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Commack, NY

Looking for feedback on what your "ideal" weighoff would be like. Tell me about all your positive experiences at your current weighoffs, and what you would do to improve them. I know you guys are creative, so lets hear about it!
Scott

1/6/2003 9:39:34 AM

Deer Park, WI

Interesting thread, Scott. If i were to run a wayoff, here's how i'd do it- Pumpkin check in from 8-11:30 or so. Organize all the pumpkins by size, smallest to biggest.
Begin weighing around noon, smallest first, biggest last. Mix the squash in there too, treat them like pumpkins when weighing, but have them in a separate class of course. when weighing the last 5 pumpkins, make sure to bring the grower up next to the scale/on stage, whatever. Give them their deserved 15 seconds of fame. Makes the season worthwhile when the spotlite is on you for a moment. Plus, its a great chance for family members to shoot some footage, snap a pic, etc. When all fruit have been weighed, have your award team crunch the numbers as quickly as possible. Get the awards ceremony underway ASAP. It keeps the momentum going. Its like at weddings, when the ceremony is at 1pm and the reception is at 6pm- people dont know what to do with the 4 hours inbetween. We both know how that goes, eh? Gotta keep the people occupied and interested. continued...

1/7/2003 9:45:25 AM

Deer Park, WI

...Having an emcee that knows a little about the growers helps too, stating where they are from, past accomplishments. Give the people something to listen to and look at. For this, you may want a couple lines of grower description on the registration form, that the emcee can read off while his/her fruit is being brought to the scale. Oh yeah, decorations are nice too. a scale in the parking lot isnt too attractive. Get some sponsor signs, straw bales, exh. fruit, corn stalks, scarecrows, etc to fluff up the area a bit. Really adds to the atmosphere. Media coverage is cool too. At my first weighoff, the local tv crew asked me to do an interview. I was floored! At least get the local newspaper to do a couple shots. Make sure to get a group shot of all the big fruit and growers, makes for good advertisement on a website, in the paper, or newsletter. Rope off an area for the pumpkin check in, where people can only look, not touch the fruit b4 weighoff. Dont want any accidents. After weighoff, let it be free roam, with a disclaimer by the emcee to be careful-control your kids-be nice to the pumpkins. all the non-growers have to find out for themselves if the fruit are "real", so i think touching should be allowed. If the weighoff is associated with a club, then membership forms and seeds should be available on the spot. After the awards have been distibuted, emcee should plug the club. Watch your membership skyrocket! especially if some of last years good seeds are available. Your lifting crew should have good backs! Make sure they are growers too, as they have a respect for fruit integrity and handling that non-growers may not have. Ive seen a few fruit scraped up and mishandled on the scale and it makes me cringe a bit. Treat em like your mother-in-law's bequeathed china!

1/7/2003 9:58:21 AM

Western Pa.

My ideal weigh-off would be one in which I would have a pumpkin entered, with a $10 million dollar first place prize.(Wait, I'm not done yet!) The only other contestant would be Farmer Scott, and he'd get lost and show up 2 minutes after the cut-off!

1/7/2003 1:25:43 PM

Commack, NY

Kilr Now that's what i call creative!! LOL

1/7/2003 2:07:33 PM

Commack, NY

come on guys, how about some input here? :)

1/9/2003 10:05:03 PM

Indiana

Joze,
Since you mentioned TV interviews, I am proud to say that I have pawned every interview at the weigh-off on either my Dad or John Barenie.

My ideal weigh off is where I grow a pumpkin that weighs 1097.5 pounds that doesnt split on the scales......

Tom Beachy

1/9/2003 11:31:39 PM

Riverton, WY

I think I would like Joze to move here to central Wyoming & get his annual weighoff started nearby so I wouldn't need to drive 350 miles & over a couple mountain passes to get to a weighoff. It sounds like a great weighoff to me. What do ya say Joe? LOL!!!

1/10/2003 7:40:40 AM

Deer Park, WI

Im not totally against moving to beautiful wyoming to set up shop, but try explaining that one to the wife. Yikes.

Scott- I think you need to start offering free suckers or cow pies or something to everyone that posts. Seems our members need some incentive to share their ideas!

1/10/2003 11:42:38 AM

Commack, NY

maybe you're right joe.....or maybe everyone just has no interest....they'd rather argue about other things instead.....oooooooooohhhhhhh!!! :) LOL

1/10/2003 2:19:34 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

I am still too new to all this Farmer. I really enjoyed the weigh-off here in Canby Oregon. They had a chili cook off,
pony rides for the kids(me too :) . Corn mazes, and lots of animals. The kids enjoy seeing all the big pumpkins and squash that are there. It nice to see the looks on peoples faces when they see these things, or get to touch them because they dont think they are the real thing. The first words out of my hubby's mouth when he saw the 1230 Daletas being unloaded was HOLY SH$$T. Boy that about explains it all when one gets to see these things for themselves....

