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Rhode Island

i dont know about you guys but it strikes me that for the last few years the amount of large atlantic giant fruit being weighed seems to be increasing in leaps and bounds.

not to long ago it took several years (and more ) to accomplish respectable weights.
now they are being grown by first and second year growers as well.

true that books,the internet, seed genetics, information sharing and the growers overall comittment to excellence are mostly responsible.

but have you ever seen so many 900 and up pumpklins being grown?

here in ri earlier this summer my son and i were discussing this very subject.
we commented " we know of at least a dozen large pumpkins on the hook from just our close friends in rhode island " if we got um i dont think its so much what we are doing rather what the seed stocks are doing "
for a quick overview we need to go back to the year 2000.

at that time a 900 lb pumpkin was huge and would take most weighoffs (1,000 was a real treat ) now 900 pounders and up are found at the local fairs, road side stands,etc.
bring one to a established weigh off site and you might finish somewhere between 12 and 20

hell,i remember getting excited with a 400 pounder in years past. now they are that size and up by the end of july or they get culled

wheres it all gonna end ?????????

dick

10/5/2005 6:38:23 AM

Cologne / Germany

Dito Dick. It´s also amazing to see how many pumpkins around 1000 lbs have been harvested in Europe this year. 3 years ago that was just wishful thinking.
Also interesting to see that older seeds like 723 Bobier had a big comeback in 2005. Do they increase genetics while they are sleeping? LOL
But in my opinion 1500 is a magic number and maybe there won´t be much more after that. The cross? 723 x 845 LOL

10/5/2005 7:25:44 AM

Waquoit Mass

Another interesting point Dick, do todays new growers realize all the time work and commitment of growers like Howard THe KIng Jack Larue Al Eaton etc i could go on and on and leave someone out to get them and us to that point ?.Used to be the first 1000 lber was a great milestone .Thers something to be said for years of work and paying your dues it makes it sweeter just my opinion

10/5/2005 8:47:24 AM

Md/ Usa

we are close to end in my opinion. the pumpkins are getting to a point where the shells are having trouble supporting there own weight. Most like huge balloons with a shell only a few inches thick. It should not be to hard to calculate the maximum weight limit given the strength and cohesion the pumpkins tissue. The limiting factor is how fast a pumpkin can grow without having a blow out.

10/5/2005 10:22:23 AM

addison Il

its not going to end every yr somones gonna try and beat the record but that makes the sport fun as for a 400pd pumpkin i think all should be proud of there pumpkins reagardless if joe shmoe grew a 900pdr. I think for most peaple its a personal thing being able to grow there own giant to say it was started by them and they nurtured the plant they worked for it and most of all to beat your personal best is a great feat every yr, when you bring that big one home to your place and all the little kiddies and adults smile and wanna take pics with your pumpkin that 20th place pumpkin will be the one your most proud of and if your like me and started out small well i have many yr ahead of me and so much fun to look foward to. So on that note i wish everyone good tidings and have fun see everyone next yr.

10/5/2005 10:41:41 AM

Western NY

i think we'll see 1500 officially in a few years. probably 2000 in my lifetime, but i have a feeling it's going to slow down a bit as far as our ability to push the limits once we get past 15-1600

10/5/2005 11:14:04 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

In some ways I agree with Matt. (mark this in your calendars) Being the technical type person that deals with sigma's and probabilities everyday. I think it would be very interesting to compile a pareto chart of all pumpkins grown that are on track with the Ailts/Landry Benchmarks to produce 1200lb plus Pumpkins. Then record the amount of pumpkins that actually make it to weigh-off, along with those that split. I would think the amount that make it to weigh off would fall in like the 30% area. So the ones making it to the weigh off are not in the normal curve but ones that fall outside it. This ratio would improve as the final weights of the pumpkins decrease. No matter what way you look at it a pumpkin over 500lbs is still a freak of nature. A 1500lb pumpkin is just awesome.

10/5/2005 11:15:58 AM

Indiana

we wont see an end to this....ever

10/5/2005 12:55:16 PM

Lexington, Ky

Ever had your arms around a Sequoia?!

10/5/2005 1:11:48 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Gee, some people talk a whole lot but don't seem to have any pumpkins.

Last time I checked, 400lbs will still set a record in Maryland. So where is your pumpkin, Mat???

I believe that we will see new ideas emerge which change the way people grow pumpkins, allowing for larger fruit. Southern growers will harness the power of a hotter sun sooner or later!! -Jim

10/5/2005 1:36:20 PM

Utah

ditto to what Beachy said.

