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Canton Ohio

I've been growing giant pumpkins for many years and have met a number of really fine people along the way. This year due to health reasons I decided to forgo giant pumpkin growing and look to a less time consuming giant vegetable. I opted for giant watermelons and eagerly began reading the Watermelon Growing Forum to get myself up to speed.

What should be a friendly hobby where ideas and tips are shared has degraded to conversations about the rules and loopholes to get around the spirit of the rules. I think it is naive to think that there won't be a number of giant watermelons reaching the weigh offs where the spirit of giant vegetable growing has been violated. I don't know if it is because of the additional prize money but I have never seen such crap posted.

And before you accuse me of solely dumping on the watermelon growers I must say that even the pumpkin growers are letting the dazzle of winning some big bucks ruin our hobby. I've been a member of a local team for years and suddenly everyone is all hush hush about what they are doing. It's getting so competitive that I imagine patch tours will become a thing of the past.

So I will grow three watermelon plants this year and I will not win any prizes but I will be happy with the fact that I grew in the spirit of giant vegetable growing and have not compromised my ethics or generosity of spirit in providing anyone who asks as much information to help them as humanly possible.

5/22/2012 8:26:46 AM

formerly RGG

Amen Frankie.

5/22/2012 8:38:14 AM

50 Acres

You got it right. In my opinion big dollars hurt organizations. Great post , Frankie.

5/22/2012 10:14:54 AM

Canton Ohio

I really don't understand why the GWG is aggressively pursuing additional prize money from private organizations and product suppliers. I believe this is poorly thought out and will only serve to divide the membership. It use to be sufficient to simply receive recognition as opposed to growing to try to win prize money. I suspect that the Committee members have seen the money thrown at the pumpkin growers and think they are serving members better by soliciting money. But all one has to do is read a number of the posts in the Watermelon Growing Forum to understand how prize money can divide.

5/22/2012 12:31:42 PM

Lexington, Ky

I'm in your camp Frankie

5/22/2012 12:39:31 PM

Alaska

Just make the rules so it's a straight forward no loophole contest. The honor system is a foolish way to run any professional competition. This ain't FH.

5/22/2012 12:49:00 PM

Alaska

4H that is.

5/22/2012 1:05:08 PM

Jamul

I totally agree with the ideas in this thread.
I like the way things were two years ago when there was less hype involved. After barely dabbling in pumpkins, I moved to watermelons from pumpkins, because of the ego trips and excessive hype there. Short lived was the relief to be found here in this forum.

Thanks for the very valuable and transferable growing skills many of you have taught me. Best of luck and life to you all. I apologize for any of my part in the sour grapes.

5/22/2012 2:09:15 PM

Pataskala,OH

I don't think people are hiding secrets, there is barely a difference between growing pumpkins and watermelon. There are barely any new secrets.

5/22/2012 2:15:32 PM

Canton Ohio

I should have said "offered assistance or advice" instead of "keeping secrets". When I first started growing giant pumpkins there was a brotherhood and a spirit of helping one another that seems to have disappeared. Enough said on this subject as my intent was to vent a little frustration.

5/22/2012 2:38:45 PM

formerly RGG

Frankie, as in any other group of people, I think we have all kinds of people in our little watermelon growing community. There are many of us, like Mark Clementz and James White, who will happily tell you everything they know about growing giant watermelons. And I think the growers with "guarded secrets" certainly have a right to keep that to themselves if it be their wish. Please, if you have any questions about growing melons, there are several growers on here who will be happy to give you their opinion.But there are a lot of different opinions as there are lots of different ways to successfully grow giant watermelons.

Anyway, if one grower has any secrets that are really great, I think that person should be dominating the sport year after year. And that my friend is just not happening. I believe that anyone on here who takes the time to sift through all the rubbish can get enough useful information to turn into a very successful grower.

What is hard for me to understand is people talking about walking away from the hobby because they are "offended" by the discussions that go on here. It is just the nature of the beast that there are going to be heated debates on here. To let debate get under your skin enough to walk away from the hobby is absurd I think. Where is the harm as long as we keep a civil tongue in our mouths ? This forum would bore me if everyone agreed with each other all the time. It is the contrast in ideas and opinions that keeps it interesting.

5/22/2012 4:54:53 PM

Jamul

You are right, Dennis, that no one should walk away from the hobby because of the club or this forum. Those things may be good for some, but not needed for a hobby.

5/22/2012 6:07:09 PM

Rochester, Minnesota

I am of the old belief that I wouldn't be part of a club that would have me as a member, because I am just in the sport because I like to grow giants. I think of it as the WOW factor.

I have made it a point to share every tip and technique I can, and to give away seeds freely. That's my contribution to helping others. Of course I have benefited well by having others share with me. This makes me pretty much no different than anyone else.

6/8/2012 4:43:58 PM

Southeast Texas

yea MMM your the only one ive sent a bubble to that sent me 10 seeds from each melon.most send 1 or 2

6/8/2012 8:50:07 PM