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Itzetown City

My patch is not passable wether with a tractor nor with a bobcat.
Last night I dreamt I'd grown a real big one and harvest that Pumpkin (dont laugh) with a gas balloon. The balloon had a appr. 10 feet diameter and I filled it up with gas, so that the Pumpkin hangs in the lifting straps appr. 5 feet above the ground. Than it was very easy to move the big Pumpkin with one hand floating over the fences and hedges to the trailer. Over the trailer I open the valve of the ballon and the Pumpkin sunk soft on the trailer.
Anyone done this before, ore is and should it be only a dream? I'm insane?

12/9/2005 2:32:09 PM

SF Bay Area, California

You are not insane.... Only dreaming. The balloon would have to be approximately 60 feet in diameter or more depending on the lifting gas used.

12/9/2005 2:58:56 PM

Garden

Good idea, but that would take some balloon. The hot air balloons that fly around here can handle a maximum load of 5 adults on a cold day. Maybe a gas, like you said, would be more effective.
I have the same problem as far as access to my garden. Luckily, I'm a horrible pumpkin grower so fitting them through my gate hasnt been a problem :)

12/9/2005 3:03:29 PM

Ca

I have the same hypothetical issue with my downslope backyard patch -- what if I grow an 800 pounder and need to get it out? My plan is to contact a tree service friend with a crane, and enlist his help, and donate other pumpkins to him in exchange for his help. A crane can be up to 100 ft+ from the pumpkin and still be able to pluck it (but try to avoid lifting it over rooftops and cars, just in case...). Another possibility is "reverse-skylining" the pumpkin, using a phone pole to hang a heavy duty pully from. Then run a fixed cable/line from the top of the pole to an ahchored post in the patch, with a movable pulley attached to the fixed line. After strapping up your pumpkin, run a line through the movable pulley, to the fixed pulley on the pole. A power source such as a winch, or a reduction system, or both, is useful to actually move the pumpkin safely without too much physical effort.

12/9/2005 3:48:59 PM

Syracuse, NY

i think you would need two lines running to the pumpkin:
one to actually pull the fruit along the fixed cable
(now angled, from low to high?)
via one winch and then you'd need another
one to actually lower the pumpkin down onto your waiting
flatbed truck. i am also thinking along the "lines",lol, of a pulley clothesline of monster proportions...perhaps the remedy is already within your idea...i cannot imagine how strong the pole would have to be; it would have to be one that was no longer used,
to avoid power outage, and it would have to be anchored
from the other side of it, opposite the patch.
completely awesome idea though, as too was the BALLOON idea!

12/9/2005 4:37:05 PM

Garden

See Fisssh's diary for a contraption he built to get his fruit down a steep incline.

12/9/2005 4:42:12 PM

Ohio

That was a great idea fish came up with.

12/9/2005 5:00:37 PM

Sioux Falls, SD [email protected]

You need about 50 cubic feet to lift a pound if you're filling it with hot air. . .varies a little depending on temp, humidity, altitude.

Your average hot air balloon will lift roughly 2000 pounds, but you will need some of that for burner, harness, etc.

Hey, what if someone hauled a say a 500lb-er up a quarter mile or so and dropped it . . .what kind of ride would that give the pilot. . .can that even be done????

12/9/2005 5:01:21 PM

Ca

pumpkinpal, you're right, you would need an additional line as a "tag line".

12/9/2005 5:32:51 PM

Indiana

When i went skydiving out of a balloon the pilot put it in a slight decent before we jumped

12/9/2005 7:23:15 PM

So. Maine

A retired tree cutter up my way showed me a picture of how he removed a 600 pounder out of his patch using a dual cable system with the lower cable having a pully & strapping to connect to the lifting rig on the pumpkin. With the cable tied to a big tree on one end & to a big truck on the other he backed the truck to slacken the cable , hooked up then slowly drove the big truck ahead in low gear & lifted the 600 lb.pumpkin 3 feet off the ground then slowly pushed the pumpkin down the cable until he could set it down out in the open where he wanted it.

12/9/2005 8:51:40 PM

Spanish Ontario

WHAT KIND OF GAS ARE YOU USING bean,s ///?????????????

12/10/2005 8:26:58 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

There appears to be no shortage of hot air.
Marv

12/10/2005 11:48:03 PM