John Sach, of Whittier, CA and 2012 Pumpkinmania Champion!
The 2013 Pumpkinmania! Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest is this Sunday, October 27th!
Hello, Pumpkinistas!
This year's competition is this Sunday!
The weigh-off will be held this Sunday, October 27th, 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 at Tanaka Farms, in Irvine. The weather should be perfect, sunny, with temperatures in the upper 70s, and a 4 mph breeze!
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, honor, 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.
Here's a picture of one of this year's potential winners!
Photo by Chris Dunn
A 2013 Pumpkinmania Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest entry in repose...
Here's how one of this year's entries, grown by Mike and Susan Gray (Top three finishers in 2012), have managed to get their pumpkin moved from their backyard to their driveway for this Sunday's competition. It normally takes 1-2 days! :
Photo by Mike Gray
Photo by Mike Gray
Photo by Mike Gray
Additional categories will include: Best Color, Funniest Shape, Unluckiest Pumpkin Grower, Most Experienced Grower, Youngest Grower and potentially more.
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 (405) 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.
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, Sheridan Gardens, Batavia Gardens Nursery, Orange County Farm Supply, and more!
The always popular, limited-editon, highly collectible and cherished Pumpkinmania! T-shirt will be available for $10.00
Image from ciunibaby.blogspot.com
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 (Last year, pumpkins were hurled off an elevated platform too!)
(I suggest bringing a hat, sunscreen, and wearing a long-sleeve shirt. Just in case we have an unexpectedly large entry, please bring some gloves. We may need you!)
See you Sunday!
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 seed 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, damage, and/or death 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.
