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formerly RGG

Frank holds his cards a little closer than Brian has been doing. But he just posted a amazing picture. I think it is safe to assume this melon is already in the 300 pound range.I would love to see them both go to the same contest.Guess I could be wrong about the size. How big do you think this melon is ? Here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=722092841465475&set=a.277920109216086&type=3

8/27/2018 12:14:04 AM

NE Arkansas

There are other melons out there too... Just not a lot of pictures of them out there yet... ;)

8/27/2018 1:24:53 PM

Home of happy lil plants

guess its time to add a few pictures then

8/27/2018 1:34:44 PM

Home of happy lil plants

Its not what is pictured but what is not you need to worried about

8/27/2018 1:46:03 PM

formerly RGG

I would gladly place my bet on either of these 2 melons Spence. I am not "worried" about anything. I am just trying to have a little fun here. But of course you are right. There is no way of knowing what is out there. Still though I doubt if there are others that might come close to or break the world record this year.I mean it has been five years already and no one has come closer than Frank's 332 last year. One thing is for sure and for certain though and that is it will all be in the history books in a few more weeks. Great fun for me to watch and my hat is off to those growers who choose to share their efforts in advance of their weigh off. There is no way to tell her size for sure but Florabelle looks gigantic.

8/27/2018 5:53:07 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Worried,lol. I've said it from the start. That's why I'm probably just staying at local weigh-offs. I'm sure there is at least a few more someone elses out there with more experience & a heck of alot bigger melons than what lil ole me has got that's for sure but it is indeed fun tryin to grow a big one!

8/27/2018 6:14:04 PM

Grant, AL

Did you accidentally find a melon growing down there Spencer or are you really done with melons for the year?

8/27/2018 6:29:56 PM

SW Ohio

Competing with some of the best growers in the world makes you a better grower. Add to that the beauty of seeing 30-40 melons lined up ready to hit the scale and you just come home a winner regardless of what the scale says.
I have been beat more times than I care to admit. I have been flat out stomped on a few times. But there is no shame at all in placing at one of these big weigh offs. I still remember how proud I was to win my first ribbon at KY weigh off. I got 4th place but it felt like first!

8/27/2018 6:47:28 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

^^^^^

8/27/2018 7:26:00 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Sue I placed 9th at my 1st weighoff with Shazzy at Bengstons. No shame here, what ever I try to achieve. I am so happy at this point regardless if I have any melons make it to a weigh off or place because for me personally I've done good no matter what! I enjoy listening, reading & watching other growers nudge, poke and throw the digs at each other like your selves & it down right motivates (reminds me somewhat of the brotherhood/sisterhood I use to have in the service years ago! I truly appreciate all knowledge from each and every one of you and I hope it shows at the scales so till then sprinklers on full and I raise my worm poo tea brew to each of my fellow growers! See you all at the scales & ya's better bring some em big!!!

8/27/2018 8:31:56 PM

Home of happy lil plants

I'll have to see if I can round up any thing down here Charles.

hope weighoff is in 5 days!

8/27/2018 9:02:26 PM

formerly RGG

We really compete with ourselves for the most part, trying for a new personal best each season. Joseph, you may just have a little bit of a struggle trying to beat what you have accomplished this year. lol Not tremendous fun growing though unless you are looking at the possibility of a new personal best. But weigh offs are fun no matter what. You have a rare opportunity to see and talk to grower friends about whatever is on your minds.And I always get a kick out of watchings youngsters in awe at the size of the fruits they are looking at. It is great fun for me just to attend a weigh off but the fun is really enhanced if I have an entry. I really miss my home in Tennessee sometimes. Sue, my best finish in the GPC was also a fourth place win in Kentucky. That was the year I grew my 228.5 and Frank took the first 2 places that year (2012) with monster melons and John Brammer had a 249.5 that was good for third place. After that year I got hung up on using growth hormones and plant steroids which I was never able to make work in a beneficial way.

8/27/2018 9:11:10 PM

formerly RGG

Joseph, your posts in Giant Watermelon Growers seem to have been deleted.

8/27/2018 9:26:18 PM

formerly RGG

I guess, from something I heard, you took them down.If you did I know you have your reasons. It is a sad day for fans of a growing probable world record. Guess the weigh-off will be here fairly soon though. No way to remove your posts here though unless you go through Ken.

8/28/2018 8:16:37 AM

Lexington, Ky

Most years you can gauge Frank's patch by what he brings to the Kentucky State Fair.

8/28/2018 9:16:01 AM

central Nc

Agree with you Dreamer. I can understand not showing all your cards, but it is disappointing to not be able to follow all the great growers' progess. Hell, taking a picture isn't going to change the growth. Either you break a record or you don't.

I'm happy my first puny little plant hit triple digits, and midwestgrower's diary gave me inspiration throughout the season. It is exciting to share his experience/surprise/joy as Fiona grows. Oh well, that's my introduction to competitive growing I guess. Kinda takes some of the fun away though. Just some!

