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Connecticut, USA

I was contacted by the great pumpkin growers of the north. Charlie would like to sell the 1337.6. Please contact me via private e-mail if you are interested in making an offer. Seriously inquiries only.

Charlie is still recovering in the hospital but my sources say he is doing OK.

10/7/2002 9:40:12 PM

Southern Illinois

how long will the bidding last,WILL YOU TELL US IF WE HAVE BEEN OVER BID,HERE IS MY PRIVATE E-MAIL BID 1,000,00 I WANT HALF THE SEED,BP CAN HAVE REST.I WILL E MAIL YOU KEN WITH A HIGHER OFFER,ARE BP MEMBERS THE ONLY GROUP THAT CAN BID.CHARLIE I HAVE A 65 CHEVY PICK UP,SOME GUNS,1948 CHEVY COUPE,4X4 GMC VAN,I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD BOY JUST POTTY TRAINED,IS THIS CASH ONLY ARE WILL THERE BE TRADING TO,I HOPE YOU GET WELL SOON CHARLIE.

10/8/2002 9:01:30 AM

Ga.

$1000,,,,good gosh thats alot of money heavyhitter.....LOL...You gonna share with us fellow BP members?? LOL....

10/8/2002 9:16:31 AM

Southern Illinois

jeff you can pay 100.00 pappy can pay hundred dollars,i would imagine there would be some more people that would pay 100.00 dollars to get some of them seed,us bp members should put our money together and make charlie a offer,keep the seed in the bp world,jeff there will be more bids over 1,000.00 dollars there are alot of rich people that would love to have that pumpkin displayed at there store,if i was charlie i would go big with this i bet he can get 10,000,00 for that pumpkin,take it to the letterman show.

10/8/2002 9:36:29 AM

Puyallup, WA

I'm in for at least $100...provided I received a "pro-rated"
portion of the seed.

10/8/2002 9:57:57 AM

Edmonton, Canada

count me in!!!

10/8/2002 10:36:08 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

$101.00 i have to go to the fair tuesday night anyway to pick-up my daughters entry.

Glenn

10/8/2002 10:56:18 AM

Knopp, Germany

i am in with 100 Euro, they are worth more then a dollar...lol...i should get more seed...lmao

10/8/2002 11:05:03 AM

ipswich, ma usa

100 bucks here.

John (5150)

10/8/2002 11:08:59 AM

Deer Park WA

Hay Ken, sounds like Charlie should just auction off the seeds he probably would make quite a lot of money, but I feel he should ask the Dill's for permission first...
Thats just my opinion (spelling?)I don't want to start an arguement or any controversy.

The Gadberry's

10/8/2002 11:58:45 AM

Ga.

I'm in for my 100,,might get my boss in for 100 to..LOL,,trying to get him to buy it,,got my fingers crossed,,hect,,he drives a viper,,owns a few dominios too.....Boy I love dominios....
Brian ole buddy,,how bout you??You in for a $100???

10/8/2002 4:13:14 PM

just for one seed i'm in for 100.

10/8/2002 4:39:14 PM

Liverpool , England

And what if there is no seed in it worth having..maybe they all germinated inside? Just my 2 cents worth


Alun

10/8/2002 8:08:49 PM

Puyallup, WA

I paid over two bills for a 940-98....it never germinated!
I figure that there are about two hundred good seeds in this "baby"!

10/8/2002 9:25:14 PM

Southern Illinois

so ken has anybody bid over 1,000.00 yet,looks like we have 700.00 so far,so if i put 301.00,that will put us at 1,001.00,stan,smitty,owen,5150,jeff,lobsta,the borer.

10/9/2002 9:34:45 AM

CORNELIUS,NC,USA

I'm good for a share!

10/9/2002 11:48:56 AM

Connecticut, USA

I will talk to Charlie and see what he has in mind. If he doesn't find a "big time" buyer then maybe he would consider our offer.

10/9/2002 12:34:12 PM

Connecticut, USA

FYI. The pumpkin is the 845 Bobier x 712 Kuhn.

10/9/2002 12:34:54 PM

Ga.

