----- Original Message -----
From:
t*@sonetcom.com
To: p*@hort.net
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 1:58
AM
Subject: Official or Not
Here I am setting in
the State of Oklahoma, where we have NO Official Pumpkin Weigh Offs, and there
is NOT any type of Records yet for the Biggest Pumpkin or Squash. We are not
even considered being a part of the Pumpkin Growing Community because our
Growing Season is a lot Different than those in the Northern States where all
the Biggest Pumpkin Growers Live. As I have learned from this past season
growing Giant Pumpkins is a very hard thing to do here in the Southern part of
the United States and it will be very hard to grow a 1000 Pumpkin here in the
HOTTER part of the States. I would love to be able to Compete in growing a
Giant Pumpkin and Setting the Oklahoma State Record, (here is where I repeat
there is not a record here yet, and you do not hear from many pumpkin growers
in Oklahoma because why?). Our Season starts earlier here then in the North
and then we get into some really severe Heat during the Summer Months making
it almost Impossible at times to keep everything going with everything being
Ripened by the Sun and Heat and to get even something like 500-600 lbs is a
great accomplishment and then I can not even go compete against anyone because
my Season is over Earlier here than others in the North. Then I have to be
Punished because I can not abide by the Rules that were established for
Northern Growers. I now understand why there are not very many growers in the
Southern parts of the United States. I think if any Pumpkin Conference would
take these accounts into consideration for Southern Growers, they might
make some type of weigh offs and get more growers in the South Interested
in the Sport.
Well thats more
than my 2 cents worth, and I hold NO hard feelings for any of the growers
for what they believe because I talk to some of them from time to time and
they are really helpful.
Thomas Hathorn
Southwest Oklahoma (where we are trying
to get other growers interested in the
Sport)
