Linden, Mi.,

Darrel Berry
I suffer from the 1944 syndrome
Retired - GM - Husband - Fireman
Started growing giants in 1996, got serious in 2000
Pumpkins - 854, 825, 710, 686, and a 930 est.
was going for 1000 lbs +, but looking more at watermelons
Watermelons - 234 (pb) 195, 174, 180, 168, 147, 2-106 on same plant and others, but even talk about them :o)
Hobbys - coins, the growing of all plants.
I am also into the weather (what little I know about it) - HATE "SNOW"

12/8/2011 7:35:20 PM

Linden, Mi.,

watermelons - others but lets not even talk about them :o)
Its that 1944 syndrome !!!!!!!!!!!!!

12/8/2011 7:37:34 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

To watermelondentist:
Water gardening is just that, ponds kept with aquatic and sometimes bog/marsh plants and fish. If you are squeamish this is not the sort of gardening for you. The fish I keep are ornamental koi and fancy goldfish... and I have a pretty large hardy water lily collection.

The mung that collects on pond bottom and is occasionally cleaned out is great for a topdressing for patch or compost. Waterlily debris is a fantastic composting additive.

12/8/2011 11:35:42 PM

Glosta

Bryan Langley
36
Engineering technician for semiconductor
manufacturing.( translation: I build machines that make
computer chips)
Pb: 89.
Been growing melons for 2 years
Hobbies: camping, mountain biking, snowboarding, and not growing up.

12/9/2011 6:07:24 AM

Sevierville,tn

Janet Kent (married to Whats His Name) Chris Kent
51
Head Lunch Lady at a school of 504 kids k-8th grades
260 parents 255 Mitchell X 239 Leonard
Became a Melon Head in year 2008. Started growing those orange things in 2005 with whats his Name.
My Other Hobbies.... On any given Sunday I am in da house watching my NASCAR.I love to cook that is why I like fat ass Melons:) I love to play on the pc Hidden object games word games, JewelQuest. Love being married to What's His Name..We Enjoy each other. Oh Yeah I like to drink wine and play in hot tubs too!

12/9/2011 8:58:38 PM

Kansas

Name: Brian Stanley
Age: 44
Occupation: Spec Analyst/Virtual Build Engineer
Personal best melon: 121 (Beginners Luck)
Years growing and what got you started: Started in 2004/Had a few bumps along the way & stopped in 2008. My daugther Sierah was the catalyst.
Hobbies other than melons: Waterfowl & Upland Bird Hunting, Deep sea Fishing, World Travel & Making new friends one seed at a time.

12/10/2011 9:41:40 AM

Armada Mich

Eric Proctor
50
Custodian at a elementary school of 550 kids. So I spend of my day with kids... who all call me Mr Eric,
221 pound is my personal best
In 2005 I joined the Michigan Giant Pumpkin Growers club to grow A G Pumpkins.. Then in 2007 a friend told me that I should give Carolina Cross Watermelon a try..my first watermelon was 135

I like too garden ... I also raise chickens,,,So I sell farm fresh eggs.
and I also raise about 40 turkeys for thanksgiving every year,,,

12/10/2011 7:38:53 PM

Hampstead, NC 28443

Name: Scott West
Age: 41
Occupation: Nuclear Plant Operations Supervisor
Personal best melon: 89 pounds
Years growing and what got you started: Rookie season last year. I started growing AGs last year, and seen that Iowa's record is under 200 pounds. I thought with a few years practice, I can break that record with the size of melons there are out there and knowledge. Year 1 is down. :)

12/16/2011 1:33:18 PM

Pleasant View, TN

Matt Burcham
32
TDOT (13yrs.)
179.7 @ Allardt, TN Weigh-off
2011 was the first year of growing my own watermelon in my own backyard but ive helped my dad (Freddie Burcham)grow his watermelons since i was old enough to walk. He has taught me everything i know about growing these giants.

My other hobbies beside growing melons are anything that i can do with my son Carter(6) and my daughter Madilyn(3)and my beautiful wife Crystal that ive been married to for 10 yrs now!

12/22/2011 10:40:16 AM

Cameron

Jane & Phil Hunt
Cameron, Ontario, Canada
Over 50
Married 25 yrs this June
PBs 222.4# melon, 7.33# tomato & 1678# pumpkin
-We have been growing for almost 20 yrs now. We seen a WR pumpkin on TV & thought it might be fun to try.
-GVGO's 1st President. Currently serving on the executive as Eastern Region Rep.
-Jane is the GVGO's book keeper/Accountant & has been since the club's beginnings. She is also my best friend.
-We really enjoy helping/mentoring newer growers.
-Our new Golden Retreiver, Baylee is my hobby this winter & spring. Hopefully I'll have her well trained by next fall.

1/3/2012 3:22:49 PM