1/10/2003 2:41:11 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

The weigh off nearest to me is held at the Kumeu agricultral and produce show and it is one full on big day. It is the lagest one day show in the southern hemisphere
I dont know if it is measured on crowd numbers or size of land used but it is great.
they have everyting there from side shows to cattle and livestock judging to commercial sites selling all there lateset stuff.
It takes me all day to get around I start walking a bit slow towards the end of the day maybe it has something to do with the beer tent being right in the middle and easy to find my way back to. LOL

1/10/2003 2:47:41 PM

Knopp, Germany

my ideal weighoff would be when all my friends from this website could be together to enjoy the fruits of our labor. i would love to meet you all. you are truly the best. if you guys and gals (yea carrie and ally) even knew how much i mean that.

1/10/2003 3:49:15 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

One when you travel a long distance, you are given consideration of this when it is time to load them back up. I like Joes 15 seconds of fame too. If your a shy grower other growers will never know who you are.

1/10/2003 4:07:47 PM

South Hill, Virginia

I have to agree with Owen on that one. A weigh off with the whole BigPumpkins crowd would be cool. I got a feeling if we had to stand face to face once in a while we would be a litter nicer to each other here. One other thing, the weighoff area should be located next to the beer tent.

1/10/2003 4:40:34 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Joze did a good job of summing up the Ideal weighoff.

Just a couple of things to add....@ the weighoff I attended
1)We didn't have a large display for the scale weight.
I'd like to see a large display and a way for the scale operator to withhold the weight from the display, build excitement and then show the weight.

2)The loading/ unloading always seems to be an issue.
I've seen fork lifts, cranes guys pushing, guys pulling w/ straps etc. but nothing seems to be really efficient in moving these monsters to the scales. Any suggestions here?

3) I'd like to see a seed give-away to the public too.
I think this would generate interest for all others who attend.

4) The "Truck Crush" is great. I think this would be a great way to start off a weigh-off

Can I have my Cow pie now? Lord knows that my patch needs it.
Only 3.5 months til the April seed start!

1/10/2003 7:47:30 PM

canal winchester ohio

My ideal weighoff would include many things. First there would have to be a lot of activities for the kids ( hayrides,corn & sunflower mazes,face painting & games )
After the check in there could be some seed swapping for those who care to participate. And for the weighoff itself it would go as follows (1) Heaviest pumpkin/squash wins ( as long as its sound) (2) and catagories for largest tomatoe, watermelon,canteloupe,tallest corn,largest sunflower,most photogenic pumpkin ( the one that most resembles a true pumpkin, tall ,round & orange)
After the weighoff there would be a hogroast & a couple of heavyhitters as guest speakers. During the awards ceromony even those who didn't cash in with the heaviest would recieve a nice ribbon along with a picture taken of them when their fruit was weighed. For those wanting to make a evening of it could participate in a "casino night" with prizes being seeds,gift coupons to a local nursery, free soil test..ect.
I know something like this would never happen, but it would be fun..........Paul

1/10/2003 8:01:23 PM

Western NY

well, i hit 4 different weighoff each year (for about the last 4 years or so), so i've seen what i think works and what doesn't, both as a grower and a watcher.

media - you need them there to cover the story so that you get more people there the next year. BUT, when you have the radio station broadcasting, a different source of music going, and the mc trying to talk over it all, it gets to be a mess.

interviews - some places have a short q+a with the grower as their pumpkin is weighed. if you have a small number of pumpkins, it's ok, but the more pumpkins, the more hectic. here's the important part - get an interviewer appropriate for the site. i suppose i would prefer a grower, because they know what to ask and what not to. of the 2 guys i get interviewed by (both non-growers), one is good for the audience (which has a lot of kids), and the other can be very annoying, ignorant of certain things in the pumpkin world, and sort of disliked by some of the growers.

scale - the bigger the display the better. and while i'm on it, altoona does a great job with that big board keeping track of the pumpkins as they are weighed.

moving them - automation is the preferred way. those pgpga lifters are a thing of beauty. no worrying if someone is going to the hospital w/ back problems, and no worries about getting 12 guys together to move a big one. just add a forklift, and bam!

prizes - the money can be nice, but years down the line, whatever is hanging on the wall/resting on the mantle tells the story. make sure it's quality.

i'm sure i'll think of more later, but that's it for now.

Andy

1/10/2003 8:46:20 PM

Kuna, Id.

One in the same state would be nice.
Ken

1/11/2003 12:08:34 AM

Rush, NY

I have been to at least 17 weigh-offs at 5 differnt sites. It seems to rain more than half the time. Only 1 of the 5 sites had the scales under cover. This should be a requirement at sites that are likely to have inclimate weather conditions.

1/12/2003 5:22:59 PM

Montoursville, PA

This is a young and growing organization and activity. To make a huge show of Weigh Off activity it involves many traveling long distance at this time. Another factor I bet is true is that a handfull of locals or key persons pull it off.

