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Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

First let me send my congratulations to Ron Wallace on the awesome achievement with his 2009 and 1874. Here is my question, how does the 2009 affect you. Will you try harder, will you grow the pretty ones instead, or will you just give up?
When the 2009 results first appeared it was an omg moment, followed by tell me why I’m doing this again moment. Well I now look at it this way, the mn state record is 1630, my best is 1213, so I’ll do it in steps all I need to do is increase by 34.41% for the state and then another 23.2% for the existing WR. Nothing to it, lol.
Bill

10/9/2012 2:12:14 PM

Claysburg , PA

I can`t growem big anyways , no effect on me .


James

10/9/2012 2:32:52 PM

Massachusetts

the 2009 just confirms that i have a lot more to learn or find out ;)

10/9/2012 2:39:31 PM

Torrance, Ca.

That just means there is a chance for you Bill.I have to grow 100 percent +++++++++++++ just to get to a 1000 lbs. Now you on the other hand only have to raise your growing ability 57.61 percent............ to reach a new world record!

I think that's a pretty good odds !


And make another short film along the way, great stuff! :)

10/9/2012 3:00:41 PM

Sourthern Utah

yes will try harder ,, and hope to learn more before next season,, on some of the stuff them (HH) big dawg growers use ,, but yes it made a lasting effect on me

10/9/2012 3:37:42 PM

Ashby, MA

As others have stated... compete against yourself instead of others. Everyone's patch is different.

10/9/2012 3:56:06 PM

Minnesota

I can't grow em big but I can make great genetic crosses! 2009 screams cross me with another great seed!

10/9/2012 4:42:21 PM

Colorado

To me 2009 says I can grow much larger than pb.Now that 2000 has been reached they may be less interest in the hobby over the long term.

10/9/2012 4:54:32 PM

Ohio

Yes, it will effect my growing but in a good kinda way..... I might get home sick from my wife for about maybe 2 hours, but this will pass, and usally does pass alot faster then 2 hours and be just minutes..
But from May to October, ill be staying in Rhode Island in Ron's pumpkin shack behind his house. Pap said I could use a few 1000 sq ft of his plots to grow in with all the beer I can drink!
Who wouldn't want a vacation like this anyway?

10/9/2012 5:23:05 PM

East Jordan, MI

Brooks,
Is there room for two in that shack? I'll buy the beer.

10/9/2012 7:33:42 PM

Linden, Mi.,

"No effect here" !

10/9/2012 7:34:42 PM

Mass

onward and upward. 2010 (968), 2011 (1107) + 14.3% 2012 (1509), +36.3% 2013 ????? They proved its possible.

10/9/2012 8:09:29 PM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

I look at it like a round of golf. You have fun playing and beating your personal best is the reward. I'm not in it for the competition. If I was, I would have thrown away the clubs a long time ago!!!

10/9/2012 8:23:49 PM

Deerfield, Michigan

Is this really about growing BIG pumpkins or just having fun? I enjoy it and look forward trying to get better each year. I don't golf ,bowl or sit at the bar drinking every night. I enjoy the people and sunny days in the garden.

10/9/2012 8:57:53 PM

its evolution were getting bigger and bigger, even cats around here are bigger

10/9/2012 9:16:54 PM

Clinton, Iowa

it all changed for me and MArc several years ago....early on I always wanted to get a state record. felt is was 'within reach" and luckily we acheived that goal in 2006 at 1275 pounds....then some guy came along and put that little state record to shame at 1662 (Donnie Young of course) in 2007 . Hence now our goal has always been to try and stay respectable. TRY and I stress TRY to shoot for PB right...BUT even that is a reach on some years. Like this one for example.....1 pumpkin in the entire state went over 1000# for the entire year at any weigh off.. YEA ONE... that isn't a typo. It was our 1188.5 weighed at Anamosa. Marc and I are prolly more proud of this one pumpkin then pretty much anything else we have grown.THIS one was a battle from the get go....Hey it made it and we were amazed. The seed that grew this pumpkin out preformed some of the worlds best...1807, 1381 checkon, and 1725 harp. all planted in the same patch. Just goes to show sometimes your own seeds are the ones you should at least try. just food for thought.
And I gotta tip my hats to those that helped us fight off whatever disease that was slipping into the plants in the patch. with out your thoughts and Ideas they all would have went down. thanks
DAN

10/9/2012 9:32:03 PM

Santa Rosa, CA.

