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No Place Special

Ok everyone, In an attempt to organise this lets try to make this thread just about rules, Ideas, Prizes and such that will make this friendly competition a little more streamlined. Steve and I will prob. start a thread about a seed vote in a couple days, so please try to keep the seed talk out of this one. Well, Steve and I started to talk about some ground rules for this thing but we want EVERYONES input. I would say keep it as simple as possible, but it still needs some structure. To start, the #1 rule should be everyone needs to grow the SAME seed! With some input we can expand upon it. Just a thought, what about everyone growing the same CROSS, not just the same seed???? I don't know I think id vote for the same seed....LOL Anyhow, just throw out some ideas.........

12/9/2002 12:20:27 PM

No Place Special

Prize idea..... I think this idea came a little from Steve but I changed it a little. How about everyone who enters must anti up with 4 of their personal best seeds, a 6 pack of randomly chosen 500 plus pound seeds, and a promise to give the winner 10 seeds form his competition pumpkin. The winner would come out with one hell of a seed collection!!! To top it off maybe some will donate a great seed on top of that! Didn't someone offer an 845 if we grew his seed? Hard to pass that up?!?!?!?!

12/9/2002 12:32:51 PM

No Place Special

OR......everyone could put in $10 (i know the money thing) and we could get one really nice seed at one of the auctions or something.......

IDEAS>>>>>>need more IDEAS

12/9/2002 12:34:41 PM

Commack, NY

i think that part of the original intent was to determine how grower intervention, climate conditions, and soil, as well as other factors affect the ultimate outcome of the fruit. In order to make this work, and in keeping with the original idea behind this "contest", everyone who participates should use the same seed. All seeds within a fruit are different, but, its as close as we can come to making the playing field level. Obviously a vote needs to be taken on the seed that is going to be used. I think the seed distribution is an excellent idea actually, although if you had a personal stash that included an 846, a 723, a 712, and an 801.5 as your "top 4", i dont think many would be up for putting all of those up! :) I do like the idea of each compettitor putting up 10 seeds that came out of the "competition" fruit.
Scott

12/9/2002 1:34:04 PM

Edmonton, Canada

I agree, it would be tough to get many growers to give up 4 of their best seeds, but 10 out of the competetion fruit, now that's possible. I'd be willing to chip in $10, but I also agree that getting everyone to would be tough. I think the biggest prize would be bigpumpkin.com bragging rights!

It's a great idea, and puts a bit of excitement into the off season.

12/9/2002 1:44:29 PM

No Place Special

I didn't meen their 4 best seeds, but 4 seeds from THEIR PERSONAL BEST pumpkin. Example My anti would be 4 seeds from my 392.5, 6 seeds (i choose) from my collection that are from a 500 or bigger pumpkin, and 10 seeds from my 2003 bp .com competition seed, the 1500 Frantz 03'...LOL

I agree, we all need to use seeds from the SAME pumpkin

Mike

12/9/2002 2:17:12 PM

Deer Park WA

I too think the seeds should all come from the same pumpkin. What about harvesting, should they all be harvested and weighed at the same time like the GPC, and by an official judge?

12/9/2002 3:08:42 PM

Southern Illinois

hello all, the winner of last year,should have the privilege of pickin what seed to grow,there seed are what ever seed they choose,that should be the way every year,for the top grower,10 seed for the winner is good,but you should make it 50 seed,they can use the seed for trade are what ever,10 dollars is a good idea,but,,,it will turn a few people away,a certain amount of seed should be donated to bp,from all the competition growers,then we could have a bp auction,the profit would help support this site,and ken and john could have a nice trophie made for the winner of the competition,and have there picture posted with there pumpkin,on the front page of bp,till the next year winner.

12/9/2002 3:43:11 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

What about this, what if your pumpkin your growing here, isn't your biggest pumpkin your taking to a weight off? So how will you know what the weight is? It sounds like fun, but someone will have to put up a post on what seed and everyone will have to vote. The top seed picked will be the one everyone grows, but next how will we all get the same seed? Someone will have to have enough seeds from the same pumpkin for all of us to grow.

