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Kutztown, PA

My first year of growing a deep crease at the bottom of my pumpkin on the stem side left a large enough space for a mouse to take up owner ship of the property underneath. When I picked the pumpkin up there was the mouse nest. The mouse/mice didn't feed on the pumpkin it just wanted a dry roof over it's head.
Which brings me to this: On YouTube a grower indicated that his pumpkin had been disqualified because a mouse/mice had eaten the skin off of the bottom of his pumpkin thus it was pronounced damaged. I thought damage meant there was a penetration into the pumpkin cavity? Where am I going wrong?
Maybe one of you guys can get out your little league rule book and enlighten me :) Thanks in advance.

3/2/2023 10:16:40 AM

Elk County, PA

https://gpc1.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GPC-Rules-and-Handbook-2021-7-11-2022-Edit.pdf

Scroll down to article II Fruits and growers section 4. There is a photo pertaining to this exact question.

Based on reading this the wound must of been unhealthy,soft and or rot present.

3/2/2023 10:41:39 AM

Grittyville, WA

Generally damage is supposed to be healed. Guessing here, I think the idea behind the rules is that pumpkins should be of a quality that would, say "last until Halloween" if you know what I mean. In other words, an official pumpkin should be one that could make it a couple weeks without rotting all the way through. (Of course, more importantly they also dont want cheating or safety hazards... you can imagine how a pumpkin that is cracked in half would bring a bit of uncertainty to the task of securely lifting it).

3/2/2023 1:46:17 PM

Western NY

It's on page 17.

3/2/2023 3:19:48 PM

Syracuse, NY

I think ol' Bucky the Mouse is now disappointed -
he should have gnawed the pallet instead!
Prolly didn't see it, lol---eg

3/2/2023 3:55:00 PM

Kutztown, PA

The rules are in writing! I didn't sign of for that. :)
Last season I decided to put those sticky traps around the pumpkin. I figured I didn't want the conventional traps there because the peanut butter bait would attract mice to the area. Bad decision - didn't see any mice, but I had to peel those damn sticky trap off of my cover sheets every time the wind blew. :)

3/2/2023 4:34:54 PM

Syracuse, NY

I feel that sticky traps are terribly inhumane - and they show a stuck mouse with a grimace on his face on the package!
I am a snap trap advocate to the fullest, but I'll bet even beyond ME, someone thinks THOSE are inhumane, lol---eg
I put myself in the animals' paws...eg

3/3/2023 1:41:29 AM

Grittyville, WA

Agree eg. If we get reincarnated as mice then we're gonna team up and cause some trouble for those pesky humans...

3/3/2023 2:31:09 AM

Syracuse, NY

I'll gnaw on the base of the mouse trap - not only medically-necessary, it also annoys ME when the cheese is nibbled away and of course, the trap is untripped, lol---knowing my enemy is half the battle, lol. You and me, man - we'll get 'em---eg

3/3/2023 10:20:57 AM

Grittyville, WA

Lol. Well, possibly mice may be getting a bad rap. Ive had trouble with rats here not mice the mice around here just arent hungry or big enough. Rats, voles and moles are worthy adversaries, however. I'm sure mice can be a problem but too but not yet here, thankfully. Always best to know for sure who the real culprit is.

3/3/2023 4:08:14 PM

Grittyville, WA

Word salad... Blah!

3/3/2023 4:08:56 PM