From

Location

Message

Date Posted

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I am seeing a lot of enthusiasm from the growers signing up for the tomato contest. But, what happens if the teams are made up and then one of the three members of a team suddenly decides not to grow tomatoes or simply decides not to participate in the contest after signing up? It is not uncommon for people to sign up for things and then not do them. I would like all of the growers signing up and particularly the novices who might not be in the habit of growing tomatoes every year or those not really serious about tomatoes to be certain they want to participate in the contest because I know there are some very very serious growers here who won't be happy if a team member "drops out." Also, are we taking the biggest tomato from each team member or the biggest two tomatoes from each team member?

11/15/2017 8:33:56 PM

Central NY

Biggest two from each grower ...nobody drop out...

11/15/2017 8:52:10 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

You can put the questionable ones on my team,that way I'll have an excuse for losing,but really, I'm happy to have the bottom tier ones on my team.

11/15/2017 9:41:25 PM

Bloomington Indiana

Dan if you need an excuse. I'm your man for the B slot on your team.

11/15/2017 9:50:40 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

Just kidding, since I already withdrew from the competition. I'm only growing one tomato for the winter indoor grow.

11/15/2017 10:03:46 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Marv, I am assuming that A & B class growers are very serious, and should have a mater to weigh...but who knows? Seems to be lots of us C class growers, so put a few of us on each A + B team & count the best two or three of the C's in w/the best from each A & B? I guess it will depend on how many A's, how many B's, and how many C's are into the competition? Also, curious as to why so much cross talk about indoor grow & team competition? Two different ideas, eh? Peace, Wayne

11/16/2017 1:08:07 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Biscuit, it is more about actually following through than about not yet having grown a big one or any at all for that matter. There are some serious C growers who just have not had the good fortune find a big one on their vines. I plan on making any C grower I get as knowledgeable as I can about what I believe it takes to go big. All I ask for is a willing and focused listener, someone with the potential for making up for my tomato being smaller than desired by me, maybe someone who will grow 100 plants or more. lol.

11/16/2017 8:56:53 AM

Central NY

Sorry gmay...I did some secret early team picking ...im on yours ' and mobymikes team...

11/16/2017 9:59:46 AM

Valencia Spain

Thats why i quit i grow every year but never gets big and dont want to bring any team Down and decided prefer to grow just. For me

11/16/2017 2:51:54 PM

Nd

This team competition is for next year, not the winter grow competition, correct?

11/16/2017 7:14:34 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

yes, team competition is for next summer. Unfortunately the team competition and winter grow were introduced at about the same time. That has led to much confusion as to their relationship. They are two different contests. I just thought of something..I only have to grow 6 pounds this winter to move to group A...ummm...ooops, dreaming again...

11/16/2017 7:27:04 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

Thanks Bnot, that finally makes it plain, when it was mentioned as next year I thought it was referring to 1st day of spring so ya that's next year, please disregard everything I said, sorry for being so dense.

11/16/2017 8:18:09 PM

Central NY

Yea baby!!...buiscut is in!!!...let the trash talking begin...

11/17/2017 7:23:11 AM

Lebanon, Oregon

Trash talking is encouraged unless the trash talkee is easily hurt so pick ur words carefully.

11/17/2017 1:54:21 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

So PC, you picking teams or picking ur nose...see, like that for example.

11/17/2017 1:57:05 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

..was just an example as PC knows I have all the respect in the world for him as he hasn't picked my team yet.

11/17/2017 2:00:51 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

At last count , we have 8 A group, 11 B group and 24 C group. Not bad with 1 1/2 months left to enter. If two tomatoes per grower..i am going to predict that the winning team total is going to be 36 pounds. I am thinking 2-7 pounders, 2-6 pounders and 2-5 pounders. Anyone else want to make a prediction of the winning team weight?

11/17/2017 6:19:49 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Total weight 27 pounds. Hard for three growers to all do well.

11/17/2017 7:04:21 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Going to be hard to mix that in groups of 3.

11/17/2017 9:18:09 PM

Central NY

Not for me it won't ...

