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Location

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Upper Strasburg, PA

Honest and serious question here. What are your thoughts on balancing your investments of time and money in pumpkins and investments you need to make in other facets of your life?

12/30/2020 1:26:39 AM

Diamond, Ohio

It’s not about how much money you spend on pumpkins. It’s how much money your wife thinks you spend on pumpkins lol

12/30/2020 4:23:30 AM

Central Illinois

What would fill your time if you stop growing

12/30/2020 7:24:05 AM

North Of The Border

A smart man has a secret fertilizer stash, a wise man has a secret credit card ;).

It is a hobby, and it is much healthier, most of the time, then a lot of other hobbies. It is often active, and it is outdoors, so it helps you to stay in better shape, and often you'll be less likely to get depression if you are outdoors in the sun often.

12/30/2020 7:49:46 AM

South Dakota

If your hobby is interfering with supporting your family, then needs and security of the family wins.

12/30/2020 9:37:53 AM

NILES , CALIF

Truckin;
With all goin on with the pandemic i try to garden as much
as possible so i can go on with a normal life, for me
its Priceless.

12/30/2020 11:03:10 AM

Grittyville, WA

It's possible to make mistakes. But it can be a very healthy hobby. It doesnt have to be a very expensive hobby. It doesnt have yo take too much time. But it does take self discipline to maybe say "it makes more sense for me to grow one plant than six". If you want to spend more time and money than is actually optimal, I can understand the feeling. Somewhere in your heart you probably know whether you should invest more or ease back.

12/30/2020 11:41:19 AM

Upper Strasburg, PA

I guess I’m pretty fortunate to be a single guy with only dogs depending on me. It’s something I think more about as I get older because pretty much everyone else has a family to take care of and it’s not really the money, but the investment of time that really impresses me about growers who are competitive and also raising children. That’s like an alien world to me, to be honest. It’s really impressive how people do it.

12/30/2020 1:57:41 PM

If I am reading your question right, then I think you have to prioritize how much of time and money is spent on what.
If not enough is being spent on other facets that you might feel are more important, then maybe grow less pumpkins or convert to a less expensive and time consuming fruit or vegetable.

12/30/2020 1:59:10 PM

Lancaster MN

I really enjoy growing pumpkins, it’s a great hobby! Our girls love helping and seeing the pumpkins so it has turned into a family hobby. It costs money to grow pumpkins, but I always say I could be doing worse things. I also feel the great people that you meet and get to know through growing pumpkins is so rewarding.

12/30/2020 4:30:39 PM

Jericho Vermont

If you really look at other warm season hobbies. Golf club membership (not private) 2000-3000. Boat dock summer rental 2500 (not a big boat) Pumpkin patch ferts and fungicides 300-600. Unless you are growing in a greenhouse you can do this hobby very reasonably. Time is the hardest issue in my opinion as I coached two kids in little league baseball and other sports years ago and still tried to keep the patch up. Sometimes you have to let patch chores be postponed and as long as you hit the big ones such as insect and fungicide spray, you will survive. I don't believe there is any other hobby in the world with so many variables that we can't control. I picked the couple that I could and just concentrate on those during busy times.

12/30/2020 5:49:22 PM

Gays Mills, WI

Family first, don't forget it, even if it means the pumpkin doesn't reach its full potential. Don't let a competitive obsessive personality take away from doing right by one's family.
With that said, growing stuff can be very beneficial and a great direction to expend your time and energy. Each of us has to decide what we want to accomplish and what we're willing to do. Good Luck

12/30/2020 10:01:55 PM

Hawesville, ky

My girlfriend and I met through giant pumpkin/ watermelon growing. We both grow still today. She has patch at her house and i have mine at my house. She doesnt have the time and as many resources as some growers since she has a small child. Me on the other hand have a lot more free time living by myself and a few more resources available to me. I spend way too much on my growing operation but I have nothing else to do. But at the end of the day her low cost/minimal resource patch has some amazing results and our results are neck and neck on both pumpkin and watermelons. So for us it's a good clean common interest that keeps us young and it's been a good investment for us both.

1/1/2021 7:29:33 PM