From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Minnesota([email protected])

I have a pumpkin around 500 lbs. that I may be taking to a weighoff this Saturday. It would be transported in a pickup bed. If I had 5 men lifting it with a tarp, how would we get it into the pickup with a pallet under it? It seems quite high to lift. Are more men needed? Any other methods you would suggest?
Another option it to ask a neighboring farmer, with a tractor/loader and a bobcat to lift it somehow mechanically.
I'd like to focus on the first method, as this would be my preference. All suggestions welcome.
Thanks.

Doug

9/21/2004 8:04:30 PM

Whidbey Island

We did this last year with over 650#er.....Put pallet in the flat bed. Put heavy duty ramps of 2x8 or 2x10 s up from the ground to the back of the vehicle. Move pumpkin over to the base of the ramp. Then lift up about a foot and rest a few seconds (while still holding the tarp), lift up another foot or so, repeat the rest, until it is all the way up into the flatbed. Then it is a quick little lift up to the pallet.
A big reminder however: Plan it all out well in advance, tell everyone their jobs, describe the moves so there is no confusion in the heat of the moment, have a few on the flatbed to receive the upper end of the tarp and get plenty of help. After that and only after that does one serve beverages. Good luck.

9/21/2004 9:15:28 PM

Iowa

where are you going to weigh your pumpkin?

9/21/2004 9:28:32 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Whidbeypumpkinman,
Very good suggestion!
I'll keep that one in consideration.
After work tommorrow, I'm going to a local rental center to see if they have any lifting devices that may work(which I don't hold a lot of hope for). A portable pallet lifter(if there is such a thing) would be a possibility.

Petey,
Ausin, MN has the weighoff this Saturday.

Any other suggestions are welcome.

Doug

9/21/2004 10:53:54 PM

Iowa

will see you there doug.......we'll be bringing a couple up from clinton!

marc

9/22/2004 7:16:01 AM

Western Pa.

Doug,

5 (or 6) persons will do fine, without some kind of lifter. It usually only takes 2 to tilt the fruit on it's side to get the tarp under. Once you get the fruit to the tailgate, put 1 or 2 (smaller guys) in the bed of the truck. They will aid in lifting once the fruit gets in their reach, and will also "suck it in" and onto the pallet. I have done this many times with no problems. Make sure you tell lifters not to grab the pumpkin by the stem, some think that it would make a perfect grab handle....SNAP! (What was he thinking?)

9/22/2004 8:00:37 AM

Utah

one thing you could do is ... put the pallet right next to the pumpkin. Then lift the pumpkin right on the the pallet.
With some plywood or fiber board as a road you can putt a couple of ropes through the pallet and drag the pallet and pumpkin to the ramps.
Push the pallet and pumpkin up the ramps into the bed of the truck. 4x4 posts work well for ramps.
...at around 500lbs it might be easy to just carry the pumpkin to the pallet on the bottom of the ramp instead of buying extra wood and dragging it to the ramps.

Obviously you want to get the truck as close as possible to the pumpkin without getting it stuck. often you can put down some boards and drive right into the patch. it depends on how soft and wet your soil is.
good luck with it...

9/22/2004 10:18:09 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Make sure they know not to roll it over on its back to get the tarp on it...Remember your lifters just think it is just a huge pumpkin and have know idea what it means to you to get it to weigh-off.

9/22/2004 11:11:07 AM

Jaffrey NH

An idea that I heard from a top grower was that you could dig a ramping pit in front of the pumpkin. The bed of the truck will be closer to the ground and it will be easier than trying to lift it up on the truck. We will see if it works for my pumpkin, taping around 920. Good luck
Douglas

9/22/2004 11:26:38 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

yes ramping pit works.
Glenn

9/22/2004 1:06:03 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

last year the hardest part i had was getting the pumpkin on it's side(kept loseing my grip) then pull tarp under..carried to pickup and had a stack of hay bales to rest the pumpkins on and move it to the next level on the stack then right on to the pallet...then put hay bales alround the pumpkin to keep it from moving..

9/22/2004 5:25:56 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Great suggestions!

Marc, I hope to see you there.

My first weighoff should be interesting.

Thanks a ton(or should I say about 500 lbs?)!

Doug

9/22/2004 6:22:47 PM

Kenyon, Mn.

So You ARE going to be there Doug? Cool, See you all there!

9/22/2004 7:43:57 PM

Western Pa.

Doug,

One more thing, you'll want to slide your pallet partially onto the tailgate when lifting, it can easily be slid back after it is loaded. If you can easily remove your tailgate, that's even better! It's not necessary to "dig a pit" for a 500#er!

9/22/2004 7:48:22 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Well the pumpkin loading issue appears to have gotten easier. A neighboring farmer, will bring his skid loader over to do the major lifting.

Phil,
I'll see you there.

Doug

9/23/2004 9:43:31 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Another important issue never covered is securing the pumpkin in the bed of the Truck. 65 Miles per hour and locking up the breaks will cause that pumpkin to just about come threw the bed of the truck. Then you will have a pumpkin in the front seat with you. Don Langevin has some examples of this in his book. Bales of straw or hay wedged in works good.

9/24/2004 11:19:57 AM

Kenyon, Mn.

Doug, Yes, I will see you there, Read the post...A MUST READ, almost had to cancel!

9/24/2004 8:07:19 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Shannon,
Very good point!
We got a couple of straw bales for protection.
We strapped the pumpkin down pretty good, I think. We'll be keeping a close eye on it as we travel.

Phil,
That's great you'll be making it after all.
I've got to get up early tomorrow, as it's about a 4 1/2 hr. drive.

Regards,
Doug

9/24/2004 10:47:29 PM