The Pumpkin Cannon!
Image from ciunibaby.blogspot.com
The 2011 Pumpkinmania! First Place Winner, Jim Fredricks!
Preparations are already being made to transport some of this year's entries.
It's very handy to have an engine hoist available!
It's even better to have an engine hoist and what looks like a re-purposed cell tower!
The 2012 Pumpkinmania! Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest is this Sunday!
Hello, Pumpkinistas!
This year's competition is less than 24 hours away! The weather looks like it's going to be great, in the mid-80s, sunny, slight breeze. I suggest bringing a hat, sunscreen, and wearing long-sleeves. Just in case we have an unexpectedly large entry, please bring some gloves. We may need you.
I had an opportunity to survey the weigh-off competition area last week with Glenn Tanaka of Tanaka Farms, this year's venue. I am happy to report that all's well, and I expect the event to be a huge success, no pun intended, due in large part to the enthusiasm, cooperation and participation of Glenn and his staff!
Plus, there was a great article on Monday by Doug Irving of the Orange County Register, that featured Pumpkinmania and Tanaka Farms: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/pumpkin-375273-pumpkins-orange.html
Tanaka Farms is located at 5380 University Drive, Irvine, CA 92618, their website address is: www.tanakafarms.com, contact telephone number is (949) 653-2100. Head west and it's minutes away from the San Diego Freeway and the University Drive/Jeffrey exit. Turn left at the Strawberry Farms/Michelson signal, and the Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch parking will be the next left. Follow the signs to the entry unloading and contest area.
The weigh-off will be held, tomorrow, Sunday, October 28th, from 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Registration will be held from 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m., with the weigh-off beginning at 11:30 a.m.. We'll be near the Pumpkin Patch area.
Join giant pumpkin and pumpkin growers from all over California and beyond, competing for $1,800 in prize money sponsored by Gardner & Bloome and Kellogg Garden Products, glory and giant pumpkin cultivation immortality. The First Place prize for Biggest/Heaviest Pumpkin is $1,000.00 followed by $500.00 and $300.00 for the second and third place finishers respectively.
Additional categories will include: Best Color, Funniest Shape, Unluckiest Pumpkin Grower, Most Experienced Grower, Youngest Grower and potentially more. Winners in these categories will win $75.00 in prizes generously donated by our sponsors.
Note: Additional prizes may be awarded to growers in the order they register their entries. Growers registering their entries earlier will be given priority over growers registering their entries later.
Companies sponsoring this year's prizes include Neptune's Harvest Liquid Organic Fertilizers, http://www.neptunesharvest.com/, GreenCure Organic Fungicides, http://www.greencure.net/, Hydrofarm, http://www.hydrofarm.com/, Roadkyll Apparel Graphics, (714) 560-0005, and more!
The always popular, limited-editon, Pumpkinmania! T-shirt will be available for $10.00
Also, in a Pumpkinmania first, the winner and his or her pumpkin, will be feted with the firing of Tanaka Farm's pumpkin cannon! It simply does not get any better than this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2yWsriFTPs
Here are the rules:
Contest Rules & Regulations
1. This is an open competition to all growers in any part of the world.
2. The pumpkin must be grown by the grower and in the country where the grower resides.
3. A grower may enter only one pumpkin, and no family may enter more than two entries.
4. Entries will be received between 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. on the day of competition.
5. Entries must be sound, healthy, and undamaged. This means free of rot, holes or cracks through to the cavity, chemical residue, soil should be wiped off, and no soft spots.
6. No foreign material is to be included in the weighing. Vine must be trimmed within 1.0” from the stem of the fruit. Judges reserve the right to fully inspect each pumpkin before the weight is announced and official. Refusal to allow inspection of a pumpkin will result in its disqualification and a potential ban for life from future Pumpkinmania! competitions.
7. Any pumpkin previously entered in or weighed at any other competition prior to the contest will be deemed ineligible.
8. In the event of a tie, prize(s) will be combined and split equally among entrants.
9. Decision of the judges will be final in all cases.
10. Contest sponsors and staff shall not be liable for compensation for loss or damage to any pumpkins, contestants, their families and friends, or personal property. All entrants completely and totally indemnify the sponsors and organizers of the weigh-off and contest.
Additional details: Please visit, http://www.pumpkinmania.blogspot.com/, or e-mail: sbs33@cornell.edu and interpac007@yahoo.com, media inquiries please call: (949) 683-5932.
Free to compete, free to attend! (Except dogs.)
See you then!