10/5/2005 2:23:10 PM

Hayes, Virginia

im doing my part to slow things down--lol
Ed

10/5/2005 4:09:05 PM

Butler, Ohio

Heck, I had more fun taking a 680 pound fruit to the local street fair and watching everybody ooo and ahhh at it than I've had in a long time. It was truly a joy to watch all the little kids touch (not abuse) it and watch their eyes light up. I hope this does not end, cause I had a blast up at weighoff this year watching the big boys weigh in!! Just my 2 cents worth. Mike

10/5/2005 4:49:13 PM

No Place Special

I also dont think it will ever stop. I do think that after 1500 or 1600 we may slow way down in our annual gains. I think I will see a 3000 lber in my lifetime.

10/5/2005 5:10:52 PM

Omaha, NE (N41-15-42 )

Yeah Mike, you'll see it in my backyard!

10/5/2005 5:48:16 PM

Mike you're already pretty old, you must expect to live a lonnnggg life if you expect to see a 3000 pounder! ;-)

10/5/2005 6:39:44 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Ouch Mike, that must of hurt!
I think the curve will even out soon(it may be in the process, now). I think 1400+ will be an ultra-elite group for quite awhile. It could be many years before 1600 lbs. is broken. I'm guessing genetic improvements, and a larger number of serious growers, will be the largest factor in world record gains. But what do I know(LOL)?

10/5/2005 9:11:40 PM

Mn

Pap you are so right. Last year the first place winner was 930lbs this year it was 1038. The guy who grew the 1038 had a personal best of 798.5. 2004 was my first year growing and i grew a 729.5 pound pumpkin. A not but acouple of years ago that would have taken first place at most weigh-offs. Some of the people I know remember When 500-600Lbs was absolutly huge. Hopefully the weights will keep going higher and higher.

Alex

10/5/2005 10:20:00 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Brigitte, if I remember correctly Mike is only 30. 70 more years to go...LOL

10/6/2005 8:55:10 AM

Hudsonville, Michigan ([email protected])

I personally feel the huge jump in weights this year was largely driven by consistent high temps all summer. I expect next years numbers to be lower on average than this year, and that in the long run this year's numbers will be seen as an anomoly driven by weather. That being said, even if you factor out this year, the numbers are steadily increasing both for the mean, and the high end of the bell curve. But Mike, c'mon, man. 3000?!? Not unless genetic engineering can produce a perennial AG.... :)
Frank

10/6/2005 10:25:13 AM

Montoursville, PA

Genetic engineering could indeed create a monster but that takes huge potential financial returns, for the investment.
I don't see that kind, of potential return, anywhere within the game at this time.

10/6/2005 12:41:37 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

I think in the future we'll talk a lot about regional
differences and advantages... I don't think I have a realistic
shot at the world record living where I live, but certainly
the Idaho record is a mark for me to shoot at.

A good question might be, will 1500 fall next year? If not,
when?

Will it go on forever? To some degree, but the annual gains
will eventually have to get smaller. We JUST MIGHT have
seen the beginning of that this year.....

I think it will always be interesting and fun, and every
grower has personal marks that are worthwhile to them,
a personal best, a state or weighoff record, or whatever.

Just random thoughts here... I wonder if there is any way
of estimating how many growers are actively pursuing this
hobby? In that, I think we are barely scratching the
surface. Every day I meet people who have no idea this is
going on.........

10/6/2005 1:05:21 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

it will end when the average Joe can just stick a seed in the ground in May and come back in October to a 1500lber.

Glenn

10/6/2005 3:09:40 PM

Puyallup, WA

...like that's going to happen!? Long after we are gone, Glenn!

10/6/2005 4:46:00 PM

[email protected]

2000 - 1140 (+9 lbs)
2001 - 1262 (+122 lbs)
2002 - 1337 (+75 lbs)
2003 - 1385 (+48 lbs)
2004 - 1446 (+61 lbs)
2005 - 1469 (+23 lbs)

Average recent per year gain = 56.33 lbs.

The available data does not support a flattening of growth. At the current rate we WILL have a 1500 pounder in 2006. Probably not in my patch though! LOL

10/6/2005 9:17:46 PM

Rhode Island

thanks to everyone for your thoughts
heres a final one

to bad we cant get someone to grow the dam things for us while we sit in our lounge chair sipping our favorite drink, reading our favorite book while passing along an occasional comment or words of wisdom lol

even if we just hire them to do the spreading,tilling,spraying,prunimg,covering vine,more pruning,polinating,fanning and bleaching soft spots on the stems and bases,pollinate some more,collecting the males early on,packing,unpacking,shading,blanketing,( we are a bunch of nuts lol) more sprays,soil soup,pull weeds every spare minute,watering,appling additives, more weed pulling all this and im sure you guys can add some more to the mix

at least if we used this method we would not feel so bad when we loose um
im getting tired just thinking about it

pap

10/7/2005 6:24:41 AM