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Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

What a great weekend in Niagara! It was nice to meet old friends again and make new acquaintances. I want to thank Dave McCallum and the Girls from Port Elgin for going out of their way to put on a really terrific seminar. Dave Stelts and the GPC committee provided us with the new amendments to the GPC rulebook. These changes are should bring pumpkin growing to the next level. Thanks goes out to Steve Jepson (Temor) for his discussion on understanding soils and Andy Wolf for his discussion on understanding soil reports. It’s too bad that time restrictions forced them to rush through their reports. I came home with a great selection of seeds that I either traded for or got at the seed bazaar. I want to thank all the growers I traded with for their great seeds. I’m looking forward to next years seminar, which I’m told will be even better. Suggestions from growers for next years seminar are already being considered. Take care and good luck to all this season. Now grow them Big………Phil

3/14/2005 9:02:04 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

And now for another opinion for which I will no doubt lose a few "friends." I went to the seminar at Niagara Falls hoping to learn something from the top growers about how I might do better. I was really looking forward to the educational portion of the event which is as I said, was why I went. It was nice meeting the growers and sitting around talking and eating. Everyone was very friendly and the setting was fantastic and the food was great. But the scheduled presentations were not given the time they were alloted and Craig Lempke did not even get to speak as it was 3:30PM when they got to him and the meeting was to adjourn at 3PM and he had left, probably out of disgust as a lot of people had already departed. Too much time was spent on seed auctions etc and not enough on education. I am sorry to have to say this but without significant guaranteed changes in the seminar, I will not be attending again. Also I could never recommend it to anyone as more than a social event. If the rest of you disagree with my sentiments let's hear yours. I did get a nice hat there though.

3/14/2005 4:37:22 PM

Ontario

Totally agree, but the socialising and attending the Canadian Performing Arts is the best part. lol

drew

3/14/2005 5:08:15 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

The GPC segment dragged on way too long and caused a long back log. Changes for next year should include more educational presentations, heavy hitters question & answer period, beginners forum, etc. Maybe we can have the GPC's report to Saturday, along with a couple other presentations. Just my 2 cents......Phil

3/14/2005 5:42:01 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Lubadub, Networking alone for me was great. This was the Big Kahuna's chance to hob nob with the heavy hitters of this sport, eh!....

Phil, congrats on your election win in the Ontario Growers group.

3/14/2005 6:02:18 PM

canal winchester ohio

If folks were not able to hear Craig it's a shame. I've never seen his seminar but I've talked with him several times over the phone & each time I come away with more info than I was searching for ( and I usually want to plant something right away). I wasn't able to attend the seminar, but even with reading some disappointing posts I will still try to attend next season. I have faith the committe will take suggestions & apply it to next years meeting....Paul

3/14/2005 6:24:21 PM

Sparta, NC

I for one had a great time. I got to talk to alot of growers and got some great info from most of em. Just to get to meet and talk to growers such as Steve Daletas, Jack LaRue, Joe Pukos and many more was worth the trip to me. I also hated that Steve ( tremer), Andy Wolf and Craig Lemke didnt get their alloted time to speak but I still learned alot from Steves soil talks.

3/14/2005 7:41:11 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Well, despite all the schedule lateness, missed speaker, too long on this and that, etc., there was one very positive aspect for me that is priceless....friendship.
I was able to hang out my very good friends Phil Joynson and Phil Hunt, and their wonderful wives....I made lifelong new friends in my roomie Sam Lovelace, Matt Wickless, and oh yea, you go Mike Frantz! I revisited with friends that I look forward to having for many, many years in Al Eaton, Steve Davies, Dave Hampton, Bill Cartwright, Joe Pukos, Jack LaRue, Nic Welty, Jerry Rose, Dave McCallum and many others. I also met many other wonderful folks for the first time that I hope to continue building and cultivating relationships with for many years still yet to come in Steve Sperry, Joe Jutras, Steve Razo, and so many others yet to name...
If forging and strengthening friendships is all I ever get out of Niagara each year, I'm a *very* lucky man!

