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Entry Date
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Location
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Saturday, June 29, 2024
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big moon
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Bethlehem CT
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Entry 60 of 185 |
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I saw this on Facebook and thought it was funny. I could go a step farther and say if you are OK with doing Giant pumpkin growing you’re already farming. And thus a part of the madness, that is farming. Most modern people don't understand what it is like to be a farmer. Well it is quite similar to being a giant pumpkin grower. Let me explain... When your friends ask you "How much did you win?, or how much did you sell that pumpkin for?" Then you tell them how much… lets say you won $1000. That friend will always be shocked and in their mind, it is like you won the lottery or a card game. That couldn't be farther from the truth, even the best growers consider it a successful season when they can break even with their input costs. Lets not even factor in labor, because if we did, That would even put Travis Gienger's world record breaker last year into the negative..... Perhaps at least it would make it pretty darn close to neutralizing any profitability. The same is true for farmer’s. A farmer might come home from the farmers market with thousands of dollars in his or her pocket. But the true cost, the sustainable cost may still not be met!
Let’s face it, We aren't doing this for any monetary gains, it is nice when the winnings come, but think about all the blown pumpkins and ripped out plants that come between the successes. Even Travis has them too. (although I would argue that perhaps he has the fewest of any elite grower) Look at the Paton's last few years they have had some elite pumpkins fall just short of the finish line. Even though I am not half the grower of the Paton's or Travis. As a grower I still know that disappointment and loss as we all do...but for me it is at a much smaller level. So why do we do this at all? Because we love it, some might say it is in our Blood, or dna. I think it is a blessing and a priveledge to be able to grow giant Pumpkins and a garden in general. Most modern people have never left the city and have never been exposed to growing a tomato, or planting a tree or tending a garden. I think this is sad. I believe we were meant to live a life with simple pleasures that tie us to the land and all of God’s creation. After all What was the job that God gave Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden before the fall? “It was to tend the garden”.
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