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Western WA

I havent been to this site for long, so im not sure if this topic has been posted before. So what got you into this hobbie. My interest came from reading a book way back in seventh grade, named Squashed. Im not even sure who the other was but it was a great book about a pumpkin growers journy to grow the heaviest pumpkin.

6/27/2003 2:00:45 AM

minnesota

About 4 yrs. ago I was watching David Latterman on TV and he had the guy that grew the largest Pumpkin that year on (don't remember his name) of course he kind of treated the guy like a rube. I've been hooked ever since. Now my wife thinks I'm the rube. Thanks Dave

6/27/2003 2:11:16 AM

Sequim, WA

I have no good sense and a doc I worked with was talking about his 150 lb. pumkins and a family contest. I figured that would be cool and I like to garden. Bought seeds from Howard Dill and now I'm hooked after a 141 that first year. I think Jack be little's are like a gateway drug. First It's one plant on a backyard compost heap, then it's driving 11 miles to get to a borrowed farm in a river valley adn growing 11 plants just because I have more room than ever this year. Sometimes in the summer I think this is so stupid, I could be spending time fishing or taking my kids to an amusement park and blowing a lot of money. Then in the fall I take them to a weighoff and I think this is so cool.

6/27/2003 2:53:50 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

1999 Halloween time Martha Stewart had someone on that weighed a big one. Wish I new who that was, could swear it was Dan Carlson. Made my 120 lber look small. Then I bought some seeds on Ebay.. Then I found BigPumkins.Com. Now I am looking for a 10 step program to live with my habit.. Wife has finally excepted the pumpkins.

Atleast I have not had a dream about squash vine borers in my basement.. thats when you know you have over the edge..:)

6/27/2003 5:01:01 AM

Pulaski Tn [email protected]

one night i had a dream about squash vine borers in my basement.. after that i have been over the edge..
no seriously..i have grown halloween pumpkins to sell for a few years then one faitful day i was crusin ebay for some seeds when i spotted a little kid sitting inside a pumpkin..pert near blew my pea brain outta me head,bought the seeds..found this site and have had a dream about squash vine borers in my basement ever since..

6/27/2003 8:19:34 AM

Mineral Virginia

I bought one about 10 ten years ago that was probably 125 pounds and was awestruck. It's taken me this long to get in a position to actually try to grow them

6/27/2003 8:22:33 AM

Montoursville, PA

You cotton picking nuts! Where else can you find fully grown adults into serious play like this? After seeing you all here...I just had to do this dern fool thing. :)

6/27/2003 8:32:11 AM

[email protected]

Been growing pumpkins on & off for over 30 years. Commercially then as a hobby. Never gave much thought to individual pumpkin weights until I saw an article about Howard Dill & his Atlantic Giant in a farm publication back in maybe 1992 or 3 I think. The mystique of a 1000 lb pumpkin is just too much to resist especially with a young son.

Plus this neighborhood is very competitive with the Halloween decorating thing & there's no way I'm going to pay over $100 for a giant Jack-O-Lantern so......

Took forever it seems to find seeds though. And it wouldn't have happened at all without this website because I've never had the time to find the growers at the fairs. And even if I'd know *who to* talk with at the fairs, I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to ask them for free seeds. Free seed begging still blows my mind. LOL

Awesome plants. Great People. The Brotherhood!

Steve

6/27/2003 9:36:53 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

A long time ago (don't remember when) I saw a photo of Howard Dill in our local paper with a world record pumpkin. That got me interested.I have grown pumpkins for 20 plus years. But never got into it very serious until last year. Now I'm hooked. Different people around here think i'm crazy. But it's a lot of fun growing them

6/27/2003 9:52:32 AM

Utah

I've always like pumpkins. started growing them when I was 8 years old.

6/27/2003 10:05:23 AM

It's all Shannon's fault. We'll just hope my dream about SVB doesn't come true.

6/27/2003 12:21:17 PM

Herndon, VA

4 years ago my wife subscribed to a "freebie" email list, and the free seeds at bigpumpkins.com made the list. She surprised me with the seeds thinking they might be fun to try...LOL, now I'm hooked and she can only blame herself!

6/27/2003 1:03:38 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Now Brigitte I warned you when you asked me about them that they easily become obsessive. Shannon

6/27/2003 1:55:48 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I have no idea, I woke up with the fever.

6/27/2003 2:07:00 PM

Woodburn, Indiana

i saw some big a$$ pumpkins in tom beachy's patch and i was like wow. so he gave me some seeds next year. i'm hooked.

6/27/2003 6:53:57 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

I found a packet of Dill seeds at Matsuda's Nursery and planted them. The pumpkins were about 30 lbs. each. A couple of yrs. later I ordered some seeds on the internet and then found this site and Len S. sent me some good seeds. That same yr. I entered my "big pumpkin" at the CA. State Fair Sacramento. I couldn't believe the size of the other pumpkins. I met Jon Hunt and Ken Mitchell a couple of big growers from Elk Grove. Zac Jones told me about the weigh off in Elk Grove. I've been hooked ever since. My husband is now into helping me set up the new misting system and a better shade system.

6/28/2003 4:08:09 AM

Myrtle Creek, Oregon

I have no clue, to many dead brain cells.
What I cant figure out is were did that big pumpkin patch come from out by the garden ( what garden??? )
I asked the wife but she startes shakin her head and mumbles something about killin some body.
H-K-J <;-)

6/28/2003 1:04:14 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Didn't know better way to spend money.

6/28/2003 5:13:13 PM

Yukon, Canada

I'm aiming to become the record pumpkin grower for the Yukon Territory. This could be the year!

6/29/2003 1:51:08 AM

No Place Special

Started a friendly family competition with big max seeds in 2001. Hopped on the internet to see if I could find some pointers and found this site. I grew a 139.8 Big Max in 2001 and a 392.5 lb AG in 2002. This year I hope to hit 800lbs.

Mike Frantz

6/29/2003 2:05:19 PM

Canada

And here I am In Newfoundland, Canada wondering if I can grow a 100 lb. pumpkin? Last year I grew a whopping 62 pounder! Wish me luck folks.

7/1/2003 10:08:33 PM