Re: easy to tell if it is squash...

In a message dated 10/9/01 11:04:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time, s1tanner@yahoo.com writes:


and i would even go along with,
if it's all orange, its a pumpkin, if its all green,
its squash, all others, a ________ ( you fill in the
blank... squmpkin...whatever.
I have my opinion on all of this and am usually am content to keep it to myself, read the discussion, and give consideration to all points of view. It can create an awkward situation at times but since there is no category for "all others in between" we are stuck with trying to do the best we can with fairness as we see it. We would have had 5 entries in squash division and probably eight, at most, totally orange pumpkins in Altoona. I suspect most sites would have a similar ratio of pumpkins, squaumppkkiinn, and squash. We had 49 fruit registered as pumpkins and five as squash so that leaves about 40 fruit in limbo.

As far as equity of prize money and fairness to the top squash, as I posted earlier our top pumpkin prize is $1000 and top squash is $100 at Altoona. I think that was the post that sparked this latest round of lively debate. Over the 6 year life of our site, I believe this has worked out to give the top squash just about the same or more prize money than what they would have received if all had been entered as one classification. It has been said that it seems unfair for the top pumpkin to go home with 1K and top squash to take $100, but it seems also unfair, at least to me, to see a top squash of 3-400 pounds take home more than a fourth place pumpkin ($100 in Altoona) of 800 plus pounds. This year however, John-Michael Werking did both with 1st place 559.5 squash and 4th place 821 pumpkin. if you look at this in a one color fits all context, the 559 would have finished in 22nd place with $0.

My personal opinion is in agreement with Rocky, Larry, and others who think that squash are squash and all others are pumpkins. I think Mike Brock made a good point in the past regarding base color of fruit. That doesn't mean that I take a hardline stance in opposition to those with the oranger viewpoint, it's just my personal feeling on the issue. For the most part I think this has been a constructive discussion well worth the time and space on this list. I think there have been some well written points supporting both sides of the color issue that perhaps will lead to discussion and resolution of the ambiguity that we are currently faced with. It surely would make things much easier for those who put so much effort into making a weighoff come together.

One other point is that most growers that I talk with at our weighoff don't come with money on their minds. Most just love growing giants and meeting with other growers to enjoy the camaraderie of the day, seeing their fruit on the scale, and being recognized for their seasons efforts regardless of what they ended up with.

I've attached a pic of my 673 (801 Stelts x 946 Geerts) which placed 12th in Altoona this year. A note of interest on that one, it was pollinated with blossoms stored in frig for two days prior to pollinating. I also had a 594 (801 x self) background right in pic, on the same plant weighed one week earlier at local harvestfest.

Best Wishes to all in the off season. Congratulations to all who had something to put on a scale this year,

Sincerely,

Marv



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