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South Hill, Virginia

John D! Co-founder of this site, funny as hell and grew a 695er last year so he is no slouch behind the tiller. I met him last year so I can vouch that he is a real person (though I never checked his ID to make sure his name wasn't "Dave"). From what I hear he and Ken D (no relation) may just be heavy hitters in Langevins next book. Those two guys are super smart too.....when they start taking computer stuff to me I get a glaze over my eyes and just keep smiling and nodding:)

4/11/2003 9:14:10 PM

Mineral Virginia

Not if Langevine uses the same criteria to establsh a heavy hitter as he does before he will consdier giving you a seed; Gotta grow an 800+ pounder before he'll do that.

4/12/2003 6:49:10 AM

Webster, NY

Don Langevin proclaimed them heavy hitters at the Niagra Seminar. It was for all the work they had done to help the sport/hobby.

4/12/2003 7:47:25 AM

Pumpkintown, SC

Hey "thefunnydad," if it takes an 800+ to get a seed, what does it take just to get an email or snail mail back? Must be more than the 800 criteria. BF

4/12/2003 10:26:46 AM

Webster, NY

Don Langevin sent me a seed from his 953 and I'm certainly not a heavy hitter. I'm barely a medium hitter. I know he only got a few good seeds from his 953 and he sent them out to random requesters. I got lucky. I'll be planting it this year along with 2 others.

4/12/2003 1:58:30 PM

Mineral Virginia

Glad to hear it Dave; I requested one and he did in fact tell me he only had 16 left and I could not have one; but then he followed that up with the stipulation that if I grow one over 800 pounds this season, he'll let me have one next season.

Not exactly the kind of attitutde I was expecting. Interesting point of view don't ya think? I don't know what the state record is for Virginia, but I know the winner at the state fair this past year didn't even come close to 800 pounds.

It's all good. I'll accomplish my goals without such stock or padding his wallet by buying his books. There are many paths to take to get to a goal, I'll take the road less traveled.

4/12/2003 5:44:18 PM

Webster, NY

Kind of funny. I don't know what to make of it, but I wouldn't take it personally.

4/12/2003 6:49:11 PM

Usa

Hello FunnyDad,

I bought Don's first 2 books. The second book is better than the first. I appreciate the knowledge. It is worth reading if you are a new grower, or need more information on growing AG's. Hey Don is that worth a free 3rd edition?

You don't need Don's seeds to grow a big one. Look at all of the 2002 seeds that we have to play with this year and prove. I'm sure you have gotten good seeds from other growers on the site. We have a great lot of nice growers here that share what they can. And there are some growers that don't share. Which is their right.

Look at the pedigrees the seeds all have some of the greater pumpkins in them. If you haven't joined aggc you might want to http://aggc.1wh.com/aggc_main.asp

Those seeds will give you a BIG pumpkin depending on how you grow it. It will be your hard work and willingness to put a lot of time into growing it that will give you a Big Pumpkin. The seed you grow has potential to grow a BIG ONE.

I am sorry but if I only had 16 seeds left out of a pumpkin I wouldn't share them either. That is not that many seeds when you can't replace them.

I'd rather see the positive than the negative and I have really enjoyed your other postings.

4/12/2003 7:39:19 PM

So. Maine

With only 16 seeds remaining from his 953 if this years(953) crop ends up growing a few woppers I'll bet he had wished he would have hung on to more of those.

4/13/2003 9:32:24 PM

Utah

nice one Brent.

:)

4/14/2003 11:09:04 AM

Cologne / Germany

Question 953 Langevin: Mother was the 869 Calais (right?), and who was the father? Would be interesting to try this cross again.

4/14/2003 11:58:19 AM

Utah

forgot to add- guilty as charge ! sorry Dave... opps I mean
John. :)

Floh- the father of the 953 was the 885 Hampton 2001

4/14/2003 12:13:44 PM

Central Connecticut

I also was fortunate enough to receive a 953 from Don. I considered myself very lucky after reading the story he enclosed with the seed. Most of the seeds germinated inside the pumpkin and he only had 100+ seeds left of which he did a small sampling to test germination. I am not a heavy hitter either but will baby this plant like crazy. I saw the 953 at Topsfield. This was an AWESOME! pumpkin Size, shape and color all in one. It wasn't the biggest but it was the most beautiful! I could not thank him enough for this opportunity...Chris

4/14/2003 12:18:54 PM

[email protected]

JOHN DEARY! He's real. His name isn't Dave. He never wrote a pumpkin book but he probably could debug a computer. AGGC lies about what he did grow. He may have grown a 935 but maybe not.

4/14/2003 1:44:09 PM

Utah

My understanding of the 953 story....
At first Don he opened the pumpkin and 75-80% the 953 seeds had germinated. The other 20-25% he said were thin and not proabably not viable. So he said that no one would get any seeds.
Ref:
http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/nov02/msg00000.html

Then he went back though them on the advise of a friend.
And test germinated a few. Some came up.
He ended up with about 50 'HOPEFULLY' viable seeds. (not sure of the exact number) He sent out ONE seed to everyone that had requested seeds upto that time, Early-Mid November. Then he said that he was sorry but he would be unable to send out any more. Apparently he sent out all but 16.

4/14/2003 2:40:46 PM

Mineral Virginia

Went back through on the advice of a friend? After writing 2 books on the subject and preparing a 3rd? Either extreme humility, or something else.....

It's after season quarterbacking really. There are many ways to conduct yourself as a grower and we all have to choose how we want to be. I misdirected this thread to begin with, so to steer back to the misdirection, the issue wasn't the unwillingness to share seed, it was putting a conditional requirement on getting a seed in the first place. Considering the stipulation, his record on AGGC speaks for itself which makes it even more surprising.

I haven't read his books, but it's my understanding that he professes more along the lines of "good will to all growers" especially new ones.

4/14/2003 2:51:52 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Bottom line, nobody is REQUIRED by the statute of pumpkin law or any other to give seed. We should all be thankful for what we do recieve and take into account circumstances which are beyond the growers control. After trying for 20 years to 'pop a good one', I believe most will agree that giving out all but a few viable seeds is more than generous. Seed giving is done on the basis of goodwill, not by requirement or nescessity..and certainly not meant to take the very last seed of a grower. So as these boards flood with posts that are very far from the spirit in which we all participate, stop and think before you throw the next 'knife' and think..is this why I grow giant pumpkins?
Be thankful for what you have been generously given and do the best you can with what you have been so graciously provided.

4/14/2003 6:27:27 PM