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Massillon, Ohio

Congratulations to our very own Michelle Lofthouse (Autumn Leaf). She designed the award winning Honda float!!! I hope you got to see it..... a Honda truck transforming into a futuristic hover.

What a year for Michelle. She also grew a 1376 lber......largest pumpkin to be grown by a woman!

Big time congratulations!!!!

1/1/2008 12:38:55 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

Cool, congrats...for both! BF

1/1/2008 1:20:44 PM

Napa Valley, CA

I saw the Honda float on tv, it was spectacular!

1/1/2008 2:05:55 PM

ordinary,VA

Wow!!!! real cool!!
Congrats!

1/1/2008 2:32:54 PM

[email protected]

I watched a part of the parade & was astounded at some of the floats. Did that tall Indian make it under the bridge?

Congratulations Michelle! That is amazing especially considering the level of competition. WOW!

1/1/2008 3:10:34 PM

Massillon, Ohio

HOLY COW !! i had no idea she designed that. i definitely was watching the parade and was in awe of that float. WE ARE NOT WORTHY MICHELLE !! you rock. congrats.

(thanks for sharing glenna or i'd have never known)

1/1/2008 5:24:37 PM

ordinary,VA

Glenna is this the right float?


http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Rose-Parade/ss/events/ts/010108roseparade/s:/ap/rose_parade/im:/#/080101/480/c4b60c388134422cbeb16bb71deb7e47

1/1/2008 6:04:40 PM

[email protected]

I just saw it! A Honda pickup that turns into a space ship. They're rebroadcasting the parade here right now so I watched for it.

AMAZING!

With all due respect for the incredible work done with flowers, I'd love to get a look at those mechanicals. Honda does some amazing stuff with computer controlled service & stuff.

1/1/2008 6:10:37 PM

Massillon, Ohio

Yes, Ed, that is the float. She has designed the Honda float the last 13 years. Get ready to be even more impressed. I just found out that Michelle designed 14 of this year's floats......7 won awards!!!!!

Michelle, I hope you don't mind my tooting your horn, but I'm truly impressed!!!!!.....Glenna

1/1/2008 6:24:06 PM

Massillon, Ohio

I too was googling her!!! makes me wonder how many other pumpkin growers have hidden things that we dont know about like this.

1/1/2008 7:10:55 PM

[email protected]

Wow, way to go! Congrats on a great year, in and out of the patch.

1/1/2008 9:17:55 PM

Monrovia, CA

Happy New Year everybody!! Thanks for such great comments! I didn't realized that many of you watched the parade!! I would love nothing more than to invite ALL of you to come out next year and see the floats up close....I'm serious!!! TV is wonderful but it misses alot of the detail.
Tremor, the Indian did make it under the bridge.... He had to bend at his ankles to do it though!! Honda worked flawlessly but it was a long haul on the engineering part for just a few seconds of show!
Nana, you are so kind, if only I could grow the number of pumpkins you do every year to give out to family and friends!
Last week was a busy one but I kept thinking about how much soil prep I still have to do....I'm way behind! Christy, YOU rock...thankyou for the support!

Happy New Year All!!!
ttys,
Michelle

1/2/2008 10:28:02 AM

Massillon, Ohio

michelle,

the rose bowl parade is the most amazing parade ever!!!!!! of course everyone is watching it!! i marched in the parade my sophomore year in HS and so just watching it on TV gives me goosebumps by bringing back memories.

best wishes to you for next growing season and next year's floats.

1/2/2008 11:09:06 AM

Minerva,ohio

AWESOME JOB MICHELLE!!

I have worked as a floral designer and I can only imagine how awesome it would be in person to see the floats up close.
I'd love to get my fingers gluey on that!!
way lots of talent, great job once again! If you ever need a hand, let me know, I'd LOVE to pitch in:)
Michelle V.

1/2/2008 5:45:12 PM

Wood River, IL ([email protected])

Michelle,

That is way cool. I was just talking to my wife last week about working up a price (she's a travel agent) to come out to the Rose Bowl parade next year. If we can get it set up I'd love to take you up on your offer for a few minutes of behind the seen time. Do you know anything about how to purchase tickets for the grandstand.

Thank,

Kenny

1/2/2008 8:38:03 PM

Monrovia, CA

Cool!! There are many people who fly all away across the nation just to work on the floats! Just plan ahead and I can get you in to work on them or just take a tour. If I know about a month in advance I can get grandstand tickets too. If you would like to take a further look online check out Phoenix Decorating Company. That is my family's business and it gives alittle background info on what is involved with float building. What a hoot that would be.....giant pumpkin folks coming to Pasadena for the Rose Parade!!!! Yippeee!!!!
Michelle

1/2/2008 9:08:09 PM

[email protected]

How's about a Giant Pumpkin float? I suppose that a commercial sponsor is a mandatory prerequisite?

1/2/2008 11:42:27 PM

Puyallup, WA

Terrific job, Michelle! I was not the only one impressed with that float. Care to tell us the total cost of that float....and the staff-hours from design to build?

1/3/2008 12:44:24 AM

porterville, calif.

Michelle I met you and saw your great pumpkin at Paso Robles .I was the guy who was helping to direct people around and watch that they didn,t get to rough with the pumpkins. I was thinking the other day that working or helping on one of the floats would be something I would like to do. We have a husband and wife here from Porterville that has done this for about 12 years.
This would be something I want to do in 2008 . Email me at [email protected]

1/3/2008 1:34:26 AM

Monrovia, CA

Stan, the floats range anywhere from $60K to $325K. Honda would be at the upper end of that scale. It's hard to calculate the hours as our staff numbers change through-out the year...from maybe 20 in the early months to 200+ at the end of the season (not counting the decorating volunteers) Honda took about two months from beginning construction to finish. Much of that was engineering hydraulic mechanisms. I spent about a week figuring out the movement before artwork and made a model out of foam board to make sure everything fit the way it was supposed to. Tremor, I would LOVE to make a giant pumpkin float...but as you said, the trick is finding a sponsor!! I did manage to put a 723 pounder on a float for the 2006 parade. Do you remember helping with suggestions on how to hold it from October through January?<G> Greg, there's an email coming your way.
Thankyou everyone....and btw I finally got my patch layered with composted manure today!! We are supposed to get a huge amount of rain starting tomorrow.
Michelle

1/3/2008 9:23:30 PM