Heavy,,I'll try my boss,,I'm sure he could stand 100.....He didnt never get one to set this year,,but I think I got him addicited!!...LOL....

10/9/2002 1:23:32 PM

porterville, calif.

I,ll go a 100 too

10/9/2002 1:58:25 PM

Western Pa.

I heard today from a little bird that it may be headed to Germany! Owen and Flo, are you out there?

kilr

10/9/2002 2:07:53 PM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

I am in for 100

10/9/2002 2:43:11 PM

I'll go $100 just to keep it amongst BP.com growers. I don't know about giving i/2 of the seeds away, considering we don't know how many it will have, maybe that should be negotiated....

Out of curiosity, anyone know of any 'big' pumpkins grown this year from the Emmons 1262 2001?

10/9/2002 2:46:06 PM

Knopp, Germany

we're out here Kilr, what did ya hear....aw come on tell us.

i know that Germany got one of the bigguns from last year....come on Kilr....who bought it?

i promise, between us, i will get ya some seeds, but, don't tell anybody else....lmaorofl

10/9/2002 3:27:16 PM

Knopp, Germany

the Weir from last year showed up at the german weigh-off...see Flohbergers photo gallary, and we still don't know what happened top those seeds...anybody got some insight???

10/9/2002 3:33:36 PM

Medina, OH

Which 845 Bobier was this fruit grown from?

10/9/2002 3:38:13 PM

Medina, OH

Never mind- just checked AGGC- it's the 2000.

10/9/2002 3:40:17 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

I'll go with Kilr.
Geneva told me that she had an offer on the 1262 to ship it to Germany. I'd assume that is going to be the fate of the 1337.6 - providing the price is right and Mr. Houghton agrees.

As far as the Weir seeds from the 1260....anyone got Craig's e-mail address? Did he ever get them back?

10/9/2002 3:56:10 PM

Ga.

Ceis,,Craig only got a few seed back,,he distrubited all he had last year...

10/9/2002 4:10:24 PM

Key West, FL

i geuss germany wants to buy pumpkins

10/9/2002 5:49:40 PM

derry n.h u.s.a.

I talked with craig at this years picnic and he told me that he recived back about 50 seeds if that! from his 1260 and gave most of them away.Also he recived a pretty penny for his pumpkin to the tune of twelve thousand large,combined with his winnings at topsfield ,that pumpkin made him 17,000,00.Now thats a prize pumpkin!

10/9/2002 6:53:53 PM

Key West, FL

wow!!! you guys better be putting in 1000 each if you want to buy this pumpkin!

10/9/2002 7:02:30 PM

No Place Special

Keep the pumpkin here! I'll put in $100. for an equal share. Mike F.

10/9/2002 9:09:45 PM

Ga.

Grown American,,keep American and have it carved and set up in NY to pay tribute to 9-11....

10/9/2002 10:32:16 PM

Puyallup, WA

Hey Ben,
Let's see the color of your money! You seem to be mighty eager to spend our cash!

"USA....USA....USA....USA"

10/10/2002 12:02:29 AM

Kentucky - USA

Ben is probably right.

I would bet it brings over 10000 dollars..

just my opinion..

Tim

10/10/2002 2:02:25 AM

charlie needs money like everyone else..we should'nt pressure him to keep the pumpkin here,if he can get big bucks for it than more power to him..

10/10/2002 4:12:24 AM

Cologne / Germany

I guess the organizer (www.juckerfarmart.ch) of the german weigh-off (for the record: they come from Switzerland) wants to buy the pumpkin for the exhibition in Ludwigsburg. They claim to have the biggest pumpkin exposition in the world this year.
I can´t comment this because I don´t know about other events, but when you see the photos from our weigh-off, there were football fields of pumpkins.
They want to display the biggest pumpkins from US and Europe (European weigh-off is this weekend) together. I like the idea but I don´t like the way they handle the seeds. I heard from noone this year who had a seed from that Weir pumpkin! They should auction them for charity or whatever, I´ll contact them about that matter if the 1337 will be shipped here, so stay tuned..