11/17/2017 10:58:03 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

When you pick the teams, what criteria are you going to use other than the presumed skill level?
Obviously it will be up to the team members to communicate.
I am thinking that a team that had it’s members relatively closely together would have an advantage over a team whose members were widely separated with disparate climates & growing conditions.
On the other hand, a team close together could all happen to have poor luck with the weather next summer which could hurt their chances.
What does everyone think of this?

11/17/2017 11:00:43 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Hey I just thought if we had each growers PB, we could add those up to try to form teams with similar sums, they wouldn’t have to be exact.
I was getting stuck on the A, B, C arrangement and wasn’t sure how we could pull that off so each team would have an equal number from each group.

11/17/2017 11:20:39 PM

East Carbon, Utah

One possibility is to have teams of 4, with two "C" growers in each group, and only 3 tomatoes counting for the team. Ideally the biggest from the A grower, biggest from the B grower, and biggest from the two C growers. But since it is entirely possible that the A grower (for example) has a bad year, then the heaviest tomato from both C growers would count. Logistically, it would be pretty straightforward: record the heaviest tomato of all four team members, then drop the lightest of the 4 to get the total team weight. This would allow for the distinct possibility that one grower would have a bad year (think flooding in Texas in 2017) or (heaven forbid) one person drops out because of health problems.

11/18/2017 1:17:09 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

bnot, good luck figuring this out...but great idea!!! Maybe 4 teams...2A's , hopefully another B group grower enters, then 3 B's, and then split the 24 C grower's b/tween the 4 teams? (6 each)! Best of two A's, best of two B's, and best 3 of the 6 C's from each team would certainly change Marv's total weight contest!!! (8+x2) + (7+x3) + (2.5? x 3) = 44.5#'s or more!! Peace, Wayne

11/18/2017 1:49:08 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I think Materdoc and Seamsfaster have great ideas. Using PB weights for members of the teams seems like a great idea and one that cannot leave the door open for claims of inpropriety. Having each team member use their heaviest weight tomato and then dropping the lightest weight of the team makes good sense as does the idea of having 4 members on each team. We would end up making the three heaviest tomatoes of each team the total team weight. That way if say Bnot or Porkchop had a bad year, they would not really hurt the team total as their weights would be dropped.

11/18/2017 8:59:23 AM

Central NY

Really good ideas...keep em comin...

11/18/2017 9:30:12 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Porkchop..you better not put me on your team....just think, we both might have a bad year...

11/18/2017 9:35:55 AM

Central NY

I pretty much plan on growing a garden full of 9lbers...I ll cover you...

11/18/2017 12:00:41 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

Now we're talking trash talk lol!! Go porkchop go !

11/18/2017 12:29:10 PM

Bloomington Indiana

Garden full of 9lbersthats great. Glad I got on your team on the secret early team draw. Sorry Dan looks like I will be porkchops excuse now lol.

11/18/2017 1:43:34 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

There seems to be no shortage of manure here. Should all lead to big tomatoes. I can't remember who I am supposed to send the money to for my handpicked team. Will the person who told me I could set up my own team let me know where to send the money?

11/18/2017 2:14:22 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

ooooh...another secret tip...more manure leads to bigger tomatoes. No problem...next summer I am going to order in a truckload of fresh manure and plant all my seeds in nothing but pure poop. Porkchop...change of plan put me on your team...I know how to grow 10 pounds now.

11/18/2017 2:25:17 PM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

What about doing a handicap for B and C growers??
If the average of the A growers is 7.25 pounds, and the average of the B growers is 5.25 pounds and the average of the C growers is 3.25 pounds then B growers would get a 2 pound handicap the C growers would get a 4 pound handicap, then it would be OK to have a B grower and 2 C growers on the same team????

11/18/2017 2:35:14 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Good ideas guys.
My PB is 2.13
Grown off of a 4.79 Terry.
That was an 8.41 Mc coy.

11/18/2017 4:36:19 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I believe.

11/18/2017 4:36:50 PM

Central NY

Esheel -- yer gonna throw those crappy big zacs away and grow domingo...they love that virginia heat...if yer on my team anyway..

11/18/2017 4:58:08 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

Growing the 5.95 Konieczny for the winter challenge now.
Was the first one up of the 3 seeds.
Didn’t that grow your 8.22 ?

11/18/2017 5:18:25 PM

Central NY

Yuuup..

11/18/2017 5:21:36 PM