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Team Munson

We are heading down the homestretch the GPC would like to make sure all sites & growers know what is available to them & what we need in return.
Time for the big 3 to make the trip to NYC with an all-expense paid trip for 2 per pumpkin plus 2 representatives from the site that weighs the biggest pumpkin!!!!
The arrival date for the pumpkins & growers participating in this event is Wednesday 10/16/2013. The GPC will set a base line weight for the big 3 on Sunday 10/6/2013 if you have a pumpkin or know of someone who does have a pumpkin that will contend for the top 3 please contact your regional GPC rep. if you are planning on making this trip.

http://gpc1.org/index.php/gpc-officers

Also check with the site you attend & make sure they will release the pumpkin in time to make the load in date. Many sites keep the largest pumpkin for display through the end of the month.

The world’s biggest 8 pound tomato is worth $4,500 – the early preweigh program is over 9/30/2013 you will then need to take your entries to an official GPC site after that.

http://gpc1.org/PDF/tomato_weighoff_guidelines.pdf

To earn a GPC heavy hitter coat this year you will need to grow a pumpkin that weighs at least 1,800#’s this is locked in for 2013. Or take your biggest 3 to 3 separate GPC weigh-offs & total more than 4,000#’s. For a complete listing of all GPC awards that are up for grabs this fall please check out this link:

http://gpc1.org/index.php/join-gpc/site-fees-and-prize-structure

9/24/2013 4:17:51 PM

Team Munson

All sites were given a weigh-off day package that has judging help, rule guidelines, & promotional information on GPC sanctioned events such as our 2014 seminar in Orlando, The Daytona 500, Pumpkin Cruise,… Please make sure this information is available for display & the MC is making the crowd aware at your event so all growers & friends have the chance to attend all pumpkin events throughout the calendar year!!!!

http://gpc1.org/index.php/news-events/blogs/352-the-big-show

Please help your site with registration & preregister on BP.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=132

All sites results need to be posted within 24 hours of the completion of your event so down load your software on your laptop & enter your information as the growers register then upload your results when you get home or have Wi-Fi available.

Lastly the GPC does care for your input & have observed a couple posts we would like to comment on. Concerning the hole in a fruit that heals over – A hole is a hole if at any time in the life of a fruit it has a hole that goes into the cavity it is a DMG fruit & ineligible for competition & record setting recognition.

The “Ryder Cup” for giant pumpkins proposition by Owen, this is a good idea that will be discussed during our winter sessions. Please e-mail your regional GPC rep. with any ideas or suggestions.

Thank you for supporting the GPC & good luck this fall!!!,
The GPC Executive Committee

9/24/2013 4:19:08 PM

Rhode Island

very informative dave. the gpc and its executives deserve a ton of credit for giving us all an organization we can look up to. great job by all.
pap

9/27/2013 2:25:18 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Can you explain the hole in the fruit issue more. If the grower never let you know it occured and you could not probe into the cavity it would be difficult based on the regulations to explain to them why it is disqualified.

9/27/2013 7:05:45 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

4.The specimen must be sound, healthy, and undamaged. Entries must be free of rot, holes or cracks through to the cavity, and serious soft spots. A.The Judges reserve the right to probe cracks, holes, and to dig out soft spots to judge a fruit official or not. Before the Judges can execute any of the previous they must have the grower present.
B.A serious soft spot is one that is greater than 3 inches in diameter, and greater than 3 inches deep. The dimensions of the soft spot will be measured after all soft material has been removed with a spoon.
C.If there are more than two soft spots that require material to be removed and measured, the pumpkin will be disqualified even if each is smaller than the definition of 'a serious soft spot'.
D.Judging is to be completed before a fruit is officially weighed

9/27/2013 7:10:39 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Its pretty clear Linus, if there is no hole and the pumpkin cannot be probed into the cavity, then it is a sound pumpkin.

It would be a shame to disqualify someone for bird damage, or a squirrel bite, or any kind of damage that has healed over and scarred.

9/27/2013 8:25:15 PM

Team Munson

Linus that would have to be an integrity issue if that is something you can live with & the judges do not catch it.

The GPC Executive Committee is the Olympic Organizing Committee of competative fruit/veggy growing. We do the best we can making the playing field as level as possible for all growers word wide. This is why we have equal representation of all sites & growers from around the world to ensure our standards will be accepted by the majority of sites & growers.

We can not please everyone and there are countless volunteer hours spent discussing & debating the best way to insure consistency & integrity of our weights & measurements at all sites world wide.

9/28/2013 9:10:33 AM

Knopp, Germany

To the GPC Executive Committee, you gys are doing a great job, you are always open to suggestions and critique and you rarily get any pats on the back.

I brought the Ryder Cup idea to you because I believe you can realize this dream.

There will always be growers that want to question your decisions, and this is healthy for our hobby, you handle the input well.

I was not paid to make this post, but if anyone from the GPC wants to send me seeds I will not argue....ROFLMFAO!

9/28/2013 11:07:30 AM