10/10/2002 5:04:06 AM

Southern Illinois

i guess it was nice for charlie to at least let us make an offer,i would imagine that this german offer was a done deal from the day of the weigh off,12,000,00 that is alot of money,but my offer of a 1,000,00 dollars is still there,we only need 11 more people with a 1,000,00,then we can have kilr carve it, and do what jeff suggested,and split the seeds,come on guys i here that german plane is ready to start them engines.

10/10/2002 7:31:26 AM

Ga.

I was in no way saying Charlie should not sell to Germany,,just thought it would be a nice tribute is all...If it were my pkin,,and it was forsale,,I'd surely sell to highest bidder!!!!

10/10/2002 7:39:03 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

it's Charlie's pumpkin and he can do whatever he wants with it? $10,000 goes a long way to pay bills, heck i sure know what i'd buy a new truck! well a semi new one!
as for the Weir 1260 seeds yes Craig got back i believe around 70 in which he kept some and gave the rest away!
i have one my self.

Glenn

10/10/2002 8:26:57 AM

Southern NH

hey, you know what? if you guys do get past $12,000, and if germany really wants his pumpkin, they might outbid you therefore giving more money to Charlie. I don't think he would mind this :-) (although it would really be nice to have those seeds.)

10/10/2002 8:43:34 AM

Connecticut, USA

I was contacted and asked to put this on the site and to email the Swiss company directly. They have not responded to me yet. I know of no offer from Europe as of yet. The original inquiry for Craig's pumpkin came to the webmaster email box of BigPumpkins.com. I contacted Hugh Wiberg and he passed it on to Craig.

I simply sent email to the same address and offered up the 1337.6 (as I was asked to do). Charlie is looking for approximately $15,000 for the pumpkin.

10/10/2002 12:57:57 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

ouch

10/10/2002 1:55:10 PM

Cologne / Germany

I guess these guys from Swiss have a lot of money. How can you organize a weigh-off like we had covering the complete area of a famous European barock castle (and I didn´t see any sponsor or something to make big money of) from August to November just to show thousands of pumpkins??
The price for the biggest European pumpkin this weekend (of course in Swiss) will be a car called Smart (worth 6000 bucks), so what?
But they really need a lesson about seeds...I think they have the money but don´t know much about the basics...

10/10/2002 3:10:12 PM

Tacoma, WA

I do not wish to start a "war" about money, but it seems to me that somewhere I read that the "love of money is the root of all evil". One has to admire Geneva for turning down the thousands and thousands of dollars from Europe for her 1262! She set an example that we ought to emulate as fellow growers. Where are our priorities?

Stan Pugh

10/10/2002 4:57:28 PM

North Ga

Even a hundred dollars is out of my league for the chance of a few unproven seeds. I could buy like three gallons of Neptunes Harvest for that amount!!! LOL

10/10/2002 5:15:00 PM

Cologne / Germany

Stan, that´s a good point. I´m not talking too friendly about these guys from Swiss because if you´re the contest winner they definitively take your pumpkin away.

Therefore I´m happy not being a winner.

I don´t care if anyone is going to sell his big one. But there MUST be a way to handle the seeds or you cut off the roots for any further development for all of us growers.
As well as I think it all should remain like public domain or open source looking at software like Linux.

If seeds get pricey, we run into classes of low or high budget growers - that´s ridiculous and will kill our hobby and the chance to improve AG breeds very soon!

If the 1337 shall make his way over here: I´m ready to fire some serious questions at these Swiss guys for some kind of fair "seed management"!

Ingo

10/10/2002 5:37:06 PM

Key West, FL

i would put in 100 bucks but i dont have that kind of money to spend on a pumpkin, i dont even have a job (i need one though). Stan i would agree with you except that charlie just had a big surgery and who knows what his medical bills will be. by the way what did geneva do with her pumpkin?

10/10/2002 6:02:13 PM

Tacoma, WA

It was carved and put on display in Bellevue, WA.

