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Edmonton, Canada

I took my 840 Desrosiers to Smoky Lake on the weekend. About half way through the weigh-off, it was determined that there may be a problem with the scale. My pumpkin weighed in at only 319.5 pounds! I though something was wrong, but the weigh-off continued. A few pumpkins later, the officials realized they had to do something. One of the officials who knew he was around 205 pounds stepped on the scale. It said he weighed 106 pounds. It was decided that the top 10 pumpkins would be taken to the hospital to be weighed there on a different scale. However, as luck would have it, my fruit was the 11th biggest. I was going to take the fruit back home to weigh it myself, but I had already committed to auction it off for charity.

So...... here is the dilema. I have a hunch that the scale was off by 100 pounds, and my fruit weighed 419.5 pounds. But I have no proof of that, so I think it has to officially be listed at 319.5

I walked away from the weigh-off completely dejected. Man, what a dissapointing end to an enjoyable season.

On the bright side, I had a good chat with both Ernie, (giant veggies) and Alan (saxomaphone) It was good to talk to both of you!

10/6/2003 10:38:24 AM

Taber, Alberta

Hey Cameron, it was great meeting you. I think yours looked a lot heavier than it weighed. Mine weighed in at 141.5, 1.5 pounds heavier than the estimated weight, but my other pumpkin that I grew on the same plant weighed in at 15% heavy at home. Were the results for any of the pumpkins that were not taken to the hospital scale accurate? I guess I'll never know about mine, but it must have really sucked for the thousands of people who paid their $5 and never got to see the big ones weighed.

The controversy doesn't bother me a lot this year because I knew my pumpkin wasn't as big as the others and it weighed in around what was estimated. For all of those with really big pumpkins, it must have been one stressful event. If mine was a few hundred pounds heavier, I would have been really dejected as well. Hopefully, they will have the scale problems figured out next year (guys, have a backup at the site) and hopefully all the manure and leaves I'm digging in this week will help me grow a biggie!

Anyways, congrats on growing a big pumpkin, whatever it weighed.

Alan

10/6/2003 11:17:17 AM

Edmonton, Canada

Thanks Alan. I'll see you in 363 days... the countdown is already on!

P.S. Your fruit was one of the nicest there!

10/6/2003 11:47:17 AM

Sask, Canada

Ok Guys,

I will throw my two cents in, I was as well really disappointed at the weigh-offs for a few reason's, yes my pumpkin weighed really lite, it was weighed first at 497.0 lbs then at 457.0lbs a 40lb difference yet it taped out at 550lbs. which would have given me 5th not 8th.

I believe the squash were correct as the wife's sat off the vine for 3 weeks before the weigh-off and taped at 700+ so with loss would put her to around 700 as any one that seen it agreed it was thick walled.

continued....

10/6/2003 1:08:43 PM

Utah

bummer Smitty... is there anyway you can still get it weighed ? by talking to the people who bought it ?

10/6/2003 1:16:33 PM

Sask, Canada

Second.

The sportsman ship of a few growers or should I say family was poor and all us growers up at Smoky Lake know who I'm talking about. This Family fortunately are known for their actions and luckily these type of people represent only 1% of growers. Plus when the bite was on to rush the pumpkins to hospital it took an out of town grower to offer the use of the van to haul most of them with two trips. the Local family didn't even so much as load one pumpkin even their 700+ on their truck and trailer which easily could carry 5 of them. then when my 120lb wife was helping lug, move, and jack the fruit from the trucks to the scales they stood back more than content to be a royal pain and in the way, even with their own fruit.

continued....

10/6/2003 1:18:14 PM

Edmonton, Canada

hey g1t, that may be something i have to look into. i think it was west edmonton mall who bought it. (biggest mall in the world) hopefully I can track some one down who would know where it is now.

10/6/2003 1:22:03 PM

Sask, Canada

So to end this shortly, after all was said and done one of their fruit was incorrectly broadcast to have come in third which didn't but they forced the commitee to pay them the third place prize which they did.

So next year the fight is on and I hope every grower grows bigger and shows this family that their days of rule and B.S. are over.

To top this even further a BIG Pumpkin downtown after the event was torn apart and the seeds were stolen, yes the RCMP were called in.

TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

Good luck to all next year, yes this family as well...

10/6/2003 1:23:55 PM

Edmonton, Canada

The people that run this event are great, but they need to organize things much better next year. The whole thing turned into a big gong show. I think the overwhelming growth of the event has pushed the organizers to the limit. When you have 6000 people watching, there is going to be some comotion. Things have just grown so quickly, which I guess is a good problem to have.

And I'll agree with you Ernie, the family you're refering to has a bit of a reputation.

I walked away very frustrated on a day I'd really been looking forward to. I'm sure there will be improvements made, and some big ones next year!

10/6/2003 1:32:53 PM

Sask, Canada

One last note, come hell or high water there will be a weigh-off in Moose Jaw next year and it won't be on the first Sat. of Oct. but to be more in line with our season in this part of Canada.

TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

10/6/2003 1:51:43 PM

[email protected]

I agree with everything Ernie says, and would like to add, my daughter was not allowed to go with her pumpkin. She was removed from the back area. You want to talk about a pissed off young lady.
Jennifers pumpkin was light, we knew that but everybody can't be light.
We are going to Moose Jaw Next year for sure.

Eddy

10/6/2003 2:23:33 PM

Cooks Creek, Manitoba, Canada

Ernie and friends, sorry to here about the problems at Smoky Lake, I know Roland is a long way to go but they put on a first class event. It's a really nice atmosphere with lots of friendly competition going on. Hey, they even had a reserve section of the stands for us growers and a MC that really made the growers feel apart of the competition.

Hopefully you can get a weighoff going in Saskatchewan.

10/6/2003 9:16:21 PM