From

Location

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Date Posted

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Now that the GPC is dealing with more things than just pumpkins, is the name no longer appropriate? There are watermelons, long gourds, squash , tall corn, tomatoes etc being weighed at the various weigh-offs, not just pumpkins. Just looking toward the future.

2/16/2021 1:25:13 PM

Centennial Colorado

GFC rather than GPC. Being Great Fruit Commonwealth.

2/16/2021 1:33:35 PM

Littlerock, WA

I've pondered this the last few years, but I think not because pumpkins are the foundation fruit of the various competition giant varieties. It started with the pumpkins, and the pumpkins are still the premier variety, as they're the biggest and also get the most recognition not only at the local weigh offs, but for GPC awards. Yes, 10 pound tomatoes are very cool....but pumpkins knocking on the door of 3000 pounds are mind blowing!

2/16/2021 2:31:18 PM

President - GPC

I firmly believe this says it all>

MISSION STATEMENT: The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth’s (GPC) mission is to cultivate the hobby of growing giant fruits and vegetables throughout the world by establishing standards and regulations that ensure quality of fruit and vegetables, fairness of competition, recognition of achievement, fellowship and education for all participating growers and weigh-off sites.

"For what we Grow Today, we shall Grow Bigger tomorrow"

2/16/2021 3:01:29 PM

Plymouth, MN

Giant (or Great) Produce Commonwealth

2/16/2021 3:27:41 PM

Grittyville, WA

I dont have any suggestion for a name but I think Marv is wise, there is some wisdom to this question.

2/16/2021 4:29:43 PM

Grittyville, WA

Great Olympics of Gardening like Everything. My guess is that domain name wouldnt cost too much :)

2/16/2021 4:46:47 PM

Grittyville, WA

...Great Olympics of Gardening Literally Everything.
I think GOOGLE.ORG would be cheaper???

2/16/2021 4:51:09 PM

Nova Scotia

As an original founder of the GPC, along with Hugh Wiberg,MA, Tom Norlin, Iowa, and Mike Green, CA I say leave it be. I guess Wizzy explained it. Howard Dill would be so proud of what the GPC has accomplished over the years around this World, no small feat! Oh where did we start? Donald Black's amazing 884 lb. World champ in 1993. Now let's get going and produce that 3,000 pumpkin! And all the other exciting giant types. Danny Dill

2/16/2021 6:10:26 PM

Nova Scotia

And one more topic while I am at it. Ray Waterman and his vision of competition can not be forgotten. Or all the other old independent contests such as the Cornell Pumpkin Contest in PA.

2/16/2021 6:13:42 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Was Ray Waterman ever inducted into the HOF?

2/16/2021 7:47:37 PM

Sharon, MA

Isn't he president of the WPC World Pumpkin Confederation, not the GPC

2/16/2021 8:06:51 PM

Nova Scotia

Now regarding WPC and Ray I have no idea, it has been a long time. However you have to give credit where credit is due. This so called "sport" of giant pumpkin/vegetable growing has taken all of us way beyond levels the fore fathers imagined.

2/16/2021 9:02:15 PM

Wixom MI.

GPVC giant pumpkin and vegetable commonwealth

2/16/2021 9:04:24 PM

Nova Scotia

Oh sorry, BIG PUMPKINS. COM. Forgot to mention you, a big game changer in this hobby we enjoy.

2/16/2021 9:04:49 PM

Nova Scotia

One thing to think about when marketing your club/contest and a name is I assume most want media attention to their event and attract people? I remember way back regarding Circleville, Ohio and their long tradition which is awesome. Back then a giant squash or pumpkin won, did not matter, just the biggest. They said and I quote, "Who would want to come to the Circleville Squash Show?"

2/16/2021 9:19:56 PM

Syracuse, NY

Okay, so let's leave THAT renaming alone, but along the weigh I see a trend toward the terms 'biggest' and 'largest' anymore, just like snow 'flurries' and 'squalls' are now said as 'showers',
which I feel is VERY incorrect.

Everything we grow is based upon the weight, which is termed as 'heaviest' and there are a few exceptions, of course, such as Long Gourd and Sunflower. No one would even know what it MEANT that a pumpkin had 502 inches...but, 2593 pounds? Yeah, that'd ring a bell...

Sorry for my placement here, Mr. Dill - You have my HIGHEST respect!

Yeah, I have eyes and this site is BIGPumpkins.com, but I needed to get that out there;
Let's get back onto the right track concerning our terminology,
lol---eg

2/17/2021 7:59:04 AM

Colorado

Pumpkins have always been the showstoppers.Taking pumpkin out of the title would be a step backwards.

2/17/2021 6:08:34 PM

Colorado

Marv, your not wanting it to be Great Cucumber Commonwealth?

2/17/2021 6:53:39 PM

Grittyville, WA

Suppose you had an international competitive gardening organization that welcomed everyone's talents.
Would obsessively focusing on pumpkins attract other talented gardeners to that organization? There is an opportunity to broaden the organization by treating all competitive growing equally. Bigger sponsors. In the big picture we pumpkin growers are shooting ourselves in the foot to exclude ourselves from serving all gardeners.
If all were served equally by an unbiased umbrella organization we might all benefit? Giant pumpkin or giant beanstalk or giant cucumber... would it hurt pumpkin growing? Pumpkins would still be the star of the show. We are hopelessly addicted to pumpkins? If you have ever worked at an exhibition open to the general public, they are very interested in the other categories like tomatoes and (blasphemy warning) sometimes not as interested in pumpkins as you would expect.
Pumpkins could be the pinnacle of a much bigger pyramid. Does it truly benefit anyone to resist broadening the sport of competitive growing?

2/17/2021 8:49:27 PM

Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783

Why does it matter? You all have to remember pumpkins started it all and with out that what would we have.

2/17/2021 8:58:23 PM

Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783

Also I want to know how many GPC conventions you complainers have attended?

2/17/2021 9:03:01 PM

Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

You´re seriously asking?
"Also I want to know how many GPC conventions you complainers have attended?"

This is just a case of living place, spare time and MONEY!
I´ve ettended a single convention, because there was only a single contention in Europe since I´ve started growing for competitions in 2013, although " The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth’s (GPC) mission is to cultivate the hobby of growing giant fruits and vegetables throughout the world..."

Thank you, Marv, for starting the disussion.
I believe it´s worth to rethink traditions once in a while.

2/18/2021 4:08:32 AM

Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783

I would like to apologize for my second comment as it may be disrespectful and is not what this discussion is about.

2/18/2021 8:24:24 AM

Syracuse, NY

I think, Glenn, you were pointing out that hundreds have gone to GPC Conventions including myself and enjoyed the accommodations, meetings, seed auctions there and all things Great Pumpkin for a weekend every year, and to alter what has been in place under its auspices for at the very least 20 years should not be at the forefront of anyone's priorities at this time. In no weigh will other fruits and veggies be affected by NOT changing the name of the GPC, although at first, a few of them were funny suggestions. I like to bring up things that maybe no one has thought of, same as everyone else, and I've apologized also a couple of times - and then thought, 'Hey, why'd I do that?'...Again.
If I am not nailing it, then I, myself apologize. DOE!
(*_*)

2/18/2021 10:57:07 PM