Stan

10/10/2002 6:10:28 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Guys, I've refrained from posting on this subject because I didn't want to, but..I need to make a point....Charlie has been in the hospital, he problably would love to have a nice chunk of change for something he put his heart and soul into to offset this unfortunate experience he is going through. Perhaps you should think of the situation with the thought that Charlie couldn't even be at the weigh off, as much as he wanted to...the man is ill, but making good progress..This situation isn't like if one of us who are healthy grew one. So before we make any judgements or speak when we are not fully aware of the full situation...just think about what you would do to help out your family if you were in his situation...If he were able I'm sure he'd consider other options, but considering what he's been through, can you blame the man for doing what he has to..They're all just pumpkins when it comes to your health and your family.

Just something to think about...

10/10/2002 6:13:14 PM

Tacoma, WA

Ingo,
Please be careful about using the word "fire" around
Germany and the USA. Things are a bit "touchy" about now!

Stan

10/10/2002 6:13:17 PM

Ga.

Brian,,you know I had your back homeboy...Wouldnt let you go with out...I'm in debt you know...LOL....

10/10/2002 6:31:02 PM

Cologne / Germany

Stan, sometimes I "ask" the online translator if I can´t find the right words, that might not be a good choice in any case.
I was only trying to say that big pumpkins might be good to look at as long as they don´t rot but there is a special heritage that has to be respected - seeds. And these Swiss guys don´t seem to know much. So, not "fire" questions, just asking.

10/10/2002 6:45:46 PM

Long Island,New York

The seeds belong to the guy that holds the pumpkin..."the grower" until he sells it or accepts the prize if the wieghoff claims the pumpkin....end of story.He doesnt owe anyone anything or owe " genetics advancement science" anything.....he can do what he pleases........G

10/10/2002 7:33:31 PM

North Ga

I offer 10 bucks to help Charlie Houghton and his family out. If the other 6000 people on this site would follow suit, we could do some serious bill damage! The guy is a GREAT Pumkin grower. Can you set up an account Ken and John?

10/10/2002 8:27:16 PM

Puyallup, WA

What I am hearing is that some are ASSUMING that Mr. Houghton is on Welfare and near destitute. Because he is broke, he ought to be able to do what ever he wants with his pumpkin. It seems to me that some are jumping to conclusions that are not warranted. Frankly, he could be a millionaire and still do what ever he wants with his pumpkin!
What I hear from John D. is that Charlie is "testing the waters". He wants to see who has the "deep pockets". That does not mean that he will automatically sell to the highest bidder. Now, if he decides to sell to a European group will we be disappointed. You bet we will.....well, at least some of us! That does NOT mean that he is a traitor or "turn coat"! It merely suggests that he may following the "Golden Rule"....he who has the "gold"....rules!

10/11/2002 12:22:45 AM

Western Pa.

Okay guys, it's MY TURN!

Charlie, if you're out there somewhere, I firstly congratulate you for the new World Record. Secondly, though we've never met, we're both big pumpkin growing people(the best kind of people!), and my thoughts and prayers are with you, sincerely hoping that you are well, or, if not, will soon be. I don't care what you do with your pumpkin. To the rest of you out there: Do you know that there has only been 1 or 2, or maybe 3 1000# pumpkins out there that have produced a 1000# pumpkin? The seed you desire is the one that grew Charlie's pumpkin. Hearing that Charlie was in the hospital, I, for one, out of respect, will not be bothering him for seed from his pumpkin. Please, give the man a break!

my 2,
kilr

10/11/2002 12:41:33 AM

porterville,california usa

Put me in for a Franklin too. My two cents worth says give the Swiss the pumpkin if they want it. Charlie, get someone to make a small hole in it, scoop out the seeds and replace them with some squash seeds, then put the plug back in the pumpkin! Everybody wins!At least on this side of the big water. LOL!!!Seriously, though, count me in for a $100. Get well soon Charlie. Booth

10/11/2002 12:43:03 AM

Deer Park WA

Right on Booth! Hay Charlie don't forget to seal uo the plug with some clear silicone.....

