From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Colorado

Those jackets are not fitting of the award.The hobby needs to fix this.

8/9/2022 1:17:56 PM

President - GPC

Joe, you are correct. The manufacturer did us bad. The coats we received year after the pandemic are not up to the same standards as the previous years. We agree, they are not worthy. The GPC (hobby) has been discussing this, and the remedy for the past two months, so wont be long now before we announce our solution to this issue.

YOUR GPC COMMITTEE

8/9/2022 5:44:56 PM

Diamond, Ohio

Great to hear Wiz

8/10/2022 7:10:23 AM

Parker, Co

We saw Chad’s jacket last weekend. Pretty ugly. Made out of plastic. All the work the growers put in to getting a jacket and they are really cheap looking.

8/10/2022 3:57:44 PM

Cheshire Ma USA

At least Chad got his.

8/11/2022 8:32:18 AM

Massillon, Ohio

So that's why I couldn't bend my arms when I put my jacket on!!!!

8/11/2022 9:07:45 AM

Torrance, Ca.

lol Nana!!:)

8/11/2022 10:14:04 AM

President - GPC

lol @ Nana... but not really. I put on Biz's jacket and was very disappointed. The plastic arms are stiff and almost like wearing PVC Pipe sleeves. The body of the wool coat is much thinner, buttons popping off before one even wears it. Also noted blue ink dots on the hard plastic sleeves. UNACCEPTABLE. The Manufacturer - increased the price, Made blame of the supply chain, delayed shipping...then cheapened up the entire coat, and will not return any correspondence. So, the GPC is DONE with them. This was the same coat we have ordered for several years...so should of been the same.......
We have a plan, and it will be announced here in the next week or so... Hang tight....

YOUR GPC COMMITTEE

8/11/2022 10:37:41 AM

Salem, OH

Gary, Got mine and it was the same as everyone else’s. The family got a good laugh out of it. While we are at it we have plaques the came in with misspelled names? Quinn Werner is now Guin Werner Ect. Can someone contact Us . Thanks, Tim Parks

8/11/2022 1:31:41 PM

President - GPC

Tim, Work with your GPC Rep > Mark, and we will get it taken care of.... we will send a new plate with the correct name.

8/11/2022 1:39:17 PM

50 Acres

Not a real loss . Great Halloween costume.

8/11/2022 1:40:37 PM

Anchorage Alaska

I wouldn't know after 14 years of growing , never got one ..lol

8/11/2022 10:30:46 PM

President - GPC

Dale I share your feelings, but hey, Iceman doesnt have one either...

8/12/2022 9:50:08 AM

Torrance, Ca.

Same Dale, 13 years and when you live in an area where you can only grow 1 or 2 plants. You'd have to grow 2 fruit perfect and both over 2000 pounds! Tough task for us 1 or 2 fruit growers.
Not the jacket but the documentary is going to talk a bit about this and show the areas we grow in. I think the rule is fair and it just pushes me to somehow hit 2 over 2000 sometime in the net 20 years.

8/12/2022 10:45:13 AM

Westmoreland, KS

Same here Dale and So.Cal started in 2009 I have yet to make it to 3 weighoffs...There's always next year!

8/12/2022 1:03:33 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Same here, especially since we only have 1 GPC event in our entire Province…if I were lucky enough to get 3 pumpkins to qualify, I’d have to go to Vancouver, and then 2 Weighoffs in Washington State or Oregon to even have a shot. Those costs would quadruple the amount of money we spend on this hobby in just travel costs, so no jacket for North Shore Boyz and the missus.

8/12/2022 1:33:18 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

There was an exemption to that rule due to Covid (all 3 pumpkins must weighed at 3 separate GPC events) and I’m a believer that the rule should be permanently changed so that a grower like myself can bring his best 3 pumpkins to a GPC event (only 1 pumpkin will qualify for prizes and prize money) but all 3 pumpkins should count for the jacket and the 4000 lb challenge.

Again, we have only 1 GPC event in our Province.

8/12/2022 1:42:34 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

I am just going to make my own jacket. And put whatever cool patches on it that I want to.

And you will all be very envious of my cool jacket.

8/12/2022 2:04:07 PM

President - GPC

North Shore > one pumpkin 2200 lbs would do it, single pumpkin weight..... We could do IT...lol

8/12/2022 2:46:40 PM

Colorado

They could put some kind of distance clause from the second and third contest to allow exceptions to the current rule.