12/9/2002 3:43:49 PM

Key West, FL

I think $1 a person is a better amount, more fun for everyone, makes it more about friendly competition than money. 1 good seed or everyone puts $1 in sounds best to me.

12/9/2002 5:31:03 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Also since climates are different so is the growing season... As long as they can get an acceptable scale they could weigh them in june!...results wouldn't be in till the last pumpkin is weighed....How about handicapping states by state record weights....if a state record is 800 and the largest grown is 1200 then the handicap is 400....or something along those lines...just a thought! in other word a 600 lber in florida would beat a six hundred lber from Ga.

12/9/2002 5:34:47 PM

North Ga

There's talk of a weigh-off in Ga. sometime in July. That and Aug. is about it for down here. Like last year Jeff and I can have them weighed at "Advanced Weighing Systems" It's an up-and-up place but I want to clear that up with everybody. I don't know if we can have anything in October like ya'll , but we'll try. Right Jeff?!!

12/9/2002 5:43:39 PM

Bristol, ME (stunner906@roadrunner.com)

This could get way out of hand with rules if we let it. I agree it has to be the same seed for everyone, but if we get into when you can weigh and official, unofficial weights, it takes the whole spirit of the intent that this little 'Friendly' competition was intended to be. Keep it loose, keep it fun and if there is a prize, great, if not still great cause it's about the fun of trying to grow the chosen seed to the best of your ability, not what you get in return. It's not about what you get for winning, it's learning from each other on techniques and methods while growing the same seed..material rewards should be the last thing of concern...I imagine I'll get bashed for my thoughts, but it's the spirit of competition and learning from good friends that this is about, not the political convolution that rears it's head when material rewards are offered...If you lose sight of the spirit of the hobby, whats the point.

My nickel, trade it for a wooden one if you want....

12/9/2002 5:51:53 PM

Hey: Heavyhitter; maybe you could supply the seed from that great collection of Bernie's you just purchased. Just a suggestion. It's open game now. Howard would probely join. LOL

12/9/2002 6:52:37 PM

Southern Illinois

sorry poppy,no seed from bernie here,i heard you bought them.

12/9/2002 7:05:23 PM

Deer Park WA

I have 95 packs of my 410 from 00 on Bp.coms seed list there are two in each pack. The seeds are from Dills 99 810 crossed with the Waterman 1-ton cross. I agree that I would like to keep the money thing out of it as that always causes to many politics. Just a thought, also I don't see a problem with when the pumpkin gets weighed as long as it is weighed with some certified scale and a witness just to keep the "politics" out of it....

12/9/2002 7:59:18 PM

porterville,california usa

Fellow pumpkin growing competitor persons; I agree with Stunner. Keep it simple. Everyone gets the same seed, whatever that seed is doesn`t matter. This contest isn`t, or shouldn`t be, about money or prizes. It`s about making the best hand with the cards dealt to you. The incentive to me is to try to keep up with the big guns. ONE rule; same seed distributed by contest organizer to everyone involved. No holds barred. November 30th cutoff date. weigh in at a public certified scale anytime before that date. Period! That`s all ya get for my two bits. booth

12/10/2002 3:14:26 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

I agree with stunner on the money stuff...but in the interest of really helping out gaining some knowledge on growing pumpkins how about all entries must submit a year end soil test to Andy...at a minimum...preferrably a pre planting test too!...theres your ten buck entry fee spent to promote more knowledge...might help explain even more if the soil can determine Green/Orange if we use the Koch seed.
Chuck

12/10/2002 5:20:46 AM

Indiana

Sorry Chuck, no soil in the world is gonna change the color of the pumpkin....maybe if you grew in carrot compost you could change your pumpkin to cream to orange, or your squash from green to brown, but you won't change your fruit from squash to pumpkin.

Tom Beachy

12/10/2002 9:11:07 AM

South Hill, Virginia

What about required postings to the growers diaries? How often? Pictures a must?

