Re: Cucurbits, pumpkins, squash, squmpkins--AHHH!

Yes, I beleive we were getting off track with this topic. I beleive it started out questioning wether or not the 75% color rule was applied equally at different weigh off sights. It certainaly is a subjective decesion on the part of the judges. A good analogy would be an umpire or referee making a call in a sporting event, and the debate over wether his call is the final decesion or wether to look at the instant replay. Should we take the on site judges decesion as final or should we put an apeals process into the oficial rules whereby photographic evidence may be submitted of the pumpkin to an appeals committie on the national level, or better yet require the local site to submit color photos when the national prize money is at stake and let the local ruling stand for local prizes. I think we all agree pumpkins are orange (75% rule) but the issue was fairness in applying the rules we already have, not changing them to allow other colors. 
                          Brian  Medford, NJ
 ---- you wrote: 
> Chris,
>  I like your reply,  And the original message got very distorted from its
> main idea.  It was on the Gpc ruling on the "TOLERANCE LEVEL" of green
> mottle..75% white ,cream,orange tints and 25% green is ok..... most calls
> are subjective, and done with a glance.  Are these calls consistant across
> the board for all those competing for the GPC monies???  Are they really
> the standard you speak off..........perhaps were saying the same thing  I
> am  looking for a standard here seems like you like standards
> too.......brock
> 
> 
> 
> >It seems strange to me that this group should wish to debate whether to
> >redefine
> >what defines our hobby in the first place.
> >
> >This debate seems in some ways to mirror the "tolerance" issue in society as a
> >whole.  There are those who feel that there are no absolutes and that
> >anyone who
> >believe in a set of standards is "intolerant."
> >
> >Call me "intolerant," but I believe in a standard.  Perhaps I am a relic from
> >the past (along with a few others of you out there), but when it comes to
> >curcurbits I live by the dictum that "Pumpkins are orange."  There may be
> >shades
> >of orange, BUT since we cannot separate pumpkin genetically or morphologically
> >from squash in any other way, the ONLY workable definition ever of pumpkins is
> >based on color. UNLIKE the skin on people, when it comes to curcurbits color
> >does matter!
> >
> >The giant pumpkin growing hobby is about growing giant ORANGE curcurbits.  I
> >believe that any other stance dilutes the hobby and will confuse the
> >public.  I
> >have never won any big prize money, but without the support of the public,
> >nobody will.  There is a mystique to these giant orange objects that has
> >captivated us and that captivates the public enough to garner sponsors for the
> >weigh-offs around the country.  How many fall squash festivals are there --
> >compared to how many fall pumpkin festivals?  How many parents take
> >pictures of
> >their kids surrounded by squash of any color versus orange pumpkins?
> >
> >Finally, HONESTLY how many of you got into this sport to grow something other
> >than a humongous ORANGE curcurbit?  I'd venture to say that, despite all other
> >intriguing parts of this hobby and regardless of equal prize money, almost all
> >of you would be disappointed if your fruit wasn't (at least a shade of)
> >orange.
> >
> >Orange is the only tenable standard in this sport!
> >
> >Regards,
> >Chris Wilbers
> >Springfield, MO
> >
> >
> >
> >"Thompson, Paul S." wrote:
> >
> >> Earlier in this thread, Ray mentioned the Guinness Book of World Records.
> >> Are they considered the ruling authority on what is and what is not a
> >> "pumpkin"? I know they have rules concerning the entries they allow in their
> >> book -- do they insist that a pumpkin be orange, cream or yellow with no
> >> green?
> >>
> >> If that is the case, in order to have them recognize a fruit as a "world
> >> record" pumpkin, we either need to accept the fact that pumpkins are orange
> >> or we need to change their definition. I suspect the latter isn't easy. It
> >> may have taken quite a bit of work to get them to recognize Atlantic Giants
> >> as a pumpkin (orange or not) in the first place.
> >>
> >> What are the rules for entry into the GBoWR?
> >>
> >> Paul Thompson
> >> Armada, Michigan
> >>
> >> Register your opinion on pumpkin colors -- take our survey:
> >>
> >> http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/GiantPumpkins
> >>
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> >
> >--
> >Regards,
> >Chris Wilbers
> >Springfield, MO
> >
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> >
> >
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> 
> 
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