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Edmonton, Canada

I thought it would be a good idea to start a post about the people from this website that you've found to be the most helpful. They may have taught you how to grow, they may have helped you haul manure, or they may have given you seeds... etc.

I'll kick things off by thanking Alan. (saxamaphone) He has given me a bunch of good seds, and never wants anything in return. I really appreciate his generosity!

1/28/2005 10:50:21 AM

[email protected]

Bart Toftness for being the first person to ever respond to my Newbie offer to purchase seeds.

1/28/2005 11:34:38 AM

ENGLAND

Everyone who is helping me get back into our Hobby/Sport after an absence of 8 and a half years. You know who you are and i thank you all very very much, it is appreciated.

Regards
Mike

1/28/2005 1:34:10 PM

Alex, IN

I think everyone has been a great help to me, from seeing other people's diary's, to people answering the questions I have, to people sharing their seeds and giving helpful hints. I would not say there has been just one person who has been most helpful to me. Growing these Giants is not a one person thing it takes a group of great people and great friends to grow them. I want to thank everyone for all the help you have ever given to me!

Thank You,
Mikkal

1/28/2005 1:42:27 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

I posted this last year but it bares mentioning again.

I have several I look up to and want to thank for their help. Al Berard, my good friend, who has encouraged, helped and kept me motivated the last 2 years. Glenn Andrews who taught me to never give up and has been so very generous. The NH boys, who without their generosity, advice and frendship, I never would be where I am today. Joe Pukos, Kirk Mombert, and Jack LaRue, who are always willing to answer my questions. All the generous folks who have sent and traded seeds, you know who you are. All my pals who come to the chat every night and exchange ideas and advice. The BP community, who without I would never have known anything about growing pumpkins or learned nearly what I have with you all. Thank you. I could go on for pages as there are many more, but I owe these folks a heartfelt thank you for their time in helping me get this far.

1/28/2005 5:24:25 PM

Webster, NY

Andy Wolf, Alan Nesbitt, Joe Pukos, Eric Gerry, Brett Hester and too many more to name. I'm sorry that I can't mention everyone's name.

1/28/2005 5:53:45 PM

Webster, NY

And let's not forget Ken and John for allowing us to use this site.

1/28/2005 5:54:15 PM

Follansbee, Wv

As most of you know, I have yet to grow my first season. However, thanks to many people, I look forward to this coming spring with high hopes for a successful first year. Like others have said, singling out one person is impossible, but there are a few who bear mentioning. Keith Barrett (burrhead) sent me my first seeds, and was the first to offer them. I won’t ever forget that Keith, and I’ll help you put this state on the AG map. Joe Ailts has selflessly allowed himself to be brow beaten by me with hoards of questions via email, which he diligently and quickly answers, and offers encouragement and advice, which I can only deem as priceless. The only way I could possibly repay him for his kindness and unbelievable generosity is to have a very successful season, and make him proud at the scales in the fall. Of course, there are others, Sambo, Brooks (my buddy), Southern, and all the others who so graciously offered seeds to a newb. But most of all I have to thank my wife, for understanding my love of gardening, and not questioning my sanity (much); not to mention forgiving me for the garbage can incident. :)

1/28/2005 6:10:34 PM

Indiana

Tom B Gave me my first seeds and answered a mess of questions He got me started in this crazyness, Damn him. Thanks Tom

1/28/2005 6:52:49 PM

Hayes, Virginia

Rocky Rockwell
When i first started Growing the AG last year.
Was Rocky who always answered every email no matter
how stupid the question.Sent me my first Bubble!!!
Full of great seeds.Since Then other great growers have
been a great help to me.Doc,Keith,Steve just to name a few.
plus all the Great Growers how have sent me seeds..
All the kind people who ever took the time to respond to my post!! thank you all.

less than 85 days to go come on spring:}

1/28/2005 6:58:45 PM

Walton N.y.

i must thank wayne kennedy as he gave me my 1st ag seeds and answered all my newbie questions then ken and john from bp for this site wher i got even more help ,the folks at p.e.i for holding the growers seminar where i got to meet many great growers and bart toftness and jim kuhn for those 2 magic seeds that helped me break into the 1000lb club and many more growers that have either given me seeds or advice (sometimes both )- well covers just about everyone on the site -i hope

1/28/2005 7:05:56 PM

Shannon gave me my first "good" AG seeds and told me about this website, dang him. I know I would forget someone if I started telling names, so we'll leave it at that.

