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No Place Special

Country Corner Annual Giant Pumpkin Contest
5333 US HWY 150 2 MI. N. OF ALPHA, IL. 309-629-2359
WWW.COUNTRY-CORNER.COM
DATE: SATURDAY OCTOBER 8, 2005
REGISTRATION: 12:00 - 3:00 P
WEIGHOFF: 12:00 - 3:00 P
AWARDS 4:00 PM

9/15/2005 2:48:41 AM

No Place Special

prizes:
largest pumpkin
1st place.......$1 per lb
second..........$400

combined weight of two (2)pumpkins
first place.....$400
second..........$300
third...........$100

9/15/2005 2:52:51 AM

No Place Special

If you would like me to email you a copy of the hand out which contains more info just let me know. This is a good guy who wants to make this successful for his pumpkin patch business and us growers. His goal is to make his patch one of the biggest and best pumpkin patch attractions in the midwest. If it proves to be successful then it will continue to grow and could be a huge event someday with much better pay outs for us growers. I have been to his patch/ farm and it is a very nice place that would make a great family trip. .....

9/15/2005 2:59:26 AM

No Place Special

u pick pumpkins, 7 acre corn maze, Bee Barn, Baby Chick Shack, Timber park Jump house, Horse drawn hayrack rides, pony rides, concessions, old time fall festival, pumpkin catapult, playground, picnic area, tree house petting zoo, homemade seasonal produce (picked daily),farm market, homemade crafts, haunted corn maze AND NOW... Giant Pumpkin Contest.

9/15/2005 3:03:42 AM

No Place Special

Bruce Curry has been in the pumpkin business for 30 plus years (I think thats what he said) and has been operating country corner farm market and pumpkin patch for 18 years. He said he will take great care of the growers who come to his contest and I think we will have the run of the farm with our families for $0. Shoot i think he may buy us lunch even. Anyhow, im just kind of helping the guy a little and I told him id get the word out about his contest. I will be there and I hope some of you will consider it also. At the VERY LEAST, it should be a great time and a way to maybe make back some money to cover our hobbies expenses.

9/15/2005 3:08:36 AM

No Place Special

One Key piece of info..... Previously weighed pumpkins ARE allowed. HE wants us there for an attraction and he could care less if our pumpkin has already been to a prior contest.

9/15/2005 3:10:07 AM

Knopp, Germany

Sounds like great quality family time, wish I was able to attend.

9/15/2005 3:36:26 AM

Netherlands

Be too bad if the winner was only 300 lbs wouldn't it!

9/15/2005 12:12:17 PM

No Place Special

300 Lb winner....ROFLOL! That WOULD be funny!

9/15/2005 2:03:09 PM

Long Island,New York

I think its in the best interests for any grower who can support a grower-friendly event as much as possible...especially in the infant stages. These guys generally put thiers on the chopping block in the hopes the event will fly....here's one outside of the first Sat that will take non-virgin pumpkins and pays out for more than the absolute biggest. Go !

9/15/2005 2:50:33 PM

Indiana

They have a great site for this. They have space, and the pumpkin environment. I sold 2 pumpkins there last year, and I think its a prime spot for a contest. Wish it wasnt same weekend as Okland Nursery.

Tom

9/15/2005 4:30:59 PM

Joliet, IL

mike,
too bad i have my 20 year high school reunion that day or otherwise i would bring a couple in the 700 pound range. i will let everyone know on oct 1st at our illinois weigh off at didier farms to check out this post. i will definately make it next year. it would be a nice way for the iowa and illinois pumpkin growers and their clubs to meet up and say hey along with any other states in the midwest. i hope it works out great for you guys.
jeff shenoha

9/15/2005 4:48:48 PM

Streator ,Illinois

Question ,
is this going to be a non virgin event every year or just the first year
Gene

9/15/2005 10:08:44 PM

No Place Special

What you mean Gene?

9/15/2005 11:15:03 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Will previously weighed 'kins be allowed next year??? I think???? Dangerous when I start to do that. Peace Wayne

9/15/2005 11:28:10 PM

Streator ,Illinois

is this going be a previouly weighed pumpkin event every year or just the first year to get growers to come ?
you were close Wayne

9/16/2005 3:25:23 AM

No Place Special

I "think" previously weighed will be allowed every year unless it does not work out well for some reason. Id be more than happy to pass on opinions to the owner.

9/16/2005 8:44:13 AM

Joliet, IL

mike
just some thoughts on a rain day here in joliet. work got cancelled----nice. these are just my thoughts opinions and take from them what you wish.

from the country corner owner's point of view and an organizer like yourself, you both would like to see as big as pumpkins as possible. big is cool. therefore people will undoubtedly take the time to bring their biggest pumpkins to a weigh off 2 weeks in a row if some nice prize money can be won and they are allowed to enter "previosly weighed pumpkins" that were already entered in weighoffs. therefore i would definately keep that "previously weighed pumpkin" catagory in the country corner weigh off every year to help attract the monster big ones.

but also from a growers point of view, it would be nice to have a chance to win a trophy and some prize money in a second weighoff catagory that would be for pumpkins that were not entered at any other weigh offs. this way if they grew 2 big ones and could only enter one in a previous weighoff, they still might have a legitimate chance at winning a prize and ribbon in the "not previously entered pumpkin catagory". this catagory might bring in a higher number of overall pumpkins to be weighed and displayed at the weigh off. a large number of big pumpkins of all sizes and shapes is cool besides just seeing the monsters.

maybe 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons and prize money for both catagories in upcoming years' weigh offs would bring in both the really big ones 1000+ and a large number of somewhat big ones in the 500-900 pound. this would also give a chance for growers of smaller pumpkins to meet and talk pumpkins with the heavy hitters from the midwest. a grower could bring 2 pumpkins,(one previously weighed at a weigh off and one that has never been entered in a weigh off) and enter and win in both catagories which will again bring in more pumpkins.

9/16/2005 1:38:50 PM

Joliet, IL

these thoughts are based solely on a marketing point of view as how to attract as many big'ns and growers as possible and also give the growers a couple different chances to win. these ideas are just thoughts to ponder for future years because coming up with sponsors to provide prize money takes time. i personally like knowing that there will be another Illinois/Iowa weigh off the week following our Didier farm weigh off. i am looking forward to making it a regular trip planned ever year to come out the second saturday in october. with some group efforts on finding sponsor money over the years and increased interest and organization for the event, you could turn the country corner weigh off into a big time weigh off event for the entire midwest to gear up for. it would be damn cool to see a cominbation of the entire midwest's biggest pumpkins in one location and have a chance to meet all the growers. sometime in the future it could even turn into a whole weekend thing where people traveling longer distances could bring camping gear or RVs and a have big bombfire party with a pigroast and kegs of beer that could last deep into the night. that would be fun as hell if you think about it. even a nearby hotel option with a vfw hall pumpkin growers party would work too. like i said, just thoughts to ponder, but when my seldom used marketing degree juices get rolling, i will throw out many ideas to consider.

hope it all goes well and i will be there next year for sure no matter what.
shazzy

9/16/2005 1:39:10 PM