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Kutztown, PA

Does the Mid Atlantic Giant Pumpkin Growers Club still exist?
What's the back story?

9/26/2022 9:35:10 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Unfortunately not. It was a great organization and had some top shelf weigh offs. I for one miss the MAGPGA weighoff, it was a lot closer for my gang to attend a Pennsylvania weigh off. We have lots of good memories attending the weigh off there. After years of trying to hit the 4 digit mark I finally got my first one there.... it went 1000.5! I will never forget that one. I would say they most likely ran into sponsor issues for the weigh off site and help to pull it all together with a few of the clubs members doing the lion share of the work. It takes a huge effort to keep these weigh offs purring as they do not run by themselves. The MAGPGA is missed.

9/26/2022 3:00:20 PM

Upper Strasburg, PA

I’m working on starting a weigh-off in Chambersburg, PA. It’s a pretty convenient location for mid Atlantic growers, being on I-81 and not too far from Interstates 68, 70, and 76. The PGPGA move to the Pittsburgh area created a weigh-off desert in the mid Atlantic region and I want to fix that and Pennsylvania is obviously big enough to have two weigh-offs

9/27/2022 12:26:05 AM

Kutztown, PA

Strasburg would be great! I can think of at least 4-5 locations in my area that could be approached too. I'm willing to help. I know several growers in my general area that might participate. I drove to Ridgefield, CT for the weigh off there last weekend. It's really the closes venue to me - 3.5 hours. one way. I'm in if anyone wants to make a go of it. Of course all of this has to go through GPC.

9/27/2022 8:51:17 AM

Partlow,Va

Used to leave for Altoona at 4:30 and get home around 7. It got an hour farther with the move. Great weighoff and people! We always had a good time. It would be nice for another weighoff in eastern Pa or Va around early September for a good bailout weighoff for fruit that is done. We lost good 3 kins here in Va just shy of making the fair this year.

9/27/2022 8:55:56 AM

Kutztown, PA

Hank,

I had the same problem this year. I lost all but one by the end of August. I was able to nurse the one through to take to Ridgefield last weekend. It had a very soft stem that I've been scraping and spraying for a month and had about a 2" diameter soft spot on the bottom which turned out to be ok for the weight off but it couldn't have gone another week. I think next year I may pollinate a little later.

9/27/2022 4:10:59 PM

Dillsburg, PA

Garwolf, any particular reason why you lost them all?

9/27/2022 4:33:21 PM

Dillsburg, PA

I lost all last year, this was one of my best years.

9/27/2022 4:33:54 PM

Dillsburg, PA

But man it was a struggle

9/27/2022 4:35:39 PM

Kutztown, PA

My 2365 grew out all gnarly so I had to cut it off and grow on a secondary. It may have had a disease of some sort. Anyway that pumpkin quit growing at 440 and the plant got a foamy stump so I yanked it all. One of my 1760 Uhlmeyers had 4 failed pollination - each pumpkin rotting off at about grapefruit size. Finally my 2200 stopped growing at 700 and the vine near the pumpkin started to rot so I pulled it. My last pumpkin another 1760 weight in at 1,102 at Ridgefield.

9/28/2022 2:20:44 PM

Kutztown, PA

Truckin, after looking at the map I think Chambersburg is a pretty central location of a Mid Atlantic weigh off.

9/28/2022 2:21:50 PM

Upper Strasburg, PA

Yeah Chambersburg is pretty convenient to get to since it is right on I-81. I really want to accomodate all of the out-of state growers who have traditionally come to the PGPGA event. I was thinking 2nd weekend of October so there’s an alternative to driving out to Ohio or New England that week, but I think an earlier weigh-off might be more popular with growers in our region. Also, Gettysburg is a short drive from Chambersburg so folks would have the opportunity to make a weekend trip out of the weigh-off and a day in Gettysburg. I’m concerned that one of my prospective business partners might not want to to have the event too early in the year and I also don’t want to conflict with the Virginia state fair or the West Virginia event in the works, so the second weekend in October might be the best date to give growers in the region the most options. I would love to get some feedback on scheduling from any growers who might be interested in a contest in Chambersburg.

9/28/2022 8:08:27 PM

Kutztown, PA

Truckin, the few growers I know would probably prefer something a little earlier. The last week of September would be my personal preference, but I guess my pumpkins would set the schedule. :)

9/29/2022 8:32:12 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I believe the end of September was the original date for the MAGPGA weigh off.

9/29/2022 10:23:16 AM

Dillsburg, PA

Ned is correct.

9/30/2022 7:53:53 PM

Why not Allentown Pa home of the Greater Lehigh Valley, it's close to multiple major highways & has many News channels & circulated newspapers for advertising of such an event close to big cities to draw in revenue like from New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia etc.. Has lots of fall happenings corn mazes, Haunted attractions pumpkin picking etc... Easy commute from states like New York, New Jersey Maryland, Delaware, Conn,,, Lots of businesses to sponser such an event! And big businesses that would be happy to hold such an event! It also sits in a big farming district!

10/2/2022 8:26:47 AM

Kutztown, PA

Allentown would be a great place too. How would we get the ball rolling? By the way Time2Grow - the pumpkin that grew on the stumpless vine I pollinated late out lived all 3 of the other plants/pumpkins and weighed in at 1,102 lb - 18% heavy. Who'd of thunk it?

10/3/2022 10:35:10 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

The ball is already rolling on Chambersburg. The real estate broker that I work for has been interested in doing a pumpkin related event for a while and our building is in a shopping center that has a huge parking lot. Rural King just opened a location there in the building that KMart used to occupy. It’s less than a mile from exit 14 on I-81.

10/3/2022 2:22:50 PM

Kutztown, PA

Anywhere near in southeast PA works. I think Strasburg would be fine. It would be closer to the folks in WV and VA to give them a little relief too. I actually would have gone to VA this year until I saw I'd have to leave my pumpkin at the fair for a week.

10/5/2022 11:35:39 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Hats off to anyone getting involved with hosting weighoffs. I’ll be there!

10/6/2022 7:30:06 AM

Kutztown, PA

Truckin,

Are you thinking of just hosting a weight off or are you looking at revamping the former Mid Atlantic Club? Or both?

10/6/2022 8:18:59 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

We have been planning an independent weigh-off and trying to get a GPC affiliation. Restarting the MAGPG is definitely something that my mind is open to as well and if it helps to secure the GPC affiliation, that would raise my level of interest. I’ll have to talk with the MAGPG guys and see what they think about it.

10/6/2022 9:30:00 AM

Kutztown, PA

If the MAGPG guys aren't up for reforming then there's probably enough growers to support an Eastern PA Club. After all, If the club went south for some reason, why would one want to reboot it with the same folks? Why not just start another club with those that are interested now, with GPCs blessing?

10/6/2022 3:09:15 PM