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Location

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Usa

With all the talk of clubs not getting enough moneys I don't understand the auctions. Why do some clubs get to have two auctions or even three, while others only get to have one. Is it the larger the club the more auctions?

Just seems like some clubs are getting shorted, are these the clubs complaining? Seems to me each club should have one auction that would be more fair?????

Joe

11/21/2011 11:28:12 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Joe, earlier in the year. Ken D., the bp.com site owner held a random (pick from the hat) type of thing to fill auction date request's. Not sure how any club picked from the hat get's two consecutive days? Each day a club holds an auction,(live, on bp.com) they pay a fee!!!!....but there are also lots of auctions that are ???"silent"? Is that what they call em? Maybe the multiple auctions, are the unregistered (silent) types? KGPG has only one auction date, and I hope you are there w/ big $'s!!!! The best auctioneer ever (IMHO) will be helping us !!!! Peace, Wayne

11/22/2011 2:29:49 AM

Muddy Waters

I think the panic about to many auctions is just that, a panic.The volume of people to this hobby is growing fast.There is plenty of people(supporters).to have more auctions.Your Club can have as many as you like on BP.BUT Please! dont try to feed Africa or save the World on our backs.Support the Sport!

11/22/2011 7:17:59 AM

Deer Park, WI

Ken fairly administered a system whereby all clubs, chosen at random, selected one date from the calendar. Clubs who expressed interest in a second auction date were thrown back into the hat for a second round after the first round. This system ensured all clubs were given a fair chance at their first date.

If, in this calendar year, a club has consecutive dates, it is luck/coincidence that the second date was still open after the first round.

11/22/2011 7:46:42 AM

Florida

Don't feed Africa or save the world on your back? Wow!! And it's a hobby not a sport. I've seen some diaries that prove that point...lol . peace,Wayne how are the silent auctions ran? Is what the GPC has been doing a silent auction where everyone sees the bids but the is no auctioneer. So it's called silent.

11/22/2011 9:43:28 AM

Florida

Do the silent auctions pay a fee since they use the website to raise money or is that a way around the fee

11/22/2011 9:46:51 AM

Usa

But it seems the more auctions a club has the more money
they would get. I'd love to help your club Wayne but my dad says I'm not alowed to buy seeds.

Wouldnt more auctions fill the market with more avalible seeds thus driving the seed prices down? Good for the buyers bad for the sellers?

11/22/2011 5:43:41 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Hi Joe, just to put it in perspective, the MAGPG only has enough seeds for one auction night. If other clubs can get more of the popular seeds for auction and have more auction nights, more power to them. We do okay but long established clubs know more growers and have different avenues for aquiring the best seeds. Nothing wrong with that and as far as I know all of the clubs got a fair chance at the "raffle" before additional nights were offered.

11/22/2011 8:50:47 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I agree with your Dad bd368...at your age you don't need to spend your hard earned money on seeds when there are lots of people on here that will gladly send you quality seeds for the price of a self stamped bubble pack.

11/22/2011 9:35:12 PM

Western PA

Joze, you seem to have a lot of info on this subject.

Is this the first year the hat draw lucky pick a date has been used?

The reason I ask, I have noticed the past few years the OVGPG always seems to be one of the first auctions of the season. This year they are second to the GPC, if I am not mistaken they held there auction first the previous two years and they held it in early to mid Dec. 3 years back.

Now I am all for the OVGPG and support them, they run a excellent weigh-off and are a great group of people. I am just using them as an example since I have noticed they are usually one of the first auctions to take place.

Prior to the hat draw method was it kind of like Steeler season tickets, you have the option to renew your spot (seat)every year?

Thanks for the information.

11/22/2011 10:47:40 PM

[email protected]

Pumpkin picker last year was a draw also
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=26&p=367959

11/22/2011 11:38:13 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

I have also prbly stuck my big ole foot in my mouth...Again!!! as the KGPG will prbly hold a silent auction to help to fund our Growers Seminar!!! Packed the house last year...w/ Tom P...Chris K (ms Janet too) JvSB,(w/lil Jimmie Wallace) Dwight, Mr. King Mudd... and others!!! Have heard rumors of NEW Greatness coming to KY. to tell stories...cough, cough...but someone said Wallace? No details yet....but keep yer chin up!!! Will be an incredible growers seminar!!! Peace, Wayne

11/23/2011 12:22:05 AM

Saegertown Pa.

pumpkin picker the ovgpg has been in the draw like every one else has been for a few years now. I know the last few years we have been picked toward the end of the draw and the dates we picked were open because no one picked them. Three years ago we tried to run are auction on are web sight and it crashed and we ended up running it on BP, thank you very much Ken. before that I believe it was a first come first serve, and the date we picked was one that no one had picked yet. Ken has went out of his way threw the years to make this as fare as he could. I can't speak for all the clubs that only run one night but I know some of the smaller clubs have just enough seeds to do just one night, the bigger the club the more members there are to pool to get the seeds for the auctions. All the clubs have started out small and started with just a few people helping and as they grow and get more members it gets a lot better and there is more people to help. Hopefully this helps explain things.

11/23/2011 5:37:51 AM

Southeast

It is pretty obvious that clubs are desperate for revenues. This is why you are seeing silent auctions. I have never seen so many. If you want a big pumpkin at your site you need good prize money. If you are willing to give that up budgets will be be much more easy to handle.Much of this has already been said David

11/23/2011 9:35:36 AM

Petersburg, Mi

There are more dates then there are clubs. So the luck of a club getting the same date or a date that are close to each other year after year does not seem out of the question. Plus when a club picks a later date in the year that will give a club a bit longer to acquire the seeds for the auction.

11/23/2011 10:42:59 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I agree with Quinn's statements regarding the OVGPG's draw position and earlier auctions. Our club chooses dates later in the winter because many growers who send us seeds for auction don't do so until late November or early December. Choosing an early auction date doesn't give me time to get the auction assembled and have it posted far enough in advance on BP.com.

I don't know how Al and the rest of the Canfield boys do it, but KUDOS to them.

11/23/2011 10:40:26 PM

Western PA

Hey Quinn Thanks for the Information.

Joe Pumpkin, I agree those guys work very hard and fast at putting the auction together.

11/24/2011 1:38:55 AM

Connecticut, USA

Thanks quinn. Yes, the order of the auctions on the calendar does not reflect the order clubs were drawn out of the hat. Clubs get to pick whatever date they want as long as it has not been reserved yet. I try to keep it as fair as possible in light of there being a finite number of weekend auction nights available every fall/winter.

11/24/2011 12:55:22 PM

Usa

Yes I am thankfully peoplehere give good seed for free as all of us can't pay money for the seed. I just saw some clubs have more auctions than others and figured those were the large club.if I join a club do they give their seeds to members for free?

Thanks for the answers from all.
Joe

11/24/2011 2:34:24 PM

So. Maine

Blackdog , here in Maine ( MePGO ) we still do the spring seed give a way .

11/24/2011 9:25:53 PM

Muddy Waters

The GWG gives seeds with membership!Lopes,melons,We picked Jan 22nd to give us more time to gather seeds.We could have picked a early Nov. Dec. date.We choose not to.Its all fair & square.

11/24/2011 10:44:43 PM

Saskatchewan Fosston Canada

GVGO.CA are sending out seed packs to members too.

11/25/2011 10:27:34 AM