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There is no doubt that Don Young is the king of Iowa (almost king of the world :) ) with the fantastic year he has had but I must admit that Marty Schnicker in southern Iowa is most inspiring to me and for that reason he is my pumpkin hero. Year after year Marty gets leveled by disease and other problems and he never quits. Not only is he not a quitter but he comes back every year harder and harder with determination that is just amazing. http://bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=77419 check out his diary and this most recent post! Marty hats off to you buddy, you are my hero.

Anyone else what to mention their pumpkin hero?

11/23/2007 1:50:50 PM

Rhode Island

my pumpkin hero is none other than my son Ron Wallace.
i have said many times before that with the amount of work,comittment and stamina involved from start to finish i probably would have retired my pruning knife a few years ago.
Ron keeps me feeling young. always reminding me " pap ya gotta stay in shape so we can get back into the patch next year"
a close second would be our good loyal friend and retired rhode island grower johnny "cash" castellucci. one of the most generous and kind men i ever met.
even though he no longer grows we invite him to any and all club functions.
pap

11/23/2007 3:10:38 PM

Napa Valley, CA

The Dills and the Glasiers are tied for #1 in my book.
California was just sputtering along until Pete and Cindi arrived and got us all charged up.

11/23/2007 3:45:02 PM

Santa Rosa California

my pummpkin heros are russ pugh and chuck veader they gave me some of the best info for growing and every one at bigpumpkins.com

11/23/2007 4:18:06 PM

Sophia WV

My pumpkin hero would be all the guys on BP that take the time to answer questions and share seeds and friendship.Thanks so much guys.
Robert

11/23/2007 4:31:23 PM

Ohio

my hero has to go to the guys that gave me 4 tries at a 1068 Wallace, first year I grew it my wife crushed my plant lifting the hoop house off it, the following year my seed didn't germinate and they had me another in just 3 days, and it was that year I grew a 604lber off the 1068 plant but only after I lost the stump and main, the pumpkin ended up gaining over 500lbs on everything past the pumpkin.
And the last time (4th seed) was this year when they told me there is no more of these seeds left, that this is it for me, that I run there 1068 seed stock dry,lol!!
I finally grew my personal best of 1402.5 lbs off the 1068 Wallace. So Im gonna have to say Dick and Ron Wallace are my heroes, they have helped me like no others.
I might be the reason why some of you growers cant find a 1068 Wallace,lol, I have used quit a few over the years,,, sorry guys, but thank you Dick@ Ron,lol.

11/23/2007 6:12:11 PM

[email protected]

g

11/23/2007 6:20:50 PM

Minnesota

Myself, when I'm not starring at myself in a mirror having the time of my life, hmmm. I thank everybody who answers questions I can come up with, some I would rather forget I asked. Mr. Dills, one of the first to show a lot of heart at growing giant pumpkins. Mr. Wallace, he has that orange angel foundation, he also is very generous with his proven seeds. Bill Foss, alowed me to come over and see his pumpkin patch, also very genourus with proven seeds. I would like to mention Tremor, he always has his homework done, he always has a answer to everything, he just seems to know everything. All the great people who have givin me seeds.

11/23/2007 6:40:24 PM

Minnesota

Thanks again to all of the people who have givin me seeds in the past: Bill Foss, Frank Buglio, Terry Marchand, Ron Rahe, Wayne Moore, Andrew J Wolf, Corry Polka, Ron Barker, Jim Fredricks, Michael Stevens, thanks again & God Bless.

11/23/2007 6:59:38 PM

[email protected]

Everyone here at bp.com has been so helpful in any question I have ever had, but there are actually three people for me that kept me going on a really difficult second year. All problems, aside, I had a 275 pound pumpkin to take to Oswego. I learned alot at Oswego this year, and I have to say a HUGE thank you to Joe Pukos for answering my many questions. Also to Pap, for all the encouragement for growing. His passion is very addicting and it kept me going this Summer! And to John Vincent, thanks for all the advice and encouragement this year. Vine bores and all I still had a pumpkin come weigh off time. It's been a great year and with the advice I've received this year, I can't wait til Spring to see what happens.

Most of all, I must not forget the crazy cousins of mine that got me started into this hobby. Without them there would be no sanity in our house, LOL!

