From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ohio

Wouldnt it be something just for a ONE heavy hitter to just grab 1 Unproven seed and give it a shot, just to see if genetics really is a big factor. Plant it right next to thier 842 Eaton, 723 Bobier, and 868 Knauss and treat it like it was there best seed.

Lets say Jack Larue plants Five of my 572 Bosworth's and Al Eaton plants five, and thats all they grow that year, how many of the 10 would reach 1000 lbs? Im going out on a limb here, but hearing about Jack Larue growing pumpkins, I would say 3 out of 5 would be in the 1000lbs range. Now if I would grow five,I would venture to say maybe 1 would even reach 800lbs. Now if I was to grow Five 842 Eatons the same time I grew the 572 Bosworth,s Would you think I had a good chance of reaching 1000 then?,,I do. So does a pumpkin seed really make the diffrence? Or is it the grower,,,,,, I think both. You see what Im getting at here? I hope im explaining this right.

Has any heavy hitter ever just grabbed a seed they recieved in the mail from a first year grower and said,," HMMMMMMMM This is a nice big pretty Seed, Im putting this seed in my best patch"LOL. Has this ever happend? Has a 1000lber ever been grown like this?

Whos gonna be the first to try if they havnt yet? Brett,,,Lisa,,,... Jack..... Make my seed famous!,lolololol

Thinking alot out loud here and rambling on and on and,,,,
Brooks

12/31/2004 3:26:39 PM

Garden

Well, from my results, its gotta be purely the seeds fault :)

12/31/2004 3:30:33 PM

Key West, FL

Jack LaRue for example grew a lot of unproven seeds this year. What do you call the 1104, 1247, 1180, and so on before this year? They were new seeds.

12/31/2004 6:16:40 PM

Ohio

Ben, Ben ,Ben, but them are Big NAME seeds. And HESTER seeds!!! (One of the best growers and master of the crosses going in my personal opinion), I know they havnt been grown and it isnt Bretts first year lol, but if Hester wasnt on them seeds you think they would have been grown? I know what your saying though, how about they grow a Bosworth*cough* or Olsen,or Carson, Jepsen, see what im getting at now? Olsen has a fantastic cross with the 707 toftness x 805 Pukos, if that was Al Eatons cross how many people you think would want that seed? Or the 230 Jepsen the 842 Eaton x 845 Bobier(clone), If Brett Hester did that cross it would be selling at auction this year before it was even grown,lol(And id buy sum too, No doubt,lolol)

12/31/2004 6:34:18 PM

Ohio

I think alot of its trust in a growers cross too, and which grower you like the best, I wouldnt grow a seed from a grower i didnt like, Its kinda like your favorite football team you follow, You would never catch me growing a steeler seed,lolol still rambling,,,,,,,,,

Brooks

12/31/2004 6:39:39 PM

Ohio

And there is Hester, he is on the 50, now 45 down to the 35 , now 30, he jukes Al eaton, OHHHH WHAT A MOVE!!! now down to the 25, now 20, down to the 15! here comes Larue!!! He dives at Hester and MISSES, HE MISSESSSSSS!!!!, DOWN TO THE 5, NOW 4, 3, 2, 1, TOUCHHHHH DOWNNNNN HESTER!!!!!!!
still rambling,,,,,

12/31/2004 6:47:43 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Maybe the heavy hitters stick with big name seeds, mostly because they trust the grower's ability to make controlled crosses, and have the correct parent seeds to start with.
I imagine there is a lot of seed trading between heavy hitters. They help each other in proving the other's seed. Also, the bigger pumpkins seem to have more info. circulating about them(ie. Marv Hick's 700 lb. list). Maybe if you make this list, you will get more seed requests.
Maybe there are people here on BP.com who trust each other, and grow each other's crosses, who aren't heavy hitters.
For many of us less accomplished growers, we may have to prove our own seed, to find out it's potential.
Jim Ford had a post about him growing only non-proven seed in 2005. I don't know if these will be from big name growers, or not?

Doug

12/31/2004 7:14:15 PM

New Hampshire

Controlled crosses are important. If you trust the grower and his pollination practices and the genetics are there they have all the potential of a "Brand" name seed. There has to be some politics in involved too. Sucessfull big name growers want other sucessfull big name grower to plant their seeds so that they will plant their seeds. Many of the seeds I am goig to plant this year will be from growers who have little or no name recognition. I am motivated by Imperical Data. I am not tring to expose the "evils" of HH insider politics. I can Butter-up with the best to get a edge with this passion(Disease). I find the hype on proven seeds to offend my scientific nature. I know this is not a good comercial for the seed auctions coming up. Support our pumpkin clubs, bid high on those lesser known but just as potent seeds.

12/31/2004 8:56:26 PM

Key West, FL

many of the "HH's" are just friends with other HH's, thats why they grow those seeds.

1/1/2005 1:39:09 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

And HH's just like everyone else has a limited space and time to grow.....so wouldn't that seem like the most likely seed that they would grow would be from another HH...Now I'm sure if they liked a cross they would grab it from a less reliable source..but in reality..if they want a seed proven they give it to another hitter..and get the same in return...meet these guys (HH'S) and they will give ya the same seed ...show em your a grower...not a 1 year popper..and you'll get more..hang in there guys respect in pumpkindom is earned not a right...hey many a great grower never hit 600 lbs but still know their stuff..just my 2 cents but I know alot of growers with great knowledge ..beautiful crosses...and would be HH with time, money, property, sun etc...look around plenty of great crosses done without the name recognition.....so take your time get to know these guys, listen and learn you'll be the next HH....if your lucky, or at least a respectected grower..which is much more reasonable to expect.
grow em Big!
Chuck

1/1/2005 2:53:27 PM

Ohio

I think you hit the nail on the head Alex, Limited space, and growing seed from someone they grew seed from before that produced their Monsters, why change a good thing.

1/1/2005 4:38:17 PM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

The HH's through experience make far fewer mistakes than the average grower, therefore increase there chances of success. The key to getting recognized is to make good crosses and circulate as much seed as possible. Someone some where will get lucky and grow a big one. Then yours will be the hot one! I have sent out about 20 sets of my first year pumpkins so far and I hope to send out a lot more. Surely some of them will get planted! As well I will plant at least one of my own this year along with several "proven" seeds and several unproven name brand seeds i.e. 1446 Eaton. Everyone needs a strategy, this is mine.

1/2/2005 10:37:28 AM