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Oak Grove, Mn

Next summer, I am planning on growing one pumpkin and some tomatoes. Both of these are GPC categories. I am also planning on growing giant onions, carrots and bell peppers. Tomato is the only GPC category that a grower who has very limited space can attempt. I propose that the GPC consider adding a few more small space vegetables to their competition categories. There are millions more people that have space for a small plant than those that have the space for a pumpkin. Even apartment dwellers could grow a competition vegetable on their patio. What do you think?

2/3/2018 11:33:11 AM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

I think it would be a smart move to include more giant veggies that can be grown in smaller spaces, Think about it we all want this wonderful hobby to girl but there are millions of people that would love to get involved that can’t because they don’t have space enough for pumpkins and squash. I see some of our fellow growers across the pond are growing all kinds of things in these very small green houses or what they call allotments which in most cases are probably on 30 x 30‘ or 60x60 feet and they are growing a lot on that small area where as if they grew a pumpkin they could probably only have one maybe two plants... I do agree with Bnot very much that it would be not only wise but fun and I believe our hobby would grow by leaps and bounds if we started adding some of these giant veggies.

2/3/2018 11:33:28 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

bnot, & Farmer Brown, Where are the funds going to come from for the GPC to add all of these different catagories to their prize list? I asked for several years for Lopes to be added to their list, but thinking they chose Bushel Gourds above Lopes...wise decision on their part!!! AS now bushel gourds seem to be the wise decision to help CC melons grow to the 500# range!!! Will the small veggie growers be holding weigh-off's & contributing funds to the GPC? Not meant to be mean, but $'s are what helps the GPC grow...just like the rest of us! Peace, Wayne I hate it, but it is true!

2/5/2018 1:10:38 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Have tomato growers contributed more $ to weigh offs than what it cost to have them as a category. Yes..just compare auction tomato seeds sales to the prize funds offered at the weigh offs. For small vegetables the cost to the GPC would be ribbons. It could be up to the individual weigh off sites to determine if they wished to have a small vegetable category. The increase in grower participation should offset the increase of costs. I am thinking that adding one category per year would help grow the GPC. Right now, I am seeing much interest in cantaloupes, rutabagas,onions, carrots,cucumbers, and bell peppers.

2/5/2018 3:59:54 AM

Hanson Ma

The trick is to grow them and get other people interested in growing them and start bringing them to weighoffs. If one of them take off the GPC might just add it. Look at the bushel gourd. It is now on the list.

2/5/2018 10:30:18 AM

Good idea and it is not always about the prize money. I got an eighty year old into giant tomatoes last year and he is fascinated with them . Something he can grow in his small garden and does not take hours per day . Those diaries from across the pond are starting to have an effect on people. Trying heavy cukes this year.

2/5/2018 11:33:18 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I here what you are saying, but also know there just is not enough time in a weigh off day. The logistics of accurately weighing multiple varieties of vegetables, and getting all the rules straight would be too over whelming. I am glad Stillwater still weighs our Rutabaga's and acknowledges the effort it takes to grow them. Even though I don't ever expect it to take off, as a prize eligible vegetable. Until that day there is always the Local Fairs.

2/5/2018 1:17:06 PM

Jericho Vermont

We allow all veggies at our weigh-off. GPC is only awarded to the categories they allow but we also keep Statewide records of all the other veggies. At the end of the day if it is not top 10 in the world for that category does it really matter if it is a GPC category?

2/5/2018 6:26:03 PM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

How does the GPC make money right now?? When I see these event/shows/weigh offs across the pond it seems to me there are a lot of them, a lot of people participate in them. To bring more people into the hobby of growing giants is only going to bring more money....as Shannon mentioned time being a factor, I think there are a couple weigh offs that might run into time constraints but most would have no problem weighing or measuring extra veggies. And ribbons or trophy’s don’t cost much at all. Remember I think the majority of people in this hobby want to see more people in it and especially kids which could grow a cucumber, carrot, or onion easier than a giant pumpkin.

