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Wichita, KS

I have been trying to think up ways to make this hobby pay for itself (other than selling seeds-which is a silly idea to me). i remember somebody sayint once that they score their fruit with corporate logos when its about basketball sized, then sell them to local companies for a hundred dollars or so. This sounds like one way to make the hobby self-supporting: everybody has a Ford or Chevy dealership nearby that wouldn't mind displaying a giant pumpkin with their logo GROWN into its skin.

I was sondering if anybody out there had ever figured out other ways, or an appropriate target market for giant pumpkins, especially if you only grow one or two every year. It would sure be nice to recoup some of the expense that goes into our deer fences, irrigation systems, roto tillers, fertilizers & pesticides...forklift rentals... :-D

Toby

4/9/2004 1:28:09 AM

Wichita, KS

I waas wondering... not "sondering."

4/9/2004 1:29:33 AM

[email protected]

You have mail.

4/9/2004 7:21:17 AM

Hanover,Ontario,Canada

Toby : I agree and I always rent my fruit for around 30 cents a pound and then I can go back and get the seeds out I want. Dave McCallum

4/9/2004 8:09:39 AM

Edmonton, Canada

Has anyone ever mass produced AG's, and sold them to chain stores, or some where else in high volume?

4/9/2004 10:03:55 AM

Massillon, Ohio

i dont know who did this (or where) but all the acme's around here had acme big-max-like pumpkins with a almost perfect logo scratched and grown in. that guy had to have done A TON !!

4/9/2004 11:01:37 AM

northern indiana

You could of course go into the business of growing and selling giant pumpkins. As a business the associated costs of growing would then be tax deductable. You would have 3 yrs in which to show a profit for the govt to tax before the wonderful IRS declared your venture a hobby. There is no law which says that a hobby cannot be run as a business for profit. I am thinking of starting Hapdads giants. Remember that a business loss can shelter some of your earned income. Of course there is probly a tax specialist that could give a better idea of just how fesable this is.
Eric

4/10/2004 10:59:47 PM

[email protected]

I know a grower who enters into a conttract agreement to supply fruit at $1.00 per pound if certain minimums are met.

Look for theme parks, shopping cenetrs, commercial property managers, garden centers, or any other commercial entity whose place of business might look better or sell more stuff with a traffic stopping giant Pumpkin.

Seek testimonials from others who have exhibitted large fruit. Sell your fruit with the expectation that it will increase traffic & sales far in excess of cost. Don't count on getting seeds back.

If a fruit is an exciting cross, be sure to set some guidelines to insure cool storeage & the date you will be recovering the seeds. Get this in writing.

Steve

4/11/2004 8:06:46 AM

Roselle, IL [email protected]

Grow something nice and orange. Hotels in this area love them for displays. I get $200-300 plus a weekend stay.This is for pumpkins in the 300-500lbs range.

4/11/2004 8:59:59 AM

Montoursville, PA

I rented my 410 to an ice cream parlor. They ran pumpkin soft ice cream and a come see the giant pumpkin promotion for two days.

The following week the same pumpkin was in a carving promotion. I was there to deliver and retreive the seed.

At our weigh off in Pennsylvania the brokers so far will buy every pumpkin that is for sale. Going rate up to the very largest or record fruit is fifty cents a pound. We may but do not expect to get those seed back. One grower had three under a thousand pounds for a gross weight over 2000 lbs. That was a thousand bucks for the effort. He got an extra hundred bucks for the nine-fifty. That paid the gas bill for the trip.

4/11/2004 11:34:14 AM

Wichita, KS

Renting! That sounds very nice! Then you get all the seeds back. :-D

These are great ideas. WHo else has one?

4/11/2004 9:34:55 PM

Wichita, KS

Does anybody have a picture of a mature pumpkin with a logo scratched in it?

4/11/2004 9:40:01 PM

Norton, MA

I have a picture of a CT field with my name scratched in it. E-mail me so I remember and I'll post it soon Alex.

4/12/2004 6:16:44 PM