Re: AG's in local fairs
In a message dated 8/29/99 7:56:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, RD957@aol.com
writes:
> Hey Steve, this is my first year growing and I just lost my last pumpkin
to
> a stem split at about 380 lbs so my seasons over. If I had a local fair
> before the split your damn right I would have brought it to that fair. If
I
> won first place, I'd take the prize money and any ribbons or trophy's they
> thought fit to bestow...I worked real hard on those pumpkins. The seeds
were
You would have picked a pumpkin at 380 for a local fair if it had the
potential to get at least twice that? (Unless you are psychic and could
predict the split!). That's more courage than I would have!
>
> sent by some kindhearted people just because I asked, as can anybody. Just
> because there might be a little kid with a small pumpkin doesn't make a
> difference...they usually have an underage competition he can compete in.
> Are
> you saying I should ask everyone else what size pumpkins they are entering
> and their ages and if they're not even close I should just go home because
> it's not fair? After all, these are contests right? The only "advantage"
we
>
I don't think age has too much to do with it, really. It just seems kind of
cold for a 50 year old expert pumpkin grower to blow away a bunch of 8 year
olds in local fairs. I mean if you have a 1000 pounder, maybe just go for the
bigger stuff, and let the others win simething too. I mean with a 1000
pounder you could technically win just about every fair you take it to, but
when does it become a bit greedy, or a bit unethical. I don't know,
personally I would feel REALLY bad myself if I grew a 1000 pounder and took
it to all the local fairs and watched a bunch of little kids cry each time.
Probably get a lot of dirty looks too! It is like "Yeah yeah we KNOW you grew
a 1000 pounder, but must you take over EVERYTHING with it?". I mean maybe I
would enter it....and then forfeit the prize money, or use it to donate to
something, and give the rest to the other contestants or something. That is
if I already won big at a big pumpkin weigh off.
> have over anyone else is our desire to grow large pumpkins, which leads us
> to
> spend way too much time talking, thinking and dreaming pumpkins, spending
> way
> too much money on soil tests and fertilizer, entirely too much time
working
> the patch, spraying bugs, pollinating and trimming vines not to mention
the
> hour or so each day I spend reading e-mail about pumpkins. I'd take my
> ribbon
> and give that kid some seeds and a few helpful tips and hope he comes back
> next year with a winner. I sure wouldn't waste anyone's time telling them
> how
> wrong they were for entering a competition. After all the crap my wife
put
> up with, she would shoot me if I didn't enter..........Russ
>
I know, you are right. On one hand, it kind of isn't fair when everyone else
only has access to Big Max seeds, and one of us grew a 946.5 Geerts or
something which as you know is very hard to get, and impossible for those not
hooked up with the list and other growers like we are here. SO of course we
have an extreme genetic advantage that way. BUT we also spend way more work
and money to grow these things. So you are right. But if the prize money was
only like $10 or somethig at a little local fair where most of the other
contestants are really little kids, I certainly wouldn't go take their money,
I would just save it for the bigger weighoffs. But of course it still would
be fun to haul my half ton pumpkin in to sit next to the 50 and 100 pounders.
HA HA! (I can dream)!
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