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Rhode Island

this past summer i was visiting a good friend and he made a very interesting comment regarding the color and judging of these fruits
this person is a former world record holder so you would tend to pay a little attention to his opinions
he suggested that there should be three groups that compete at our weighoffs
1. pumpkins ( 100 % orange )
2. squmpkins( mix of yellow,orange, green, gray,brown, etc
3. squash ( 100 % green or green/blue flesh

if you think about it for a minute it makes sence
years ago most pumpkins weighed we all- orange or yellow
and squash grown were all green and/or grn and blue

unfortunately green squash always weighed more than pumpkins so people started pollinating green squash into the pumpkins to increase weight with the results being what you see today
thats why there are so many squabbles over judgement of pumpkin class vs squash at a lot of weigh off sights
i for one would not object to attending a weighoff site where the judgement was as mentioned above and/or an everything goes contest ( bring your biggest whatever it is )
what do you folks think

9/15/2004 8:06:30 AM

Brighton, Mi.

What are the white or cream colored fruits considered?

9/15/2004 9:12:40 AM

Long Island,New York

I suppose the squmpkin prize money comes out of the small amount of funds the squash gets right?

9/15/2004 9:20:15 AM

Wichita, KS

I read a similar post on the hort list recently. The suggestion was ...
80% orange = a pumpkin and could be entered in the pumpkin event.
80% green = a squash and could be entered in the squash event.
any other fruit could be entered in the "unlimited" event.

Cream colored would be classed as "unlimited" unless the event coordinators and judges held a separate competition category for cream colored. Its up to them anyway.

I like the idea. Elk Grove weigh-off has a big prize for the largest fruit at the event, and it would make sense t me to maintain that prize, no matter what category. Its an idea worth discussion.

Nothing will change, however, unless the people who run the events decide they like the idea, though.

9/15/2004 10:29:59 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I happen to like Wisconsin Rule 75% green or more = Squash
The rest are Pumpkins. If we divide it up in to three categories it will not make things less controversial. It will only increase the problem of what category they are placed in. Based on international bias of the judges. If this were a contest held only in one spot it would be simpler to correct.

We have a large variety of genetics out there. Just so happens it is a weight contest, not a beauty contest. Them ugly Squampkins normally go heavy. The pretty smooth skinned orange ones that look like pumpkins fall more to the on chart or to the light side.

I guarantee I will never forget my 1st weigh off and having my pumpkin called a squash

9/15/2004 10:49:10 AM

Knopp, Germany

i am new at this so my question is ligit. why do we have to have a color rule at all?

9/15/2004 11:19:35 AM

Utah

because some people think that pumpkins (by definition ?!) should be orangish not greenish...

9/15/2004 1:50:18 PM

Knopp, Germany

oh, well isn't that stupid. next thing you know they will have to be round.

9/15/2004 5:08:17 PM

Knopp, Germany

everyone must really be busy right now trying to figure out how to get those few extra pounds or how to keep em together, etc. i would have bet that my post would have made some people just green with anger...lol

9/17/2004 7:59:19 AM