great pictures! Bob's top entry was only 556 pounds this year and he has lost his growing spot. We are not sure if he will be competing next year.
It will be sad if he doesn't.
Martha
Giant Pumpkin results in MA
Martha..........I worked five years at trying to grow the really great big giant. With the best of soil and best care I could give them I worked up to 769 knowing or thinking what I knew and had going was more than good enough to break into the thousand plus arena. Yet I had issues each year that we knew were sometimes our fault and yet other things over which we had no controll. The effort and excitement of trying was well worth the effort for me.
Growing those monsters is work, soil building, plant management and when it all comes down the weather, the local issues of shade and invading other roots and weeds is really a challenge.
If it was easy to grow the really big one we would all get it done. My comment with merit is that it is better to have run the race and finish also attended is far better than not to have run the race. Trying or getting started is said to be halfway finished. There are so many factors that pop up it is a wonder any of us make the five hundred mark. To me anyone who does has the skill given time, money and effort to overcome the basic issues. I know a person with the persistance would most likely get there in time. Your guy is a champ in my book. Your grand children will be able to look at the monster pop pop grew for as long as there is any interest there to enjoy the effort. I put my great pumpkin issues to rest by turning the patch back into grass I can manage in my later years. I have the great memories to enjoy for the rest of my time. It was a wild great trip trying.
I do appreciate the effort. That's why it is so sad about Bob's situation. His plot was across the street from his parent's house and they moved. So he isn't able to water properly. I admire Bob's effort and have for many years. also the efforts of the other competitors when I do get to the weigh off. Also, he has been generous with his back-ups to the town so others can enjoy them. I know it's a huge commitment of time, effort, supplies and water to make the punkins great! Not to mention the suspense of getting the pumpkin to the weigh off site in one piece.
I wonder how the pumpkin regatta people get the biggies down to the damaricotta river to sail. Do they carve it before they leave home or do they have to carve it when they get to the starting line? Does anyone know?
Martha
Martha...........I do not know your area but here in the Northeast the pumpkins are carved or opened up into boats the morning of the regatta....in public view. It is more like a festival with vendors and sound system that enables the committee to meander among the hopefulls and talk or interview the boat builders. People can mingle with the growers making boats. They see the pick up and delivery to water's edge.
This all started in Nova Scotia where this year after having five or six previous events the Pumpkin Regatta is reported to have had 10,000 in the gally gathered to watch the silly dudes that would try to be captain of a pumpkin boat. They even have a motorized division.
My husband the engineer would be interested in the motorized division! I would just like to see the punkins.
Martha
You can go to UTube and or Google and search for pumpkin regatta. Nova Scotia has a great lot of pictures both places. Others will show up too.
Thanks! I make a great pumpkin raisin muffin. One of these would make many dozens of them!
Just the parts they carve out to make the boats.
Martha
Our local city just held the 18th annual pumpkin festival, where, in 2003, residents contributed 28,592 pumpkins for the big event. We fell rather short last evening, only bringing in an official tally of 22,568 pumpkins. This number fell 7,560 gourds short of the Guinness world record, which we held every year up until 2006, when Boston decided to jump on board and try for the world record themselves.
Oh, I forgot to mention this. All of these pumpkins had to be carved, and lit, and all gathered up and down Main Street in order to be counted for the world record.
I did not go to the festival, but I am sure that the local newspaper will have plenty of photos of the event.
http://sentinelsource.com