When I told my wife about the 2009 she told me to "give it up". Thanks for the support honey.

10/9/2012 11:11:21 PM

Citrus Heights, CA

7000lbs is the projected top for atlantic giant. we have only just begun.

10/9/2012 11:25:54 PM

West [email protected]

Facing the giant pumpkin world is too much, set a personal goal and go for it. I'll bet Ron wanted a 2,000 pound kin more than the WR ( just my thoughts). So did the 2009 change my thinking.........NO
"If your not enough without a WR you'll never be enough with it" (Mr. John Candy)

Good post by the way

10/9/2012 11:39:48 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

I've been growing for years with limited time and an even more limited budget. But when the house is paid off in January and I take my retirement in the first half of the year that will all change. Then all I have to do is get the weather to cooperate. I don't know if I will ever reach the same level as Don, Dan, or Marc, but I sure want to share a ride on the parade float with them some day (that means a top 3 finish)

10/9/2012 11:44:35 PM

San Diego

We all get excited to grow! We all love big pumpkins and personal bests for sure. Me and vince finally cracked a 1000 lb plus pumpkin, took us 10 years. We are happy, but there is so much more to life than growing and so much more to life than records. After everything is said and done, "it's just a pumpkin".

10/10/2012 1:24:41 AM

Glosta

Some food for thought on the increase over the past 3 years.

2010 top 10 estimate weight average 1603.2
2011 top 10 estimate weight average 1647 increase of 43.8 lbs
2012 top 10 estimate weight average 1764.1 increase of 117.1 (new chart at average increase is 45 lbs in the top ten which puts the est increase at 72 lbs)

2010 top 10 actual weight average 1672.97
2011 top 10 actual weight average 1702.71
2012 top 10 actual weight average 1797.85

2010 #1 pumpkin 137.53# over average
2011 #1 pumpkin 115.79# over average
2012 #1 (so far) pumpkin 211.15# over average

to extend the range we get

2010 top 20 estimate weight average 1536.30
2011 top 20 estimate weight average 1585.30
2012 top 20 estimate weight average 1688.50

2010 top 10 actual weight average 1618.80
2011 top 10 actual weight average 1655.88
2012 top 10 actual weight average 1712.48

So the general trend has gone through out the entire top growers. Ron has definitely set the bar high this year and distanced the #1 weight further than in past years, however with weigh offs left to come the average should rise this year.

Will 2009 discourage some growers? Maybe. Will it be hard to beat? Maybe. Should we stop trying? Never!

10/10/2012 10:16:52 AM

Wi

Bry we need to look at 2012 and compare it to 2007. I believe the last time we had weather like this it was 2007. Therefore the big jump in weights. Look at Oregon alone! I can't believe what they did this year!

Unfortunately unlike 2007 not everyone had great weather. The midwest was left out this year. See example of ONE pumpkin over 1000 in Iowa.

None over 1300 in WI...so far....

10/10/2012 10:42:10 AM

50 Acres

Big Time, if I get a seed.

10/10/2012 12:38:25 PM

Brittnau , Switzerland

no more excuse .....

10/10/2012 2:27:58 PM

Hot West Tennessee

No Bill. just trying to best pb here. And stumble on the state record. Wish for a mild summer in 13. Now you guys know what I deal with on a regular basis. Hot hot hot.

10/10/2012 11:38:34 PM

Joliet, IL

For me 2009 just means potential. If ron can jump that high, well that means in a good year I might be able to jump into 1600s or maybe higher. This just gave me more hope at the possibilities. I too like Dan treat every year and conditions separate. This year I consider my finest year of growing from what we were up against in the midwest. It blows my mind when I scroll down the gpc list looking for midwest growers....minn., wisc, iowa, ohio, illinois, kentucky.......not many in the top 100 in the world this year.

Set goals relevant to your area, always try for a personal best, and realize no matter what, try your damndest to get anything to scale. This year having one in tact and at the show in the midwest is testimant to your dedication and desire for this hobby. And if someday you get a magic bullet world record contender....so be it.....but be realistic in your goals......and then do your damndest to shatter your own expectations.

10/11/2012 9:33:26 AM

Glosta

ok chris here's the comparison you wanted

2012 top 10 estimate weight average 1764.1

2007 Top 10 estimate weight average 1523.96

2012 top 10 actual weight average 1797.85

2007 top 10 actual weight average 1569.65

not sure why this is more relevant than most recent but there's the info

10/11/2012 10:32:20 AM