2/5/2018 7:08:10 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

bnot, I don't understand your question? If I bring a tomato to my local weighoff, it cost's me nothing to have it weighed & entered into the GPC. If I enter an early tomato, it cost's me nothing to do that...and they graciously enter them both into the GPC site. Giant Tomato's now have a very attractive contest going on (I Know that you know about it), so what is up? PS...Linus, some weighoff's are not like Stillwater, although KY, is weighing more fruits every year...seems to be more Melons than Pkns though!!! The record keepers at KY weighoff do their best to enter any available catagory into the GPC system!! Peace, Wayne

2/5/2018 8:29:16 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

right now..I think the world record holder for carrot, green pepper, rutabaga,onions and cantaloupe are frequent visitors to this site. It is true...kids can grow small vegetables with parental permission much easier than pumpkin, watermelon, and bushel gourd (what kid does even know what a bushel gourd is). Not trying to start any arguments...just thinking that small space vegetables could be a valuable addition to GPC categories.

2/5/2018 8:30:25 PM

Newcastle, CA

It would be fun to start giving these vegetables more importance. I plan to try a giant bell pepper in 2018.

2/6/2018 7:14:12 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

you are going to have to beat my indoor giant bell pepper Austin...does anyone have a measurement estimation chart for bell peppers...mine is at 5 1/2 inches cc at 8 DAP. Is that good?

2/6/2018 7:23:28 PM

Newcastle, CA

sounds good but wouldn't hurt to give it a "pep" talk. maybe I will cheat by picking my giant pepper unripe and feeding it ethyl gas until it has an internal proliferation.

2/6/2018 7:48:38 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

sounds like you know what you are talking about Austin..maybe you can help me. I had read that bell peppers can suffer from BER. I thought I would be proactive, so I sprayed the fruit with a bit of calcium chloride. Now it is has all these dimples on it. Did I mess up?

2/6/2018 7:59:34 PM

Johnston, Iowa

I look at all of the categories there are at events in the UK (ie on grower diary of Giant Veg, and others), and it seems like we are somewhat limited here in the US.

I think bnot has a great idea! Adding a just a few more categories for small space vegetables would bring more growers into the GPC/giant vegetable growing fold.

There was a span of about 10 years (the time between when I moved out of my parents house, and when I bought my own house) that I didn't get to participate because I was an apartment dwelling college student.

I've never operated a weigh-off, but have attended many. I don't see where it would be an impossible feat to add these small space veggies as a feature of a GPC weigh off. A different scale would be used to weigh a tomato or pepper, and wouldn't tie up the scale being used for AG's, melons, and field pumpkins.

2/7/2018 11:55:53 AM

Newcastle, CA

https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/prokaryotes/Pages/Bacterialspot.aspx

hopefully it isn't bacterial spot. see pics in link.

2/7/2018 12:00:29 PM

Newcastle, CA

update your pepper journal.

2/7/2018 5:43:04 PM

Netherlands

The giant vegetable shows in Great Britain (and some in Canada) are often multiple day events. The growers have to bring in the giant veg a day in advance. At a certain time the growers have to leave, the doors close and the judges go to work. The next morning everything has been measured or weighed.

2/8/2018 3:35:22 AM

Netherlands

In The Netherlands we have two groups of judges/staff. One group unloads the pumpkins from 10am to 12am. The other group does the giant vegetables. The giant veg is weighed/measured from 10am to 1pm, more or less as it comes in. The pumpkin weigh off begins at 1pm.

2/8/2018 3:38:06 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

I updated wierd wint
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=286275
it is still growing..at about 6 1/2 inches now somewhere around 10 DAP. This is an estimate..the flower was open for so long it is hard to know when it really set.
Lets try to keep track of growth numbers. I will be really interested to see how yours grow.

