Re: Green mottle Bad ?
Mike...I have to reply to this subject! I grew squash on purpose this
year...ended up with a blue one,a green one,and a mottled cream/purple/orange
one.All in the 550-600lb range.And you know what? All the discrimination I
experienced came from the growers and site co-ordinators themselves. The
onlookers(they are the people who come to see the event and buy the field
pumpkins,apple cider,crafts etc....you know,the ones that the SPONSORS WANT
TO GO TO THE FAIR! ) thought they were beautiful..cool.impressive.I fielded
more questions than the pumpkin growers.They were better recieved by the
masses because all the bigger pumpkins weren't orange...but some other shade
of light orange/cream/etc...which in my experience is the norm in AG's these
days....Sure,there's some impressive big pumpkins that are bright orange,but
they certainly aren't the norm and to disqualify a beautiful blue squash and
allow a nondescript creamy blob to compete for the big money is ludicrous in
my opinion.This is why I prefer agricultural fairs to strict gpc weighoffs.A
squash is a squash is a squash.
I believe the OSLGA did a survey last year asking if the squash money should
be on par with the pumpkin money and if my memory serves me right,about 70%
said to keep it in line with the pumpkin prize money.
So,in my brief experience with these things I conclude: If the people were
polled-they'd vote to include the squash.If the sponsores were polled knowing
that the people enjoyed squash...they'd vote for adding squash.The growers
were polled and they want squash up there with pumpkins but not as a second
citizen.
Change to guidelines to all orange and see who complains....almost
everybody.A white or cream or yellow squash is no more a pumpkin than a blue
squash or a green squash.Only when you exclude those will there be a good
enough uprising to include the squash...unfortunately.
And as for all you guys out there who think a creamy yellow/cream/overly
canteloped blobby thing is a better representation of a pumpkin than a
blue/green squash you are in La-La land.Keep driving those Ford pickup trucks
with the Chevy small blocks in them....just don't try to tell me Ford
Rules!.................my 4 cents worth...SquashboyG
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