Hay Kilr,I won't be pestering the Charlie for a seed either unless we can as a group scrape up enough dough to buy the dang thang. Sign me up for a $100. not so much for the seed (like Lipumpkin said not many giants from giants),but to help out a fellow grower.

Oh, and Glen, if it wasn't for the generosity of other growers spending years of their lives advancing the sience of AG genetis where do you think the seed would have came from that grew the 1337. ?

Get well soon Charlie you are truely a fantastic grower!

The Gadberry's

10/11/2002 2:08:27 AM

Frankfurt, Germany

hi, i spoke yesterday with the director of that swiss firm, who is acountable for the exhibition. Mr. Bent Juecker told me, that they did NO offer to acquire the world biggest pumpkin for this year, since it gone to expensive with all the oversee transport and only the little splash of publicity it brings, wich last for not very long. But he was extremly interested, as he heard of speculations someone from germany whants it, and said, they "they should try to avoid it" - cause tey are the market leader, and there should be no doubt in it. I geve him the email of Ken, and he wanted to get in contact.

I also asked him about the seeds from the Craig's pumpkin and he told me, that yes, they only sent 50 seeds back and "must have the others somewhere here". I asked him to find out how many they still have and if it possible to get them - he promised to find out - but after this weekend, cause there is european weigh off going on.

stay tuned, i will inform you further. dichter.

10/11/2002 7:01:55 AM

Cologne / Germany

..."must have the others somewhere here". Unbelievable!
Good job dichter, let´s try to get some seeds back for the BP community.

10/11/2002 7:11:58 AM

Knopp, Germany

keep on em dichter, they know that we are here to help them also with there exhibition...so, put the pressure on, they want us? we want the seeds!

a bad thought just went through my head, what if they think they can make some money with those seeds?

10/11/2002 11:03:29 AM

Cologne / Germany

Owen, remember they need the permission of Howard Dill to sell them - oops - that was discussed here several times but I think it´s right. Pricey seeds are the end of that hobby like everything else where big money is involved. And you don´t even know if that seed will ever germinate or serve you a big one.
But without the hobby and growers like here on BP, what will they have to exhibit in the future? Keep the seeds "open source" and let´s trade, not sell, just my two eurocents.

10/11/2002 2:44:07 PM

Northern Ohio

I am in for 100.00 Mary
Count on me

10/11/2002 9:08:38 PM

Montoursville, PA

Even seed from the pumpkin, from which the record was grown, has a four to one up to six to one odds that it would not be from the same lobe site within the fruit.This assumes not less than a four lobe female was used.

I'd rather pay the winner for his patch management and feeding knowledge. I'd give a fair price for a no fact lost complete report. For a guy with one patch and one plant it is pure luck to move into heavy hitter country without an equal growing field and equal knowledge.

10/12/2002 11:10:54 AM

Southern Illinois

everybody on this site has the knowledge to grow a big pumpkin it is free on this site bp .com,i would rather spend my money on some proven seed and some good luck,how much for a patch of good luck,good seed that is the key,potential to grow a big pumpkin,every thing you need is right here on this site,the seed is free the knowledge is free,i just wish i would have found this site back in the spring so i could have had some good seed,i think i will keep my money in this bp site,ken how much money would it take to buy wide wanda,john and ken should get all the growing tips off this site and have there own big pumpkin book,that way i would not have to go back 2 years and read all the post all of these great members have gave us,i think i have the luck,i think i have the knowledge,i just did not have the seed,is bp selling stock.

10/12/2002 1:40:57 PM

Montoursville, PA

Hey if Charley really needs the bucks and will sell his fruit and you all do purchase it on a shared basis I will go with the flow. No real guy would like to beg for assistance. I for one would delight in helping Charley if someone will properly chair the event and the purchase. His family could no doubt use the money.

10/13/2002 5:14:02 PM

porterville, calif.

I know what hospital bills are like. I have seen what my Fathers was like the last 8 months.If you don,t have good insurance you are screwed. If we don,t get the Pumpkin , and we get out bidded for it. I will donate the $100.00 to Charley to help with his hospital bill.

10/17/2002 2:28:43 PM