8/28/2018 9:36:46 AM

Home of happy lil plants

Records are meant to be broken and I hope every one of them fall this year

8/28/2018 3:08:44 PM

formerly RGG

I find it a damn shame that someone has bullied Joseph Young to the point he has removed his posts in Facebook and seems to not be talking to anyone anymore.I thought this was all about having a good time. Whoever talked to him to the point of acting this way can go straight to h**l.Sorry, but that is how I feel. And now he seems to not even be considering the Hamilton contest for Fiona. probably due to the same person.

8/28/2018 5:14:41 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Wasn't my idea to stop posting I was told that it was the right way to keep quite about how your growing as a lot of growers do or I'll ruffle some feathers,lol...I'm my own so forgive me..I'm going to post,lol. Its pretty funny if you think about it. Nobody has a fool proof method or the miracle tea. So IMHO 'Not showing your cards is meaningless really. I don't have Franks soil & he doesn't have mine..(Thank Goodness). I think BP.com is awesome, I'm proud to support it & double proud to show my wears even though they may turn out to be duds,lol! I say lets growem & showem big under a cloak or out in the full montey (melon fashion of course) although there is a beach north of Santa Barbara that grows melons in the open in that fashion! Hope I get to meet many of you some day!

8/28/2018 5:15:47 PM

formerly RGG

Wolfpack, Frank's Florabelle looks like it is most of 4 feet long and fat to go with that.I am very sure this is not a year to judge Frank by what he took to the Ky State Fair.

8/28/2018 5:17:18 PM

formerly RGG

Right on Joseph !! I was so upset I could not sleep. Up at 4:30 over here in Manila.

8/28/2018 5:19:53 PM

formerly RGG

Let no man other than yourself run your life. You broke no rules. Holding your cads close or not is a personal decision. Anyway there is no way to know what may show up or not. Speculation is a lot of the fun of doing this. And not many would grow simply for prize money. If growers want to not "show their cards" that is fine. But if you like to share that is even better because that is sharing the fun. Even Frank likes to show off just a little weeks before the contest or he would not have posted Florabelle with the comment that everyone had forgotten about her.

8/28/2018 5:27:05 PM

This is a hobby folks ole Clyde don't take things to serious.

8/28/2018 5:32:32 PM

Princeton Kentucky

lol

8/28/2018 5:39:17 PM

Princeton Kentucky

Wouldn't 400 be cool

8/28/2018 5:42:01 PM

formerly RGG

Hooray, things are back to normal !

8/28/2018 5:51:12 PM

central Nc

Right on Joseph. If I ever grow em like you I'll be creating social media accounts just to show em off!

Dreamer I wish I could see floribelle in person. Lucky me though, I'll get to hopefully put my melon up against Kent, Dawson, Vial, Vester, Terry etc, etc. I can only hope to place. Lol

8/28/2018 5:53:46 PM

formerly RGG

Good luck Wolfpack. Let the fun continue !Have you decided already which contest you will be entering ?

8/28/2018 6:01:59 PM

Grant, AL

What you talking about Frank?? Clyde is the most serious camel I know!! LOL

8/28/2018 6:09:12 PM

formerly RGG

By the way Joseph, I am wondering if you will share the straight length of Fiona ?

8/28/2018 7:04:19 PM

central Nc

Not yet dreamer. Hoping she holds out for raleigh. So how big do I have to grow before someone explains the camel jokes??

8/28/2018 10:21:36 PM

formerly RGG

Clyde is Frank's beast. You will have to ask him.

8/28/2018 11:49:43 PM

formerly RGG

Clyde has been around for several years now, I do know that. And he is meant to be humorous and has something to do with the titan size melons Frank grows.

8/29/2018 5:24:20 AM

Princeton Kentucky

TD, I'll post some numbers on Fiona this morning after 1st light. We had a few bad storms roll through about 9:30 last night. Didn't have the stomach to go out to the patches last night but I am going out there this morning, luckily I don't think there was any hail Just lots of strong wind & rain. Got some friends here that have a camel. They let it in the house and it opens doors with the turn knobs by biting down and turning its head..hilarious camel too. Cleaned and back washed their pool sand filter for them once, it was camel hair that pluged it up..camels swim,lol.

8/29/2018 7:30:17 AM

formerly RGG

Do tell, I did not know camels can swim.May be just what I need here the next time a tropical system drops a big load on us. I hope your storm damage is minimal.

8/29/2018 8:45:13 AM

Princeton Kentucky

At this time Fiona is 40"L x 26"W x 20"Tall. Patch is beat up pretty bad but I think it will come back. 1 good thing about leaves blown over and around is you find culls easier. 18 culls of Fiona alone.

8/29/2018 9:00:39 AM

Massachusetts

Watch out for the Watermelon Lady from Ohio

8/29/2018 4:20:20 PM

Princeton Kentucky

I agree! She's Winner to begin with!

8/29/2018 4:29:23 PM

Georgia

I have enjoyed Midwest's post and general enthusiasm. This hobby sounds like baseball or golf purists with some people espousing unwritten rules and others just showing genuine excitement like you see in football or basketball. If you don't like what Midwest is posting in his diary then don't click on it. I for one enjoy seeing pics in progress. Win,lose or draw, it is about the journey.

8/29/2018 11:07:11 PM

formerly RGG

Amen to that Col. Fryght.

8/30/2018 2:30:34 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

I concur as well.

8/30/2018 7:25:23 PM