3/15/2005 5:56:19 AM

huntsburg,ohio

Kyle hit the nail on the head.There is a lot more than just the seminar.I go up on Friday just to see all my friends that I only see once a year.I've been going for 10 years and will continue going.Jerry

3/15/2005 8:12:48 AM

Hanover,Ontario,Canada

Thanks Kyle

3/15/2005 9:34:27 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

A lot has been written regarding the Niagara Seminar. It all boils down to how well the expectations of those attending were met. Some expected a fantastic socializing experience, meeting and talking with some of the world's best growers. Guess what? They left the seminar very happy. Some expected a great learning experience with discussions and suggestions for things they might do that they haven't been doing. The majority of those left unhappy. Some growers wanted an opportunity to bid on or buy great seeds. They left at least satisfied. Some might have wanted to spend time away from home and see the falls and the casino. They left happy unless they left a bundle at the casino. The problem, as I see it, is that although most of the seminar goals were met or exceeded, at least for me, the educational expectations were not met. Was it fun seeing and meeting some of the best growers in the world? Of course. Were new friends made? Of course. Did my wife and I have a good time? Sure. Did I learn anything substantial about pumpkin growing? No. Will anything I learned at the seminar change the way I already do things? No. The bottom line is that those who wanted a social event or a fun time left quite happy. Those who wanted an educational experience left not as happy. I feel certain those responsible for the Niagara Seminar will do their very best to make the seminar next year one that will meet the needs and expectations of all who attend.

3/15/2005 9:34:49 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Lubadub, Were sorry that everything didn't meet up with your expectations. My wife and I had a great time as we got to spend time with old friends and meet new growers as well. I'm on the committee for next year along with Matt Wickless, Eddy Z, and Russ Landry. We will take a survey to find out what the growers liked and disliked about the seminar, along with any ideas the growers have for next year. Your input is important to us and we look forward to hearing from all the growers who attended the event. Making next years seminar the best ever will be our #1 priority.

Phil

3/15/2005 9:56:45 AM

[email protected]

Trichoderma harzianum Rifai is an effective biocontrol agent against several fungal soil-borne plant pathogens which infect Cucurbita maxima.

Which popular form of arbuscular mychorrhizae has recently been discovered to be suppressive to Trichoderma?

3/15/2005 6:45:02 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

doh!

3/16/2005 6:37:21 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Steve, I found this part of your presentation very informative. I was amazed to discover the beneficial power of this most agressive tiny little ecto-fungus. Backed by numerous easily researched peer reviewed reports.

Trichoderma could bring the hitters fences back into range for many of the troubled patches across the continent. I wonder how many caught this topic and realized its benefit.

ECM and Vam associations are another very eye opening topic indeed. The discovery that interactions between Glomus intraradices and T. harzianum in soil resulted in reduced root colonization Opened a few of those sleepy eyes too. Sience, ya gotta love it to understand it.....

Thanks for the education Steve. Very Remarkable. Many of us were listening attentively.

Russ Landry

3/16/2005 8:44:29 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

T-22 HC or turf- shield??? and can this be used with other innoculants ?

3/16/2005 9:07:33 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Rootshield is also another of these ecto products. Some manufacturers market these two types together. One that comes quickley to mind is PREMIER TECH BIOTECHNOLOGIES product called MYKES. MYKE® PRO MYCORISE® contains ectomycorrhizae and endomycorrhizae. I assume it's ecto component is the Trichoderma fungi.

Steve's information may prove that it is little benefit to apply both products together. Ecto use in troubled patches could bring back productivity.

http://www.usemyke.com/mycorise/

3/16/2005 10:17:29 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Is it possible that a little bit of what Alan said in his speech may combine with what is learned from the latter portion of Steve's presentation could be linked? Think of it as a whole patch innoculation. Al Eaton Style with dual cover crops.

Who said they didn't learn anything?

3/16/2005 10:27:42 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Seems to me that innoculation of a new patch to avoid the pathogens would be a better idea then to try and knock out the pathogens once they're in there. What I have read so far is that they recommended it's use after soil fumigation and sterilization...Yeah I like that dual cover stuff too!
Thanks. grow em Big! Chuck

3/17/2005 1:30:31 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Russ, email me. I don't know if I'm getting through to you.

Phil

3/17/2005 8:49:25 AM