From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Rockford,il

If I spent $375 for pumpkin seeds this is how my conversation with my loving wife would go.
Me: Just letting you know dear that I am writing a check out for $375.
Wife:Is there something wrong with your car?
Me:Uh no
Wife:Are you buying something special for a xmas present?
Me: Uh no.
Wife: Are you expecting a medical bill that has to be paid?
Me:Uh no.
Wife:Are you making an extra payment towards your daughters schooling?
Me:Uh no.
Wife:Than what do you need $375 for this close to xmas?
Me:I just bought 4 incredible pumpkin seeds.
Wife: Heres $10 dollars for some stamps and some bubble wrap envelopes and another $50 for an igloo doghouse to sleep in at night, outside with the dog.
Me: We dont have a dog.
Wife: than I guess your going to be awfully lonely.
Me:Yes Dear.

11/21/2004 10:00:07 AM

Ontario, Canada.

wifey: what? are you nuts? $375 for a pumpkin seed......
Russ: Yeah, but..............

11/21/2004 11:36:45 AM

Knopp, Germany

it was 4 o'clock in the morning, i didn't know what i was doing......

11/21/2004 12:10:23 PM

Knopp, Germany

lol, i really said that i was bidding at the only auction that i will bid at all year. i need the seed i bid on like i need a hole in the head. but, we need to support the organizations that make this hobby so much fun. it's a Dill thing, without Howard, and his great family, i wouldn't have anything to do.......lol

11/21/2004 12:12:49 PM

Ontario

Some people take up golf, some of you young guys take up Paintball. You can spend thousands on equipment to improve your game or upgrade your gun. This is Ken's hobby and if he wants to increase his chances of growing a big one then 375 dollars is a bargain compared to most hobbies. I have met his other half and she doesn't mind at all. Its all in your perspective of things, money is going to a good cause and its 4 fantastic seeds. You may laugh but if you are as serious as Ken is you would be able to better understand why he spends the amount of money he does. Golf is a hell of alot more expensive just for membership and green fees.
So don't laugh too hard he may just beat you next year.

drew

11/21/2004 12:15:55 PM

Eugene,OR

Well stated Drew. With the amount of time and energy a serious grower puts into this hobby, you might as well grow the seeds you really want to grow!

11/21/2004 12:30:24 PM

No Place Special

If you want something bad enough you will stop at nothing to get it. I set out this year (04') with one thing on my mind.... growing a 1000 lb pumpkin. I threw every dollar into my mission as I felt necessary and didn't hardly think twice about it. When my old tiller died on me this spring, I called and asked my wife for permission to spend $700 on a new one.... little did she know it was already in the back of my truck and I was almost home. I didn't look to see who bought that lot for $375 but I would bet $375 that they will have a VERY large pumpkin under their belt sometime in the near future. Congratulations on your winning bid and best of luck to you with those world class seeds. You are a grower on a mission and i salute you for it! Mike Frantz

11/21/2004 1:02:48 PM

Walkerton Ont

I missed it all last night, who all got what.

11/21/2004 1:18:49 PM

[email protected]

You can spend a lot more than $375 on a high end driver. A pound of Heritage will be more than that after the first of the year.

Greens fees & membership at a private club around here cost more than $30,000.

One day out at a nice public course will set you back $150 & no matter how slow Americans play a round, it still ends before sundown.

Pumpkin seeds offer up an entire season of enjoyment with the chance of tremdous reward at the end. Persoanally the smiles are enough. But the first 1500.......:0)

It's all relative. We have two 842s in our auctions 12-8th & 9th. There will probably be others too.

Tip: Always maintain a "hobby account". A coffee can in the garage or basement might suffice for the "financially close advised". Then a quick trip to the post office at lunch time for a money order & the entire affair slips quietly past the watchful eye of the "advisor". LOL

11/21/2004 2:18:02 PM

Ontario, Canada.

I am fortunate that my wife understands the game. After all is said and done. "if you want to play you have to pay". I'm sure Ken will do well with the Eaton seeds. The 842 did fetch a good price combined with 1301, 1446 and 1236. Together these 4 seeds have 17 progeny over 1000 pounds. I believe it may turn out to be a real bargain. Most prices last night seamed to be a bit on the discounted side of cash registar.

The cold climate of Ken's area has him building a greenhouse to enclose his plants all season long. He will be extremely tough to beat next year at Port Elgin.

I spent freely as well the past 18 months or so and purchased a number of good seeds through auctions. Many things are required to start up an AGP operation on a competitive scale and seeds are just one of them.

Adrian Gervais, once told me a story about when he started growing AGP's. He travelled to Ottawa and bought some Super Duper seeds in the early 90'ies.

11/21/2004 2:40:27 PM

Streator ,Illinois

Drew , easy I think out of my gourd is a little new to the seed auctions and was taken back at what you might have to pay for a quality seed and how serious some people are about growing
Temor I pay 37.50 for 18 hole, cart and 6 pack and since we are talking golf I have a new Callaway Driver )Big Bertha) graphite shaft got it for 25 years of sevice at work and I will trade even up for a 1092 burke or a 695 handy and I will ship it, The only catch is you have to be left handed (The club has never been thrown)
Gene

11/21/2004 4:20:59 PM

Eugene,OR

Orange One: That's the point exactly. Nobody is going to pay for an old graphite shaft Big Bertha...ah, but they will trade or pay for a Big Bertha seed!

