From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Netherlands

As a Christian I believe Sundays are a day of rest which means no work and no pumpkin weighoffs for me.
Unfortunately the Dutch weighoff has been scheduled on a Sunday this year. The other weighoffs in Germany and Belgium are either on Sunday or would require travelling on Sunday.

How can I have my pumpkins weighed and officially recognized without going to a weighoff? Put simply, how do I avoid the problems Martin Reiss experienced with his 1233 last year?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

7/5/2006 6:24:59 AM

Knopp, Germany

Brad, as long as you can get it weighed on a certified scale with witnesses it is official. Of course it is always a good idea to have pictures taken during the weighing.

7/5/2006 6:27:46 AM

Netherlands

Wouldn't the witnesses need to know something about pumpkins to assure it is not rotting or it has a cavity, etc.?

7/5/2006 6:30:12 AM

Knopp, Germany

That is a good point, do you have any other growers near you that could verify it's soundness? Of course if you take pictures of the blossom end, stem and the bottom, that should be enough to show that it was still sound.

7/5/2006 7:20:34 AM

Netherlands

Thanks for your advice Owen. Now to find a certified scale!

7/5/2006 7:43:59 AM

Netherlands

What kind of places have certified scales?

7/5/2006 7:45:10 AM

Knopp, Germany

Agricultural supply companies (feed, fertilizer, etc) usually have them. I found one at a company that sells metal products used in the building industry.

7/5/2006 8:20:22 AM

take lots of pics use more than one camera just in case,,,get the witnesses(other growers is good) and the fruit in them at the scales,,get the certification turned to a jpeg or other format for posting,,,and PLEASE don't use photoshop or any other program to enhance the pictures

just an observation from the rukus last season

7/5/2006 8:39:18 AM

Nashville, TN

Certified scalles can be found at many truck stops... You'll just have to figure out how to either transport your lifting tractor/bobcat.. Or pay a bunch of big ol' truckers to help move it....

Just go by and discuss this with the manager a little in advance....

The dump in my county also has a certified scale - with printout.. I may use them - since afterward I can quickly harvest seeds and then dispose of Pumpkin. Since I'm already There!

7/5/2006 9:19:06 AM

[email protected]

"Official" as in what? If GPC recognition is desired, then the European contact is Dave McCallum. I'm sure if Dave is kept in the loop then the weight will be as "official" as possible.

Dave's email: [email protected]

I'm not sure if an official protocol exists for a situation like this. But a series of well composed photos showing all sides (and bottom) of the fruit at the scale should be OK. Then a photo of the fruit on the scale of course. I've always thought that holding up the front page of a major newspaper would be a good idea too just so that the date is never in question.

The only time a well trained expert witness would be needed is if a stem split exists that *might* be breaching the cavity. In such a case it would be good to have an experienced judge on hand since photos rarely capture the true state of a split.

7/5/2006 9:42:37 AM

South Western Pa

Contact the weighoff officials, ask them if you can drop off the pumpkin on Saturday and pick it up on Monday. The actual weighoff has never seemed liked work to me.

Mark

7/5/2006 11:00:12 AM

San Diego

Dutch, it is awesome you take sunday for rest in the Lord! I do the same as a christian. Just a thought, The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. Taking one sunday a year off for fun and weighing your pumpkin is just fine in my opinion as a christian too. If you spent 5 months growing, and now your pumpkin is in a ditch for the weigh off, it's ok to get it out and weigh it for enjoyment and good one time. Best wishes, Jimmy

7/5/2006 11:42:58 AM

[email protected]

Understanding that every different Christian religion has their own guidance, a weigh-off may not conflict with my beliefs, but it is easy to understand that it may someone else's.

For me a weigh-off is leisure time to spend with family & friends.

Being involved with a weigh-off, I feel that Brad's beliefs must be respected & accommodated regardless. In his case I would bring a waiver consideration to our Committee. If he could get his entry to the weigh-off prior to Sunday (security concerns arise) & fill out all of the required paperwork, then why not permit his entry?

Another option would be to arrange an alternate person to make the entry for an "Official weight" of an "Exhibition" entry. Exhibition fruit are exempt from prizes but are "Official Weight" just the same.

Due to all of the "opinions" regarding color prizes, the GPC today requires that any "color prize" fruit candidate be photographed from all angles. So regardless of sanction or affiliate status, I would shoot lots of pictures whenever or wherever the weighing takes place.

7/5/2006 11:53:33 AM

Belgium Europe

The Belgian weigh-off in Duisburg is open to all
European growers

The Belgian weigh-off in Duisburg is open to all European growers and is held on the first SATURDAY of October.

7/5/2006 1:35:53 PM

Montoursville, PA

I doubt any guy would like to lose two work days to make a weigh in. This sport is to new to have all the bases covered. In our case last year we had the site leaderships agreement, to weigh one without the presence, of the grower. The guys who went took it and administered for, and verified for, the grower who could not attend.

Stuff like this is sure, to arise. Common sense and pre event talk should solve the problem.

7/5/2006 3:12:54 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Stan Pugh brought his and his grandson's pumpkin to Central Market on Saturday. (Central Market was kind enough to keep an eye on them). He was then able, by proxy to have the pumpkins officially weighed at the weigh-off on Sunday, without compromising his beliefs.

7/5/2006 4:43:00 PM

Netherlands

Thanks for the advice all of you. There are many tips I can use.

In Holland we have a large group of orthodox Christians (about 500,000) that take the Sunday rest very literally and if we do not work ourselves we also do not request other people to work for us. There are three exceptions: works of piety, necessity and mercy. Unfortunately there are not many AG growers in that group!

I will try to find a certified scale. I have witnesses including two pumpkin growers (a commerical grower and an AG grower) a legal person and one or two gardeners from the community garden where my patch is. And yes, I will take along two cameras at least.

I will also look into the Duisburg weighoff in Belgium.
Does anyone know what time it starts?

I believe that the Duisburg weighoff is the reason the one in Holland got shoved up one day to the Sunday so not to compete. Last year there was a week difference I believe.

7/6/2006 2:21:46 AM