8/12/2022 5:04:40 PM

Whidbey Island

North Shore, I believe you've moved to Vancouver Island which makes any trip expensive given the ferry costs. I also appreciate the hassle of coming to Washington for weigh-offs, particularly with the border crossing being what it is. Having said that, there are two GPC weigh-offs in northern Washington this year, one in Mt. Vernon and one on Camano Island. We would welcome more pumpkins from BC. Just FYI. Lee

8/12/2022 10:49:38 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I hear you Lee and thanks for the suggestions. Vancouver Island to Camano Island would be quite the day trip at a huge financial cost. Maybe KC Kevin can make me a cool jacket too.

8/12/2022 11:34:23 PM

Mead, WA

Your all very talented jacket or no I'm a rookie I'd just be happy to get a seed to sprout I have to use starts cause not been able to get r done yet but still trying.

8/14/2022 8:25:05 AM

Torrance, Ca.

KC, can you make me one too? It will only be for guys who only have room for 1 or 2 plants at the most and or only have small areas to grow but do very well.

I have to talk to Wiz about this!;)

8/14/2022 12:10:54 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Absolutely Chris! I am thinking the award could be based on lbs per square foot of plant area - the great equalizer for us small patch folks!

8/15/2022 2:46:54 PM

Parker, CO

Glad to hear that a plan is in the works for the “rain coats” as my 3 year old called the jacket. Ha (and not really). I took out the coat for the patch tour and 3 buttons came off. Laughable quality at best, it’s a shame that the manufacturer thought it was OK to ship them.

I am happy to help to contribute towards a replacement if need be.

8/16/2022 1:15:58 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Love it Kevin!

8/16/2022 1:59:42 PM

Denver, CO

Hey Whizzy - did you ask the manufacturer of those cheap jackets if they can be returned for a full refund? I saw Chad's jacket at the patch tour - even the GPC patch was smaller. Pete is correct - UGLY

8/21/2022 9:50:50 AM

Denver, CO

KC Kevin - I like your idea of lbs per square foot!

I live in the city and county of Denver with a typical rectangular small backyard and have two grow areas; measuring 200 and 450 sq ft. (this is a generous estimate) - there is no way I can grow 4 kins in my backyard.

Why can't the GPC amend the rules for us small patch folks?!

8/21/2022 10:01:07 AM

Denver, CO

Kevin - women's size large please - let me know where I should mail the check :)

8/21/2022 10:02:33 AM

Dillonvale, Ohio

A jacket is not a participation trophy, it is not meant for everyone. If you don't have the space to grow 1 to 2200 or 3 totaling 4k, move. I know of growers that picked a house based on having the space and location for AG's. If you want to EARN a jacket bad enough, you will find a way, not demand the rules change to suit you.
I could get behind a distance to a weigh off rule change, but not a weight or plant size rule change.
I also believe that if you're going to try for your jacket, you better do it soon while it's 2200 for 1 fruit or 4k total on 3 fruit because I think those numbers are going to go up soon.

8/21/2022 2:41:45 PM

Denver, CO

Well said Mr. Wolf - this isn't elementary school - not everybody gets a ribbon for participating in field day.

I choose not to move and choose to find another way to grow 4 kins this season - my neighbors allowed me their entire back yard to try my hand at growing two additional kins.

In Colorado we have 4 GPC sanctioned weigh-offs; lucky for me, next season I hope to be lucky enough (with a lot of hard work) to take a 1500 lb kin to each one of those weigh-offs.

The excessive heat took out two of my kins (and not enough misting); lessons learned, I have a plan for next season now.

Thanks for the heads up about the weight increases - hopefully the rule change doesn't happen until 2024!

8/21/2022 6:38:18 PM

Roseville CA

I understand the pain of not having space! Our home garden is very small, but my solution was to grow at our local grange's community garden, which is about 6 miles away.

I like the idea of the Weight per sq ft, but I think that would be hard to judge, or maybe, there should a category like that, like the 150 contest.

8/21/2022 11:59:37 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

My suggestion was tongue-in-cheek, but that doesn't come through. I am not about a rule change or adding a new category. I do my best, with what I have. I am blessed to be able to grow at all. I have a wonderful community of fellow growers here and we are all in a similar situation, patch-wise. Some have a larger patch, some have more heat, it's all good. The highest bar I can set for myself is to continue to get better, learn more and most importantly have a ton of fun doing it!

8/22/2022 6:03:33 PM

Denver, CO

I understood your tongue-in-cheek suggestion and was having fun with a response.

I agree 100% - I do the best I can with my available resources, have several awesome mentors that I can text and ask lots of questions and have some pretty awesome neighbors as well!

It has been a rough grow season - but what a sport - it keeps you coming back for more!!!

Happy Monday Folks.

8/22/2022 7:35:35 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Thanks T-Rod, wishing you the very best!

8/22/2022 8:18:37 PM

Parker, CO

Was wondering if any progress or movement on this has been made?

On this note too; were the patches ever made?

10/7/2022 11:05:12 PM