2/8/2018 4:25:37 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Brad, in europe isn't part of the giant vegetable categories judging for appearance. That could take much longer than just weighing it. How many entries of small vegetables do the larger weighoffs across the pond get?

2/8/2018 4:28:05 AM

Newcastle, CA

thanks, pepper looks good!

2/8/2018 12:57:23 PM

NE Arkansas

I would like to see the GPC offer ribbon packages to the weigh offs for the smaller veggies like heavy pepper, heavy cuc, heavy lope, heavy carrot, heavy onion

2/8/2018 3:12:38 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Ribbons are not free to buy. I have been to many weigh-offs that at the end..there are unclaimed ribbons because not enough growers entered that category. I am aware that different weigh offs have different financial constraints. If it cost extra to purchase a ribbon with out any entries it is a waste. I am wondering if it is possible to pick one per year...making it the GPC vegetable of the year...that can get more growers to try the small space vegetables. One per year..is only one ribbon per weigh off. There is a catch 22 in new categories..sometime to become popular..it needs to be a category...but unless it is popular it isn't a category.

2/8/2018 4:08:45 PM

President - GPC

We often have extra ribbons at our colorado weigh offs... I have cut off the bottom and used GPC ribbons to give to a kids winner, or other special efforts brought to the weigh off... Waste Not. The RMGVG club along with others also add ribbons to an event at their own discretion.

2/8/2018 4:34:34 PM

NE Arkansas

Pumpkin Daze in Republic Missouri has a lot of categories in Adult and Youth and gives out lots of ribbons, but surely the GPC could add a extra fee for the small veggies ribbons, just 1 GPC ribbon in each category for first place. Weigh offs buy what classes they will have.

2/8/2018 4:46:12 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I just looked at a GPC ribbon..yes..it could be possible to cut off the bottom and remove the category. Not exactly the solution for future that I could envision for small vegetable...but could be very useful...to reword the efforts of a young or new growers. I have never seen a weigh off utilize this. Really good suggestion Wizzy.

2/8/2018 5:26:56 PM

Newcastle, CA

should make a nice GPC record book every year full of pictures like Guinness does. sell copies to earn money for the GPC. besides id rather have my pic in a book than a ribbon.

2/8/2018 6:26:12 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

that is an interesting idea...i have so many gpc ribbons floating around..they really dont mean much to me. The ribbons don't say the site..just what place and what category. I have no idea which ribbon came from where. But if i was in a book..I certainly would have to collect the years.

2/8/2018 7:11:35 PM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

I still don’t know how the GPC makes money? I know how weigh offs do.

2/8/2018 8:30:42 PM

Georgetown, Ontario

Farmer Brown, the weigh offs pay $350 to the GPC to be an official GPC site and return the weigh off gets the plaques, ribbons and computer program to record the weights and info. Anything above what the awards cost I guess is the money the GPC "makes". I think they also have a few corporate sponsors as well.

2/8/2018 8:44:30 PM

Netherlands

bnot, giant veg are never judged for appearances. Those are separate shows, though some shows have both giants and pretty. In The Netherlands we have 50+ giant vegetable entries. I know of shows in Canada and the UK with several hundred.

2/9/2018 4:03:32 AM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

Thanks pumpkin shepherd, so by adding categories to the GPC it won’t help make them more money unless more weigh offs form...gotcha.

2/9/2018 12:16:38 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I saw your last comment Farmer Brown (chris) and have been thinking and thinking and thinking. I don't think what is important to the GPC is "making money" they are after all a non-profit organization. I think it must be a balancing act with finances. How finances go in and out of the Gpc and the clubs is important. Ultimately..the flow is covered either by the growers or sponsors. More sponsors is good but I have contacted a few places to inquire about sponsorship but it is hard..who would have thought that a grow store could not find value in sponsoring giant vegetables? How would smaller vegetables help..i am not sure...maybe sponsorships could be easier to obtain if there were more growers that had the environment to participate.

2/9/2018 5:33:25 PM