You do not need a pumpkin to attend.
But if you have one bring it. Do not be embarressed by a "small" pumpkin. Be proud of the fact that it is probably the biggest thing you have ever grown. Bring it, get it weighed and show it off.
Weigh-off 3 pm
Pumpkins must be sound. No holes, or cracks although if you have one like this bring it and it will get weighed, it is just not eligible for prize money
Heaviest Pumpkin wins
Multiple entries encouraged only one will be eligible for prize money
Entry Fee: Rolls, Chips, veggi tray ect. There will be chili and
pumpkin pie to eat after the weighoff
NEW REQUIREMENT All entries over 100 pounds should be placed on a pallet I will have a fork lift or something this year to lift these things out of your truck. This will save our backs.
Have Fun
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(same place as the last three years)
Directions: Take 6800 south off of Highway 20 (that's the road immediatly North of the South Fork of the Snake River) and go one mile east. Then turn North down a paved lane. Watch for the signs.
Brian Christensen (208) 656-9008 or at
(208) 359-2954
Bchris1335@aol.com
Second Place 50$
Third Place 25$
Heaviest Jack-O-Lantern 25$
(regular Jack-O-Lantern not the giants)
Feel free to bring and display other large and/or unusual vegetables. ie
Watermelon
Long Gourds
Tomato
Carrots
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
This started in my backyard in 2001. That year I had my largest pumpkin ever. I was unable to lift the monster out of the patch on my own so I invited several friends and neighbors to help. Along with the help came spectators and press. That was the first Pumpkin Pickin Party. I had no scale to weigh the pumpkin on so we loaded it up and took it into the local grain elevators to weigh it. Unfortunatly it was too large to fit on the small (accurate) scales so I simply had to weigh the truck with and without the pumpkin. This gave a very rough estimate of 900 pounds. It was officially wieghed several days later at a weighoff in Utah tipping the scales at 847.5 pounds.
The next year I purchased an in-line digital scale that has been certified by the Idaho Bureau of Weights and Measures and since then have been hosting the Eastern Idaho Pumpkin Picking Party. It has remained as a small event where regional growers, and gardening enthusiasts can weigh the seasons results. It remains as the only Pumpkin weighoff in the state of Idaho.
I have no intention of making this into a big deal but I would like to generate interest in growing giant pumpkins. My goal is to provide a mechanism for growers to weigh their pumpkins and recognize them for their efforts. I also hope to generate interest in the community by showing what is possible in our environment.
There is plenty to do both before and during the weighoff. If you are interested in helping out let me know. If you have any suggestions please let me know what we can do to make this better.
List of Stupid Questions not to ask a Giant Pumpkin Grower.
These are real questions that I have actually been asked. Who says there is no such thing as a stupid question.
Some of these questions are so off the wall that it is amazing. Others are just people that aren't thinking too clearly as they are astonished by the size of these monsters and have no idea what to say.
Question Answer
Is that real? Where is your sign?
Where did you buy that at, Wal-Mart? I'm still not sure how to answer this one.
Did you paint it that color? No, they just come this way
Why is it flat on the bottom? You would be too if you wieghed 600 pounds.
Why don't you roll it keep it round? Just try rolling anything that is 600+ pounds.
Do you feed it milk? Na, I save the milk for my kids.
How much steroids did you inject it with? I think those are illegal
Do you do anything special to get it that big? No, I just went out in the garden one day and found this huge pumpkin.
Do you fertilize it? Duh!
What do you do with it now? What else is there to do with a pumpkin make a Jack-O-Lantern.
How many seasons did it take to grow that? I'm still dumbfounded by this one.