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Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

This is something that is lacking in Ontario. It would be nice to have a club of our own. Dave McCallum mentioned something about it in the Port Elgin pumpkinfest paper, but have not heard anymore about it. How many people would be interested in joining a club? I belong to other clubs, but can't attend the seminars to learn, trade ideas and meet the growers in the club.......Phil

3/6/2005 7:42:31 PM

Walkerton Ont

i would be

3/6/2005 7:49:40 PM

Leamington, Ont.

Count me in!

3/6/2005 9:09:23 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Are there enough growers outside of the Niagara region to make up a whole club? If there was something really close to me, I might consider joining.

3/6/2005 10:57:21 PM

Bobcaygeon Ontario

Sounds good Phil. I'd join

3/7/2005 4:07:59 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I would be interested as well

3/7/2005 9:41:36 PM

Ontario, Canada.

I would also like to be a part of this group should it take flight. However Dave and the Port Elgin crew are doing a great job for all Ontario growers.

3/8/2005 7:54:04 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Russ
Dave & The ladies at Port Elgin Do a great job of running the international seminar and our weigh off, but these people can't be responsible for everything that goes on in the pumpkin community in Ontario. It's time for the growers of Ontario to stand up and start helping these very hard workers. I used to belong to the Ottawa club, but they folded a few years ago, due to the lack of people willing to help out the club. The growers in other clubs work together for a common goal of bettering the weights and are regularly helping each other. I would like to see a provincal seminar, centrally located, so all the growers of Ontario can attend, seed swaps and maybe a patch tour, so we can see first hand the techniques used by the heavy hitters. We talked briefly about one last year, but there was no one to organize it. I would also like to see another weigh off, maybe earlier than Port Elgin, so we have other place to weigh our other pumpkins. Some clubs have 3-4 weigh offs. There must be at least 125-150 growers in Ontario alone. Just my 2 cents........Phil

3/10/2005 7:03:51 AM

Ontario

We have 3 major weigh-offs in Ontario and last year our growers produced more pumpkins over 1000# than any other Province or State. There are A LOT! of very good growers here but not one growers association. Kinda odd really. I would love to see a group start up to organize tours and purchase growing stuff (i.e. kelp fertilizer) in bulk to keep costs down. Now if only somebody would step up to the plate....... How about it Phil ;0).

3/10/2005 10:20:58 AM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

It sounds like a great idea. But, I would be worried about setting up unecessary rivalries between the established events and a group that intends to represents all of Ontario. It sounds like it can work. But, it would probably work best as a "uniting of the clans" rather than a takeover.

In any case, I can help build a website for the club.

3/10/2005 11:49:52 AM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I work in the farm supply business and would be happy to help source of fertilizers and related products. Chemicals however; are a problem because of goverment regulations. I also may be able to offer discounts on soil testing through A&L labs.

3/10/2005 4:43:49 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Phil, I agree with you one hundred percent. I'am currently working on plans for a patch tour this summer that would be central and north of the GTA. We discussed this at the prep meeting for Niagara Falls with Dave, two months ago. I'am looking for volunteers to host tour sites in early to mid August.

As for an early weigh off, I have a site to host such an event in the Barrie area. The problem is sponsorship and prize money. I believe a labour day weigh off could work just fine for most growers. Any thoughts or help would be great? These two gatherings alone would be a great start. I will be in the Falls around 8pm on friday with Adrian's pumpkin. We can all get together and make more of these ideas.

3/10/2005 6:15:15 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Russ, I look forward to meeting with you and anyone else interested. I will be in Niagara on Fri night, until Sunday. Crammed and Country Kid, That's great! It's nice to see people willing to step up to the plate. I will speak to Dave this weekend and see if we can't get the ball rolling on this. It would be nice to get the Who's Who of pumpkin growers in Ontario to back the proposed club and get some input from Heavy hitters as well. Lets keep this rolling.....Phil

3/10/2005 7:10:18 PM

Leamington, Ont.

I'll help in any way I can...Just give me a shout.
Russ,if you have a location and date, I could help out and try to get some sponsors, or whatever.
I think if this is going to happen, we all may have to pitch in some way or another.
I won't be at the Falls so please keep me updated on whats up.
Savio

3/10/2005 7:56:32 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I also won't be able to make it to the seminar this weekend.

