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Deer Park, WI

As mentioned in the post on club/event best practices, social media platforms are very powerful ways to spread our message to a massive, untouched audience. These same platforms are also great ways to connect those of us who have already "drank the kool-aid"

Facebook networks amongst growers and clubs are alive and well. This platform serves as a great way to communicate and network, plan and organize, etc.

As the world continues to evolve to a more mobile/smartphone, on-the-go, time-limited universe, social media platforms must also evolve to meet those needs.

Twitter's been around for a while. It offers the advantage of being concise and allows for the user to select "who to follow". Twitter users receive a scrolling feed of the "tweets" (tweet=short message) their followers have published. Its a deluge of headlines, if you will. A short word limit, ability to share pics and video. Simple, easy, no cost way of staying immediately current of happenings of who you choose to follow.

I use Twitter exclusively for my world news headlines. Its my up-to-the-second source for NFL news.

How can this benefit pumpkin growers? A network of tweeting growers and organizations can share information in a concise, immediate fashion. Because its so mobile-friendly, users can view their feed on their phones and catch up on a day's worth of action in just a few minutes.

Where I see the greatest value is on weighoff day. Growers and organizations can tweet weighoff results, pictures, and/or vids in real time. This way, growers around the world can watch the action on any scale from any location.

3/23/2017 2:02:19 PM

Deer Park, WI

For those interested, the GPC has a twitter acct: @GPCpumpkin, as do a handful of social media-savvy growers. Once you start adding to your network, the platform is smart enuf to recommend others that share similar interests.

I'll be speaking to the SCGA board about creating a Twitter acct to better connect our organization to the pumpkin world. I'd encourage y'all to do the same in the interest of raising the bar for everyone.

3/23/2017 2:02:28 PM

Hamilton - New Zealand

I second the use of Twitter, I really like seeing the tweets the GPC put out as well as Ken at weigh off's it allows people unable to make to an event keep up with it in almost real time.

The real trick is getting people at events that can look after the social media side of things because when things get busy it's the last thing I worry about, I'm going to be posting tweets from our weigh-off here in NZ in 9 days time when Tim Harris (Mitlem on here)

Social media is great as it can bring people closer, even if we live on other sides of the planet. If you want to see what I'm posting on Twitter find me @giantpumpkinnz

3/23/2017 2:14:56 PM

Hamilton - New Zealand

Forgot to say, when Tim hopefully breaks the NZ record again.

3/23/2017 2:15:36 PM

Weatherman

If twitter is good enough for President Trump it's good enough for us.

3/23/2017 3:15:31 PM

Muddy Waters

Yes I think its time for Bubba to Tweet! The world is our Orange kin with 8 billion potential new members!!. good stuff Joe looking forward to hearing you on April 2nd

3/23/2017 8:32:53 PM

Lloydminster/AB

Twitter is great for keeping up with what's happening in the world.
I like the way the bigpumpkins app posts to twitter as you update the diary. Great work Ken!

3/23/2017 11:02:48 PM

Essex, UK

I use twitter a lot, was main way I spread the word about our giant pumpkin growing last year. Would be great to see more growers being more active on there. Follow me @MattOliver87 or the hashtag #UKGiantPumpkin @GiantPumpkinIE is worth a follow for giant pumpkin growing in Ireland.

3/25/2017 2:57:54 PM

Galt, CA

I just recently started using twitter, but I am very familiar with Instagram and facebook. I'm all for it!!! the more connected the better. It us also very easy to add pictures to direct from your device to all these formats.

4/6/2017 10:26:51 PM

Galt, CA

live feeds are so easy with facebook!! I have been following the Utah club and the are really leading the way with all this. Just in the last month they have had a skype with Ron Wallace, a webinar with Matt McKonckie, and a facebook live stream of there local growers meeting.

4/6/2017 10:30:55 PM