From

Location

Message

Date Posted

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I am getting around to believing that we could start to weigh tomatoes 5 pounds and under on home scales and still have them recognized by the GPC. That would eliminate a lot of the problems with finding and going to certified scales for the smaller tomatoes, especially during these times. I doubt many people would try to cheat on these tomatoes but maybe I am wrong. Weights are important for identifying seeds and a home scale would do for this. When you get to record size tomatoes then certified scales could be used and for record breakers, say over 6 or 7 or more pounds, certified scales and witnesses become more important. I am suggesting this be given consideration by the powers that be.

8/17/2020 2:16:03 PM

Centennial Colorado

I liked that idea. The big issue is honesty. In Colorado the largest tomato grown has been suspected to have been injected with water and was leaking out in the picture. This was recognized as official, so at home would be an increased chance of cheating.

8/17/2020 2:42:18 PM

Centennial Colorado

Here is the pic of the tomato. Look on the bottom near the scale. It may have been just some water that accidentally dropped on it, but no one can confirm that it was actually genuine. Wiz still accepted it, so he is the one I really wouldn't trust with this. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=247746

8/17/2020 2:56:45 PM

Norfolk, UK

I’m generally in favour of accepting some lower limit.

That said I’d settle for accepting ‘legal trade scales in country of origin’ as a step fwd for me. legal trading scales in the UK are not GPC compliant by default - and unless it’s a whopper, I’m just not going on a 3 to 4 hour road trip for a smaller tomato. It makes it more internationally acceptable.

I think tho I would caveat the above and say - if you are in striking distance to break a record, be it national (UK for me) or state - a calibrated trade scale in these circumstances gives more comfort for those coming after and should be in place regardless of weight (e.g. a state record of 3lb should still be on verified scales)

8/17/2020 3:05:41 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

I agree, anything under 5 lb could be weighed at home. Unless it's a state record breaker, or if it could break a record. Then it needs to be on a certified scale with witnesses

8/17/2020 3:10:29 PM

Centennial Colorado

I like that idea.

8/17/2020 3:11:55 PM

Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

I´m not sure about the level of country and state records, but I would suggest no uncertified weighted records should be accepted at all.
I would prefere no uncertified weighted personal best to be recorgnized.
I´ve seen a lot of cheat weights on facebook and don´t like them to be listed in the charts.

8/17/2020 3:24:57 PM

I'm weighing ALL mine at home on my scale. If someone doesn't like that to bad, get over it.

8/17/2020 3:55:53 PM

Grittyville, WA

Imagine trying to inject 8 oz of water into a tomato... Really I mean how much would stay in the tomato? 8 oz would pour right back out. Dont they have scales at the Walmart self service kiosks? At the post office? But I agree I dont want to bother them with all of my smaller produce. I would like to ask favors only a couple times a year at most.

8/17/2020 4:02:08 PM

Central NY

(Team challenge is pretty forgiving for those that can’t get to a scale)Soak em if ya got em.

8/17/2020 7:22:07 PM

Gone With The Win

NO Soaking Chops pffft. Cheater lol

8/17/2020 8:17:45 PM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

Every deli and every grocery store and every farm store and every pet store has one.... they are hard to track down.

8/17/2020 9:10:27 PM

On a cliff in the desert

I will see you at Petco to weigh my tomatoes Chris.

8/17/2020 9:49:17 PM

Western Massachusetts

Does soaking them make their weight go up or just stay the same?

8/18/2020 12:47:08 AM

Tenino, WA.

FlatNorm with that attitude we will never see your tomato weights. Why is it so hard to follow a simple set of rules? The virtual early tomato contest is the only virtual contest the GPC has. The rules are simple and put in place to keep the event fair for all of us. If we start cheating, refusing to follow the rules what is to stop the GPC from doing away with the virtual early tomato listings? Then where would we be? We would all lose

8/18/2020 4:31:47 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I like the 5 pound and under number at home. The deli counter guy sort of gets pissed off with weighing those 3 pound tomatoes after a while. Over 5 seems to be a good benchmark for GPC certification. In my HTO, humble tomato opinion.

8/18/2020 10:45:04 AM

Central NY

I heard tomato Tim gets 4-6 extra ounces on an overnight soak.

8/18/2020 10:54:00 AM

Tenino, WA.

I had a request from a fairly new tomato grower to meet him at the store and verify his tomato. It weighed just a little over 2 pounds. A new personal best for him. It made his day to get an official weight. He went to the early tomatoes page and saw his name listed. That meant a lot to him. Many growers have never grown a 5 pound tomato. Several state records are under 5 pounds. Will a 4 pound tomato weighed at home claim a new state record?

8/18/2020 12:11:35 PM

President - GPC

If a grower wants to home weigh their tomato, its their call. If a grower wants to have their tomato listed in the official GPC stats > Then all criteria listed for the Early Tomato Virtual Weigh off must be met. This includes a picture of the current scale verification sticker no matter what country you weigh your fruit in.

One set of rules to verify them all.

Leif Ritter, this is the first time I heard of a Colorado Tomato suspected of what you claim > More sour grapes.

8/18/2020 1:09:04 PM

Central NY

Yea Leif....pic looks good to me..I’m sure there were at least two other pics. Doesn’t get much more legit then GpC. Don’t get mad...get even.

8/18/2020 2:49:38 PM

Jericho Vermont

Not to chime in to this directly although I do think a GPC entry needs to have an official scale.

But the tomato picture from CO could be condensation. We have put a tomato in the fridge to help it last until weigh off and as it is coming up to room temperature it is wet. Not suggesting it couldn't be foul play but there are other reasons as well.

8/18/2020 3:41:01 PM

Wixom MI.

I see both sides to this issue.i know my postal scale is exactly the same as the certified scales at the stores after compairing them the last 4 years and if you can take clear pictures with a tape around it and all the required pictures it can work. But i understand why you may not wont to loosen the rules on the smaller tomatoes. I myself chose not to certify my tomatoes last year to get them on the gpc list.for me i know what my weights are before taking them to a store and my stores in my area really don't won't me putting my tomato on their sterile scales. Especially my Leakey 6.23 Domingo last year.these days i will only take it to a store scale if it is over 5 to 6 lbs.

8/18/2020 7:01:50 PM

Team Canuckle Heads

Ill only do mine if its a new PB

8/18/2020 7:23:06 PM

Thomas wv

I have done my 3 but i only live 5 blocks from the store i can see why it could be a pain if live where you have to drive 1/2 to a store i would probably only register anything over a pb aince i live close im probably only going to register only 4.00 pounds and bigger i have probably 5 tomatos over 20 inches left most will be 3 pounds and wont get registered since i have to use someone else's phone because mine wont load pics to gpc or big pumpkins i understand groqers want information on seeds they give out and gpc is a great way to see the results ok im rambling

8/18/2020 9:29:44 PM

Thomas wv

Ps no one proof read because 90%is wrong

8/18/2020 9:30:11 PM

North Of The Border

I agree that it's a waste of time.

8/19/2020 7:37:08 AM

Thomas wv

I sure do know how to stop chat

8/20/2020 9:33:18 PM

Thomas wv

I sure do know how to stop chat

8/20/2020 9:33:21 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Stop already Kerry, lol!

8/23/2020 3:17:26 PM