But, if you are looking for a spot to grow a Pumpkin, I am just starting to get involved with the community garden at York University. We may be growing one of my many extra seeds (I have yet to grow my first giant pumpkin, but already have about 75 seeds). This might be a good place to check out for a seminar of some sort.

You should note that I think it is an organic garden. So, some of the pesticides you may normally use might not be allowed. But, heaps of manure and kelp are surely acceptable.

3/10/2005 9:48:13 PM

ontario

sounds like a great idea.....but remember once there was the Ottawa St Lawrence Growers, but do to lack of enough workers it folded I believe....ideas are great till you start asking for help......I would like to see one but have no time to help...............wayne

3/13/2005 8:33:46 AM

Canada

Awsome Idea, Count me In :-)

DaveM

3/13/2005 9:01:47 PM

Ontario

The Niagara weigh off will be holding the weigh off on a different weekend. This will be an opportunity for growers to weigh off at more then one event. This should benefit all Ontario and western New York growers. It is my hope that Port Elgin will be the main event( like half moon bay and Topsfield) then on a different weekend growers will support Niagara by showing up with their pumpkins. We have the set up to weigh many pumpkins, Wayne Kenndy will atest to that. Phil your right in previous years it seemed like we were competing against each other, hopefully this will make the weigh offs stronger with more pumpkins and this will help with sponsorship for the smaller venues. Prize structure for this years event has not been finalized yet but we have new sponsors on board and hopefully it will remain the same as in years past. Woodbridge has a small weigh off and hopefully they will hold it on a different weekend as well. Simcoe has a weigh off also the day after Port Elgin. So there is a possibilty of 4 weigh off dates in Ontario. Maybe as one club we could pool our resources and help the small weigh offs with prize money and this would help them grow. Seed auctions have benefited Niagara greatly and maybe if we held a auction with all Ontario growers donating one or two good seeds we could raise funds that way. I have managed to raise between 5000 to 6000 dollars the last 3 years for our weigh off thru donating mostly from my own collection. Now we have the chamber of commerce on board and are applying for a grant thru the tourism board. We should be self supporting next year thru a local seed company generosity. If we all donated 1 or 2 great seeds for a Ontario Growers auction I'm sure we could raise a lot more. That would be a start. I will help any which way I can.
drew

3/14/2005 2:05:37 PM

Bobcaygeon Ontario

This is great news!! I'm sorry I missed the meeting in Niagara .Hopefully I have some pumpkins to haul to many weigh-offs this fall.
Good work guys!
Doug

3/14/2005 3:16:24 PM

Ontario

There was already some discussion as to setting up a web site and listing every weigh-off (as well as much more) in the province. This would also include every county fair as well. The idea being that a grower will have the opportunity to weigh 2 or 3 or even 4 pumpkins at various venues. I think there's a danger in trying to do too much right off the bat as far as the club is concerned. I even think raising cash for weigh-offs might be too much. Let's keep it cheap and functional at this point. BTW Phil Hunt (Copper) was elected our first Chairman. A very good start I think :0)

3/14/2005 3:58:44 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Phil. A patch tour this summer will bring us together as a group once more. Co-op buying power is another issue we could try and organise quickly.

3/17/2005 9:30:30 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Russ, we are working on getting some Neptune's Harvest. Email me privately about the details.

Phil

3/17/2005 9:54:36 AM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Does anybody know anywhere in the Toronto area that I could pick up a copy of "How to grow...III"? I am trying to avoid buying it over the Internet.

Thanks

3/17/2005 10:24:06 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Crammed, order from

http://www.howarddill.com/seed.html#book

By phone or mail works good too.

3/17/2005 11:28:41 AM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

$39.95+GST+$10 shipping...Yikes! As much as I'd like to support Howard, I don't know if I need to spend almost $53 for the book.

Maybe I need to rethink my resistance to buying it on the web. Or, maybe I just need to buy the softcover #2. Or, maybe I need to rob a bank :-)

3/17/2005 1:13:24 PM

ontario

I agree with Drew.....I'll be attending Niagara...Port Elgin and Simcoe if possible.....also have plans for Clarence NY and Wellington in Ontario..

4/8/2005 2:35:05 PM