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North Of The Border

I know nothing is final yet, but I do like the idea, and maybe will participate, but was wondering about some formalities.

I was wondering if $150 would be the total evr on tjat patch, or just that year. I was also wondering if there would be just fertilizer cost in this.
I have added some fertilizer, and manure, last year, would that factor into the cost? With in season ferts, I am at maybe 100, but with by prepared stuff, that would put me at 2-300.

What do you think?

1/19/2021 4:27:32 PM

Grittyville, WA

I love the $150 idea. Can we have an official starting date, like, January 20th? Pardon our prior spending and call that the start of fiscal 2021.

1/19/2021 5:26:22 PM

On a cliff in the desert

$150 won't cover my water bill. I use city water instead of a well on my property.

1/19/2021 5:57:13 PM

Grittyville, WA

You could channel your gutters into some kinda storage system. I bet there are no neighborhood civenants about having a "swimming pool" in your back yard. Very dry summers here but I bet I could grow a 500 lber using rain water. What would a used one of those prefab swimming pools cost...

1/19/2021 8:01:23 PM

Centennial Colorado

In Colorado it is illegal to collect rainwater.

1/19/2021 8:36:36 PM

Grittyville, WA

^Las Vegas is thirsty.

1/20/2021 2:54:08 AM

North Of The Border

Thanks for the quick responses, but I had a question about what would dba included in the cost. My other question was, if I bought some 1gallon jugs of foliar spray concentrate, but used only have of that in 1 year, and only have of what I used was on the $150 plant, then would I be able to include just a quarter of the cost, or would it all be included?

Another one is would there be an entry cost, and then a % of the total ppt paid to each top 3 growers, such as some of the contests Mark Clementz had put out?

I think that the in season expenses should be all that count, or else people will be way over when counting their cliches, and watering systems, and other infrastructure already in place. I know I am working on putting in drip-irrigation, and that is over $250. I would be at close to $50 just for my seedling cover, because I wanted to build it to last, when I put it together.

I also think an entry cost would have to be manageable, because eosme people in this contest would probably have a overall budget for the year that's quite low, so I'd say $10-20.
I also think you may jave to modify and say $150, for just the spring ammendments, and foliar sprays, and let everything else be not included in this budget.

1/20/2021 7:00:26 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

why?

1/20/2021 7:53:05 AM

Grittyville, WA

Flood irrogation using a 55 gallon drum, cost of the metal drum is $20. You dont have to use drip irrigation right? The whole point is to get a little redneck and creative. If you're gonna copy the ig growers and amortize your brand new stihl mister/blower over 15 years, then feel free to do so. But if at the end of the day your financial accounting is more creative than your techniques for cheap pumpkin growing... I think the original purpose gets defeated. If the contest is to keep yearly expenses at $150 then I am in. Yeah, if you buy something in bulk you could break that expense out over a few years... but the point is to get creative. Dont buy things brand new... look for ways to reduce, reuse, recycle. Have a smaller impact on the planet and the wallet (but increase your skill level and understanding, so hopefully not a smaller pumpkin). Rather than get multiple soil tests or tissue tests, learn to read the needs of the plant visually with one's own eyes. Become a better grower. Theres been some amazing revelations in the past couple years about what is needed and what isnt. Some top guys are using no myco. Others dont till. And many growers are getting amazing, top level results without a full-sized greenhouse. (A subscription to the SNGPG might be part of that $150? If you could allocate $150 to each plant then if you have 4-6 plants the yearly subscription would divide out to only $5... making friends with someone who has old issues of their magazine might cost even less).

Overall I dont think it needs to be a formal contest where you pay money to enter... it might be fun enough to just exchange emails, or start a chat with other growers who share the same goal.

1/20/2021 12:08:10 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Ok I’ve gotta know why it would be illegal to collect rain water in Colorado ?

1/21/2021 7:35:56 AM

Central NY

Yea...me too...especially if it will be used to water the ground anyhow...sorry to hear this.

1/21/2021 10:03:06 AM

Centennial Colorado

Just read up. Recently it changed. 110 gallons is the limit now! Before it was simply illegal. Politicians and water company's. That is why my bill typically is $100-$200 a month for pumpkins alone. Even 110 gallons is not a lot.

1/21/2021 10:54:55 AM

South Dakota

Does anyone really monitor and enforce the law? How much is the fine? Rain comes from God, not the tax collectors.

1/21/2021 12:59:05 PM

Centennial Colorado

No Fine, but water company can sue and people have been arrested. You also have to use a barrel. I personally think it is the most crazy law ever.

1/21/2021 1:21:57 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

So legally you can grow weed and do magic mushrooms in Denver but can’t collect rainwater in a barrel? That’s some wild, wacky stuff!

1/21/2021 4:26:25 PM

President - GPC

Been collecting rain water for many years.... never had an issue

1/21/2021 5:43:06 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Better check with licensing Wizzy,

https://4perfectwater.com/blog/rainwater-harvesting-laws/

You would have to have a massive storage or cistern to make it worthwhile to collect rainwater in advance of the dry periods when there is no rainwater to collect. Even here is Coastal British Columbia, we get very little rain from June-September so we would have to collect and store thousands of gallons to use in July, August and September.

1/21/2021 8:17:05 PM

President - GPC

I am certainly within limits on what I collect. I have always been jealous of Master Scherbers BIG TANKS..but I know he isnt collecting illegal rain...lol But do admire his black tanks on what they do for his grows. He's got it down, warms the water, chance for the Chlorine to dissapate, Chloramine a bit harder to remove, and he can adjust the Ph as well. A pair of 5000 gallon tanks.. and he put out some good money for them too, but they are paying him back well....
Now Jared's does collect in their pond... Bad water that is... high in salts, and everything that runs off the street along their property... didnt take a scientist to figure out why their trees and bushes were always showing burnt signs...and grew poorly... not to mention when they tried to aerate it, they found an old motorcycle dissolving away in their pond, who knew for how long and when....but I digress

1/22/2021 10:21:09 AM

Keaau, Hawaii (Big Island)

Come move to Hawaii...I think a large percentage of our population, that doesn't live in town, uses catchment tanks...of course I'm in the minority...the place we purchased has a well.

1/22/2021 12:01:01 PM