11/21/2004 4:53:05 PM

[email protected]

Sorry Lisa. I knew going in I wouldn't get out clean. LOL

Seperate checking accounts work wonders too.

18 for $37.50???? The range costs more here. Jeez! I gotta move.

11/21/2004 5:09:14 PM

Eugene, OR

If there was a seed I REALLY wanted to try, like an 810 Dill perhaps, I would think about spending that kind of money on a seed...If I had it! LOL I spend 3 times that every 3 months on books alone. :-( I'll settle for the seeds I have now, proven and unproven, and see what they can do. Any seed could be the next 842 so why not be the first to find out!

Steve, $150 for a round of golf? Good lord. I used to pay a $25 Kamaaina rate for 18 holes of golf, including cart, on Maui!! If you're going to move closer to cheaper golf, why not move there!

11/21/2004 5:17:09 PM

[email protected]

Brian,

Check the rates here:

http://www.greatrivergolfclub.com/

$125 to reserve but who doesn't stop at the 19th?

It's a nice public course. But it's still a public course.

Don't get me wrong. As a resident of this town I can shoot our little public par-3 9-hole for $20 with a cart. But it's not much of an experience.

11/21/2004 6:03:27 PM

Rockford,il

Guys you are taking my comment way too seriously.It was only intended to be humorous.I had no intention of insulting anyone.We all could use a chuckle every now and then.I did not take on the name "Out Of My Gourd" because I had a normal outlook or sense of humor.Relax,have some fun and I will try to get through this winter without causing any commotion.Also I do believe that to be at your best you should surround your self with the best.So if you have the resources use them to do your best.






gourd"

11/21/2004 6:41:27 PM

Webster, NY

Like Drew said, it's like any hobby. As a hobby, I don't go out and spend tons of money out of our savings. But, I try to put away a little from spending money each week. Then, if something comes up that I need or would like, it's all right. My wife does the same thing. A little each week adds up.

11/21/2004 7:03:59 PM

Indiana

What I want to know is where are all these people with money when I need money for books! LOL

I think that giant pumpkins are one of the cheapest hobbies a person can have. For some elbow grease, and 50 bucks a person can grow a 1000 pound pumpkin. Now of course we spend WAY more than 50 bucks a plant on bells and whistles!

Tom

11/21/2004 7:22:47 PM

[email protected]

YOU can grow a pumpkin over 1000 lbs for $50. But no one has ever grown one for any amount of money in CT to 1000 lbs.

Hey Tom. I'll buy the books if you grow me one here to 1000 lbs & you can have the guest room for a simester for free!

11/21/2004 9:00:53 PM

San Diego

Atleast if you buy a driver, it lasts for 10 years, 20 if you take good care of it and you never have to worry about it not germinating hehehehe:) If I bought a 375 dollar seed or seeds, I would pass out from the stress of seeing it not germinate or get eaten by a critter when small. LoL, Too many really good seeds for free for me to spend so much, but some think it's worth it.:) jimmy

11/21/2004 9:42:07 PM

Purchasing a driver does not support a pumpkin growers association. Watching your kids marvel at your pumpkins every day like it was the first time they saw it.... meeting new friends... watching pumpkins grow at a world class pace... even if their not in your patch... the scale goes higher than your expectations... Priceless.

11/22/2004 7:36:28 AM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

If your budget doesn't have any allocation for improving your
soil, then I would spend all $375 on that, and get some of the
many free seeds that hold great promise. On the other hand,
if your soil is covered, then go ahead and spend what your
family will support...

I guess what I'm saying is, if I had a certain budget for
this, I'd spend 90 to 95% on upgrading soil and the rest on
whatever.

11/22/2004 1:44:48 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

The nice thing is, there is a strategy for everyone here...

Got money to burn? Go buy the hottest thing... Want to
support a great charity? Go for it. Of course, it may not
germinate or it may flat vine, or, take your pick of the
things that can go wrong... Or it may work well for you.

But there will always be a glut of great but unproven seeds.
If every grower produces 500X of the seeds
he or she started with, these seeds will be available for the
asking, in the hopes that they could become hot.

The 898 Knauss was grown from and pollinated with unproven
(first year) seeds.

You can find all the hot seeds, selfed, crossed, whatever,
just one generation removed. I guess I subscribe to the
notion that hot seeds become so when heavy hitters
grow them (*mostly*).

11/22/2004 2:06:51 PM

mcminnville oregon

i hope everyone is busy DEC 4TH when the PGVG has their auction! all i have hidden is a $50

11/24/2004 1:29:45 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I'm with you Dave. These auctions are way too rich for my blood. I would like to see fundraisers in the form of draws. That way my $50 has a chance of winning something.

Phil

11/24/2004 6:14:23 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Do we have the thing for you guys. The Central Wisconsin Pumpkin Growers hava a raffle every year. Stayed tuned and hold on to them $50's. Or else take that money and join one of the clubs that has seed giveways as part of membership.

11/24/2004 11:39:25 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

No problem, I'll be supporting your club by buying some raffle tickets.

Phil

11/24/2004 2:57:11 PM