12/10/2002 9:36:33 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Newbie thought's beach...still would get Andy more soil tests! Chuck

12/10/2002 10:33:23 AM

Pulaski Tn blkcloud@igiles.net

lETS ALL JUST LET KEN AND JOHN DECIDE WHAT SEED TO USE, SEND THE MONEY TO THEM & AND LET THEM KEEP IT A MYSTERY UNTIL ITS OVER,
FOR AS MANY PEOPLE ON HERE THAT I'VE PISSED OFF BEFORE IN THE PAST I AFRAID I WOULD PROBABLY GET A SEED FROM A JACK BE LITTLE..KEN AND JOHN Y'ALL WOULDN'T SEND ME A BAD SEED WOULD YA???

12/10/2002 10:58:56 AM

No Place Special

blkcloud your a trip....ROFL

12/10/2002 11:35:58 AM

South Hill, Virginia

How about everybody sending the $10 to Ken and John and let them keep it to defer costs of running the site. This site is not an inexpensive proposition and they have invested quite a bit in it I'm sure. Don't you think it would be nice to give a little back to them for what they provide for us?

12/10/2002 1:09:39 PM

Knopp, Germany

i agree and would be more then happy to go with that idea.

12/10/2002 1:27:46 PM

Pulaski Tn blkcloud@igiles.net

hEY, WHAT DOES ROFL MEAN??
RIGHT ON FAT LARD?
ROLL OVER FOR LOVE??
RONG OCTOPUS FROM LARRY??
WHAT IS IT?? I GOTTA KNOW!!!

12/10/2002 5:25:11 PM

rolling on the floor laughing..but i like yours better BC

12/10/2002 5:37:47 PM

Quebec,Canada

roll on floor laughing

12/10/2002 5:38:09 PM

No Place Special

Well, it seems that the general concensus is that the fewer rules the better. Ok less work for Steve and I...LOL First off kind of a given, everyone will be required to grow a seed from the same pumpkin. To make it simple, official and non-official weights will be considered for first place. One can submit his Scale weight or weight by the tape, which ever is bigger. Relying on the honor system, split fruit will not be considered. Lets go by the rules used at the weighoff sites as far as a sound pumpkin specimen. To maintain the excitement and suspense I would request that growers occasionally provide un update of their pumpkin and plant in their diary. Providing measurements or a weight is at your discretion. Although braging rights are an AWESOME prize, I would like to see something a little more provided as an incentive to do our best and something else to look forward to as the winner. We have plenty of time to come up with something if we want. I liked the idea of everyone tossing in a few of their own seeds. Please feel free to comment on this as I want to please as many as possible. Everyone this should really be a blast.....I can't wait! Mike/ Steve

12/10/2002 10:15:07 PM

Roanoke Il

Mike The olny problem with and est weight lets say i split one one sept 5 can i go back to the est weight of the 4th to win lol

12/11/2002 6:51:57 AM

No Place Special

Pumpkin must be of sound body when harvested. Only harvested weights will be allowed. If you harvest and measure it, THEN it splits I guess youd be ok. How does that sound????? LOL

12/11/2002 7:53:07 AM

Ga.

Yo Mike,,is it a "Weigh'em when you wanna" contest?? What if I wanna weigh in July??? LOL.....

12/11/2002 8:28:50 AM

Greene County, Pa.

How do you enter the contest, even though i would'nt have any shot of winnning?

12/11/2002 9:43:40 AM

No Place Special

Buddy Greene you must think positive! Its all in fun anyhow, I don't expect a chance in hell of winning but im going to try like a dickens!!!LOL Just email me with your vote on which seed we are all going to use anyone can get in....the more the better!!!! Jeff, weigh when you want.....how about Jan 1st 2003 - Nov 1st 2003 is the weigh in time frame??? Will that cover everyone????

12/11/2002 9:52:37 AM

Greene County, Pa.

Maybe if it was done this way. just a suggestion from a beginer..
1. everyone grows the same seed
2. when you plant it and how is up to you
3. everyone has to weigh there pumpkin on the same day maybe october 1. or some thing. If the pumpkin dies, cracks it would be no good.

The only thing iI don't know is would that work for everyone in there time zone or whatever. just a thought. :)

12/11/2002 9:57:57 AM