1/28/2005 9:17:07 PM

Butler, Ohio

Hmmm...where to start...pretty much everybody on this site is willing to jump in and help a rookie get a good start. You all are great and I enjoy the advice from everyone and the good conversation as well. A few people I have to mention are Christy Dieffenbaugher, for being the first person to send me seeds and answer my rookie questions. Also Ron Rahe, Keith Barrett, and Martin Reiss for their generous offers of seeds. Lookin forward to those bubble packs Martin and Keith. Thank you all so much.

1/28/2005 10:43:56 PM

Taber, Alberta

Thanks Smitty for the kind words. Just trying to help out.
I'd like to get him back and thank him for the kind welcome when I first started on this website.
Thanks Cam and I hope Mother Nature likes you more this year!
Alan

1/28/2005 10:52:23 PM

[email protected]

Locally, Len Knauss, bar none. This fella makes trips to get stuff like Azomite, mya fungi, etc, and always calls me to see if I want anything since he is going. He is a great sounding board for me, and he is just simply put, the nicest man I think I have ever met. Case in point being, when he gave all his 898's away, not knowing how hot they were going to be, and over the last 3 years has had to turn people away, it tears him up inside because he cant help them with the seed they seek. Len is getting up there in age, but is a class act.

As for my group, the PGPGA, Larry Checkon. This guy knows everything! Wonderful to be associated with him. The entire gang at the PGPGA are awesome, Marv, Marv, Dwaine, Tony, Dale, Galen, Patty, Gerry, Ned, Andy, and many many many more are just like family.

Outside the PGPGA, the friendships I have gained from people such as Dan Carlson, Andy Wolf, Joe Pukos, Bill Bobier, Randy and Deb Sundstrom, Alan Nesbitt, Tim Bailey, and heck - even ALun and his son helps make this entire hobby worthwhile to keep on doing, even after adversities.

I just want to say thanks to those mentioned, and not mentioned as well, you know who you are.

1/28/2005 11:26:06 PM

[email protected]

Ed, thanks for the kind words, that meant alot to me also. I find sending bubbles and answering questions the least I can do to help someone. When I started this hobby, we didnt have BP.com, we had the mallorn list. 80-100 emails a day sometimes had to be sifted through to get good help, but it did help a lot. Much like in here, you have to sift through the posts and take what you want out of it.

Best of luck in 2005 Ed! Best of luck to my New England Buddy Norm Gansert too! You da man Norm!

1/28/2005 11:29:33 PM

Vancouver, White Rock, Canada

Tremor, for his expertise, and responding to everyone's questions. Many others...

1/29/2005 12:17:22 AM

Ohio

Id have to say, Lisa Wentzell and her Husband, they are the first people who sent me AG seeds.Tremor is another also that answered EVERY email i ever wrote him.Sourthern also never let one email go by with out answering my One thousand and one questions a day.Jack Larue is another one who answers every single question when I emailed him,along with my pumpkin Idol Brett Hester,LOL, oh and I cant forget Dick Wallace as well,and not to mention alot more Im forgetting.

1/29/2005 5:07:42 AM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

I'd like to thank Mike Frantz for all the work that he put into getting the 845 Nesbitt seeds for some of the new growers on this site.I think it was very nice of him to put the time into helping out new growers and not expecting anything in return.I am looking forward to growing the 845 and I will be putting extra effort into Mikes 1125 to try and prove it. Good luck in 2005 Mike.
Steve.

1/29/2005 6:14:01 AM

North Ga

I'd have to say without question that John and Ken are my heros! They have gone above and beyond to build this site for us folks! Thanks guys!

1/29/2005 9:17:18 AM

Deer Park, WI

Thanks for the tip of the cap Monty. I give credit to Casey Neuville for getting me hooked on AG's and started with seeds. I asked him all the questions that many growers now ask me. A shout goes out to Beachy too, cuz when im down (frost in august), he's there to cheer me on, not to mention the great seeds he's shared over the years. Gordon, Tremor, Russ, its been a pleasure working on these crazy projects that further our sport along.

1/29/2005 9:34:23 AM

Johnston, R.I.