If entry moneys made it possible I think the MC should be in orange tucks and not a looking like a pot bellied hill billy from the beery flats.

As more public eyes are caught looking a few little things may need jazzed up a bit.

Where I viewed my first this year it was great fun for the good buddies and friends. I'm not sure the public was targeted as strongly as it might have been. During entry and off loading there is a lot of time for a roving mike and honoring a grower with his fruit. I saw lots of public come, look, drop back, in utter amazement and get no knowlege. The public was constantly changing so repeat interviews would not be an overload. There were no signs anywhere to direct the greater mall traffic to take a peek.
There were no hand outs..."I saw the largest living fruit in this state today"! Would you like to try and grow one like this contact: Joe Smoe and data.

1/12/2003 6:55:20 PM

huntsburg,ohio

we can go both in or out at our weigh off.have 2 lifting apparatusses.2 tow motors going and a big display for weights i don't think you could ask for more.jerry

1/12/2003 7:20:02 PM

Deer Park, WI

*tosses CEIS a cow pie frizzbie style* Make sure you mix that pie into your #1 spot. Those "contribution cow pies" are really something special. Now that my arm is warmed up, anyone else need one?

1/13/2003 9:12:00 AM

Amherst, WI

Joe, you pretty much summed it up. That would be a good weighoff. Although, Kilr's idea wasn't bad either. Last year was my first weighoff, and it was quite a thrill when my pumpkins were weighed. It was great to see the 1049 Koch, our new state record, to meet and talk to other growers, and to check out all the nice pumpkins there. We had great weather for the event. (It rained most of the week prior to the weighoff). The only thing that would have made it better is later in the afternoon I remember talking with Mark P. and we were wishing that we had some beer to drink. I'm looking forward to next year!

1/15/2003 8:47:29 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

It would be great to have some nice media coverage.T.V and Local newspaper. Interviews with the growers. This way, a news letter could go out to all the growers who came to the weigh off. Everyone would know who grew what and others could see what others done during the growing season. Prizes, money is nice but, a nice trophy in your den or living room is nice to look at forever. A nice big scales with a big display of the weight. A large board to display all the weights so everyone can see who is in what place. Top three pumpkins, everyone who comes to the weigh-off and enters a pumpkin, will get seeds from the top three pumpkins.This will be a rule at the weigh-off site.

1/16/2003 8:33:06 AM

Ontario

You descibed our weigh off last year at the Howell Family Pumpkkin Farm.
We had - a MC with local radio and TV coverage
- lifting harnesses with tow motors
- large display board
- lots of things for the family to do, cornmaze
spookbarn,bunnyville, wagon rides,puppet show
- a tent to protect event against the elements
- nice plaques as awards, and prizes up to 20th
- kept pumpkins in a roped off area,we had 400 pound pumpkins the kids could play on
-we plan to have two harnesses next year with a overhead 1 ton electric hoist similiar to the one they have for the Ohio group.

Check us out at http://www.ahowlinggoodtime.com/

drew

1/16/2003 9:33:34 AM

Indiana

Drew,
A 1 ton hoist may not be big enough for your pumpkin......

Tom Beachy

1/16/2003 10:51:47 AM

Pulaski Tn blkcloud@igiles.net

fREE PUMPKIN BEER FOR ALL CONTESTANTS WOULDNT BE A BAD IDEA..

1/16/2003 1:51:53 PM

Ontario

Keep the ideas coming, would like to use as many as possible for this years weigh off.

drew

1/16/2003 3:53:09 PM

Hamilton, MT

This thread may have trailed off but I found it tonight and am thrilled to have everyone's input.

I organized the 1st ever weigh off in Montana last year without having been to a weigh off before - I learned a lot. The next weekend I went to Seattle for a weigh off with the heavy hitters and learned a lot more. My advice, in addition to and without repeating the above terrific ideas:
1 - Use a P. A. System - so all can hear you or the MC. My voice quite 3/4s of the way through.
2 - Delegate someone else to handle the kids activities.
3 - Food/Consessions are a must.
4 - Allow yourself plenty of time for set-up/Decorations.
5 - In Seattle all entries got event T-shirts.
6 - The weigh off moment for the grower was fun in Seattle: The MC chatted with the grower as the pumpkin was moved on the scale. The scale display was small and out of sight - a person wrote the wt large on a hand held "white board" (about 6" X 8")and handed it to the MC during the interview. Then the MC could tease a bit more info from the grower, show them the small white board, then turn it to share with the crowd for a photo opp.
7 - Meanwhile, there was a very large white board off to the side with a running tally listing each grower, where they're from, and wts. This helped since it was hard to remember the last three wts and figure where the latest one fell in the order.
8 - Immediate awards ceremony is a must.

I'm psyched to put these ideas into motion for our weigh off this year.

Anyone know of a MC that would like a no expenses paid but fun filled day in Montana on September 20th? There will be no regrets.

Great thread!
Kim

5/4/2003 12:13:08 AM