11/23/2007 7:04:01 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Ed Robinette (MrD&Me) would be my choice hands down. Nobody could ask for a better team player! Like any of us he always wants to grow the big one but cheers the rest of us on and is willing to help in any way he can to help someone else have success. I know he has always been there for me for advise or to just listen to me freak out over unexpected problems. My pumpkin hero? Heck yeah!!!

11/23/2007 10:07:04 PM

Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada

Dave McCallum

11/23/2007 10:47:24 PM

Eugene,OR

My hero became Ron Wallace, not after he set the world record last year, but when I saw him spend several hours giving advice to Jordan Grimes last spring when Ron was in Portland speaking with the PGVG/PNWPGA.

11/23/2007 10:50:04 PM

Ohio

My pumpkin hero is a man who has a great passion for pumpkin growing; has a true affection for everyone involved in pumpkin growing (and appropriately so); had a very successful year, but humbly attributes these achievements to those who deserve them. He has also given me many wonderful moments too numerous to mention. He's my son.

11/23/2007 11:16:20 PM

Ohio

But then I may be a little biased.

11/23/2007 11:18:21 PM

Webster, NY

No matter how much I struggle and try to get this, Joe Pukos always has an encouraging word and a couple of seeds that I can try. Thanks Joe.

11/24/2007 6:54:36 AM

Austria

My pumpkin hero is Bill Gibson!
because he helped me soo much!! Thank you so much! And i hope you will break the 1000 next year! Good luck!

Chris

11/24/2007 8:33:30 AM

ExtremeVegetables.com

Last year I asked the community for some help getting a VWO I had going off of the ground. Several of the most kind and generous people of the BP community came to my aide for which I am appreciative and those people have my utmost respect.
One member of the community in particular "MontyJ" went one step further, registered on my website and began to Mentor the new growers. He is an inspiration and probably the largest contributing factor in the new growers reaching the weights that they did. This year I even beat my personal best of the past five years using his seed.

Many growers talk the talk but MontyJ walks it .

My hat is off to Monty Wallace!

11/24/2007 8:39:09 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Mine is Adrian Gervais not only is he a former Port Elgin winner he works tirelessly in his fields all summer then tends to his pumpkin plants until dark. Every day seven days a week he plods along. He finally raeches the 1000 pound club this season and his goal of 1k before he sees the man. To my surprize when I entered the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto last month, and who was there but none other than the best 83 year old on the planet. He drove his 1100 pounder about 100 miles through some of the worst traffic and then turned around and came back the next week to pick up his fruit after it had been on display for two weekends.

If I'm in half as good a shape as he is when I get to 65 I will consider myself lucky. Truly an amazing man.

11/24/2007 8:41:53 AM

Littleton, Colo

Mine iz "The WiZ" . But let'z keep thiz our secret, it might blow hiz new mind !

11/24/2007 11:36:19 AM

Aloha, Oregon

Ron Wallace is my pumpkin hero with all the help he has given me and the time he spent with me at Portland speaking with the PGVG/PNWPGA.Ron Wallace is a true friend and will always be my Giant Pumpkin Hero...!!!!I would like to give you a big appreciative THANK YOU...!!!!

~~Jordan~~

11/24/2007 12:16:40 PM

North Smithfield, RI USA

Pap is a hero to all of us,,,,, But in RI John Castelucci is it !

11/24/2007 2:31:56 PM

[email protected]

My ten year old son.

11/24/2007 6:10:18 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

My hero's would have to be Paps and Ron, They have taken the time to offer to help, spent the time answering my questions that they have probably been asked 100 times before, but answered me like it was the first time, and never made me feel like a was asking a something dumb. In turn It inspired me to pay it forward and put energies into helping grow out this hobby locally and abroad. I have grown stuff for 25 years + but I didnt start growing till I got on this site..........Every time TheBiz grows BIG it will put a smile on my face........but I cant let him see it.....lol

11/26/2007 9:32:39 AM

addison Il

Me and Becky's pumpkin hero is Mr Howard Dill because without him we would not have these monsters to even grow.Grow em big all and have fun doing it.

11/26/2007 12:21:45 PM

Greene County, Pa.

Quinn Werner. Very nice guy, I been growing his seeds for 4 years, got a new pb of 1319. Always be a seed of his in my patch!! Gonna grow 2 again next year!

11/26/2007 1:26:05 PM

Wilmington.Ma.

I belive my hero's to be everyone here on BP.you got to be a HERO to be in this Pumpkin world !

11/27/2007 3:31:52 PM