I would like to thank the people that helped me over the last few years,John Castellucci,Steve Sperry,Joe Jutras,for all the hours of letting me pick their brains and the many seeds that they donated to my cause. I would also like to thank Rocky Rockwell for the seeds and the many e-mails offering encouragement. Rocky I'm not da man I am dah man.
I would also like to thank my little honey for her patience and understanding.
Norm Gansert

1/29/2005 9:42:22 AM

Choctaw, OK

I would have to say the people i give credit to are the Wentzell's, Mr. Clarence Koch, and Alan Nesbitt. A wentzell seed grew my first 700+ lb fruit. Lisa was there the whole way for me that season and cheering me on. Clarence helped me with all the other things like wire mesh, ferts, compost, etc that i would probably otherwise be lost without. Alan has been super nice with information and generous with seeds. Tom B has been there to answer my rediculous ideas and other silly little questions. I hope i didnt forget anyone, but i do say thanks to all who have helped in some way.

1/29/2005 1:08:10 PM

Amherst, WI

In February of '02 I stumbled upon this website, trying to learn how to grow big pumpkins(thanks Ken and John). I was looking through the growers diarys and found a grower very near where I live, some guy named Casey Neuville. I contacted him for a "little" guidance and was supprised at how helpful he was that first year. He set me up with some very nice seeds. He also did most of my pollinating that year as I had no clue what to do. Casey's advice and help saved me years of fumbling around.

1/29/2005 1:47:45 PM

canal winchester ohio

I got a lot of help & inspirition from Bob Liggett. But if I go with the help I got from friends on BP.com when I first logged on to this site back in 1999 or 2000 ( I can't remember)I would have to go with Glen Andrews, Jim Kilbert & Bill Vanlderstine.
And present day there are too many to name..David Garrell, Dwaine Gipe, Steve Jepsen ( yes Dwaine & Steve...They are both very knowledgeable in each of their fields), and many,many more..................Paul

1/29/2005 3:17:52 PM

caro mi.

lot of great people mentioned already , and i will add two more good , and very helpful guys . Jim beauchemin , and Bob wells !!! thanks for all the help guys...... Dan

1/29/2005 6:28:01 PM

Vancouver, White Rock, Canada

I need to add Brett hester, too, for sending a newb like me great seeds and, just when every post on this site seemed to be heading down the drain, and everyone was whining at each other, Brett steered us in the right direction with some thoughtful and well-timed posts about pumpkins. Nice save.

1/29/2005 9:42:34 PM

So. Maine

I have to give a lot of credit to my buddy Bill Clark who has been chasing me to overtake Maine's record (978.6 lbs.). Without him around I would not of been pushed so hard to exceed 900 lbs, and I would of saved a bundle on fertilizer. Keep up the good work Bill. Wait til THIS year!!!

1/29/2005 10:49:02 PM

Sparta, NC

I have to give credit to John and Ken for BP.com Without it I wouldn't have meet this great group of people who I consider family. Thanks to Klye Little, Cary Polka and Bill Clark. They gave me my 1st good seeds and alot of great advice and encouragement when I was starting to grow AG's. Thanks to the nightly chat room crowd. We have learned alot of valuable info and some not so valuable. LOL

1/30/2005 9:44:33 AM

Montoursville, PA

Good Lord I don't know where to start. Nearly everyone with whom I have discussed this insane undertaking with has been of help to me. I'll just make this a blanket thank you to all who have both ask and answered questions I have raised.

I waited to respond here with good reason. I have been helped very much by Craig Lambke, Nick Welty, Tom Beachy and a whole bunch of you between the extreme age differences here in stated. Kinda neat...don't you think?

This is the one of the few places I have friends and associates with an international flavor....not to mention the thrill I had watching Carlos and his horse break the Pumpkin 1000 Race.

That's enough already.......Thank you all.

1/30/2005 10:47:29 AM

Utah

wow- to many to list ... they know who they are- at least i hope so ! I have met lots of great friends all over the world.

1/31/2005 1:17:25 PM

Mill Creek West by god Virginia

i want to say thank you to several folks but most of all to everyone from bp.com,ill start with doc gipe youve always been there when this newbe first asked for seeds and advice,craig lembke for you have opened my eyes to organic growing agro k rocks!tom privetera for all the phone calls and laughs we have and will continue to share, monty thank you for helping me to put wv on the pumpkin map,tom beachy for giving me the seeds to grow my personal best from last year,and to sum it all up thank you all for advice and all the seeds that i have received i will thank each and everyone that i can by sharing seeds and advice to anyone who needs it thanks and god bless ya burrhead

1/31/2005 6:39:56 PM

Or

I'd like to thank Jeff Reid, He sent me my first seeds and has been helpful in getting me off to a great start.

2/4/2005 12:16:50 AM