Wednesday, February 14, 2007


Announcing our new
Weigh Off Coordinator and Organizer,
Our 2006 Champ: Jim West!!

Please contact Jim
with any questions or ideas for 2007.

Jim does not have internet
or email yet (stay tuned)

Home: 406-961-4286
Cell: 406-369-2357
Take Note: We have a new location this year!!
On September 29th, 2007
Our 6th Annual
Big Sky Giant Pumpkin Grower's Weigh Off
will be held at the last
Farmer's Market before Apple Days
in Hamilton, MT

Thank you all for your support for the last five years! Kim

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Looking forward to the 2007,
6th Annual
Big Sky Giant Pumpkin Growers' Weigh Off...

We have a new Weigh Off coordinator/organizer - our new Champ: Jim West!!
Please contact him with any questions or ideas for 2007.

Jim does not have internet or email -
Home: 406-961-4286
Cell: 406-369-2357


Thank you all for your support for the last five years!
Kim

Saturday, September 16, 2006

2006
5th Annual Big Sky Giant Pumpkin Growers' Results!!!


Competition Division

WT

1st

Jim West

666

2nd

Len Ballek

642

3rd

Jim West

508

4th

Dave Moak

445

5th

Mike Violette

380

6th

Larry Johnson

376

7th

Jim Bailey

271

8th

Kate Davis

210

Exhibition Division

WT

1

Rick Maggi (Idaho)

1011

2

Rick Maggi (Idaho)

806

3

Rick Maggi (Idaho)

789

4

Kim Thomas


276

5

Valerie Putnam

244

6

Kim Thomas

197

7

Marty Knox

116

Children’s Division

WT

1st

Kiana Ballek (absent)

454

2nd

Jade Thomas

303

3rd

Tiffany & Khyley Haugen

254

4th

Hunter DiBrito

105

5th

Hudsyn DiBrito

67

6th

Emanda Foller

51

7th

Yani Dodge

39

8th

Yani & Danielle Dodge

37

9th

Danielle Dodge

35


Some more 2006 stats:

· New Event record 1011 lbs

· New MT State record 666 lbs

· Total Weight 8282

· Highest Avg wt 345 lbs

· 66% are PBs (Personal Best)

· 12% are 1st time growers

· # Pumpkins Entered: 24

· # Grower Families: 14

· # Volunteers: 12

· Skilled Fork Lift Operator – Quinn Kirkland!!

Many thanks for the beautiful setting at Qwival’s

Friday, September 08, 2006

C'mon Down!!

Registration is 9am to 10:30am and the

Weigh Off Begins at 11am SHARP!!

Bring your monsters and your minis and show everyone whatcha got!

The 5th Annual Big Sky Giant Pumpkin Growers Weigh Off is Saturday, Sept. 16th.

You will not be disappointed - we are sure to set a new Montana State Record and very likely to set a new site record as well.

There are rumors of an 800 pounder out there...

Come cheer form the sidelines or help hoist your prize pumpkin this Saturday!

Monday, March 20, 2006

Free Seeds - see note at the bottom of this message...

To the Best Pumpkin Fans in the west -


Soon begins the process of planning the 5th Annual Big Sky Giant Pumpkin Weigh Off.

Since our last weigh off I have been in touch with growers all over the country requesting their seeds for our growers in this area. It is amazing how generous everyone is with giving away their seeds. I send them a self-addressed stamped bubble padded envelope and weeks later it is returned with anywhere from 10 to 300 seeds!!


Next I'll get together the supplies needed to divvy up this stock pile of seeds into 5-8 seeds per small packet plus copies of growing instructions sheet to be distributed throughout the Bitterroot and Missoula valleys by mid February.


In March I would like to have a meeting of this years volunteers to decide who, when, where and how we'll divide up the tasks that make our weigh off event so great. All this is similar to how we've done business the last four years.


HOWEVER, there is a new twist in store this year...

I am ever so hopeful that another grower will rise to the occasion and I can pass the "Ringleader's" baton on to someone else. I am very proud of how far we've come and believe me I intend to be a very active participant and volunteer (I still need to grow a bigger pumpkin!!). However, I have accepted a new challenging position at my work and, as a consequence, juggling family time and work responsibilities will be even tougher than before. That being said, pumpkin growing and involvement with the weigh-off is my best and most rewarding stress reliever. I don't want our event to go away as we get such terrific feedback and we should all be proud at how successful the weigh-offs have been. I want to be there when that first 1000 pounder comes through the gates!

I am happy to hold the reins through this year if that's what it takes, but I am hopeful that some of you will raise your hand and begin to take charge of the organizing, planning, networking, etc. behind the scenes. I have lots of contacts to share as well as ideas. I have been extremely fortunate for the number of my friends that have enjoyed helping make our weigh off run so smoothly and so many of them not even growers!! I don't feel it is fair to expect such dedication from non-growers nor can I continue to ask year after year.

Please think this over and consider your participation.

I am sending this out to our volunteers and key growers. Perhaps a one or two year rotation of the weigh off coordinator would work too? Let’s put our heads together and make future weigh offs and pumpkins continue to grow.

You folks have been key to making our event what we have today and I couldn't be more proud or more grateful.


Thank you to each one of you!

Respectfully,

Kim


Free Seeds!!!
You can now pick up a packet of free Atlantic Giant Pumpkin Seeds and informative growing tips from the Ravalli County Fair office between 8:30 and 4 pm, Monday - Friday, while supplies last.

(Please park outside the fairgrounds as it is a muddy mess due to construction!!)