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Netherlands

In an attempt to standardize giant vegetable rules and regulations at all (GPC) weigh-offs, I have come into contact with several major British, American and European weigh-offs and have contacted several giant vegetable (world record) growers for information. I have the Guinness rules as well as those of the above mentioned weigh-offs and those written by Berhard Lavery for Guinness many, many years ago. Of course I also have the GPC rules.

The idea is to come up with a set of clear rules, if necessary accompanied with pictures and drawings.

These are the classes that will be included. Check it out and see if there are any I have not included that should be.

12/1/2017 8:45:16 AM

Netherlands

Long roots – radish, parsnip, carrot, beetroot
Heavy roots – radish, parsnip, carrot, beetroot, fodder beet
Brassicas – kale, red cabbage, white cabbage, kohlrabi, turnip, swede/rutabaga, broccoli, cauliflower
Peppers – bell pepper, chili pepper, chili pepper (long)
Plants – corn, sunflower, sunflower head, amaranth
Pepo – marrow, zucchini, field pumpkin
Allium – leek, onion, elephant garlic
AG – pumpkin, squash
Gourds – gourd (heavy), gourd (long)
Melons – sweet melons, watermelon, cucumber (heavy), cucumber (long)
Others – corn cob, rhubarb, tomato, celery, runner bean, pototo

12/1/2017 8:45:38 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Brad I like your attempt to Standardize it is a great idea.

I do think we should expand on the others like potatoes (sweet, regular and yams). Thanks for doing this.

12/1/2017 12:09:48 PM

Georgetown, Ontario

Is Sweet Melon a Cantaloupe?

12/1/2017 12:31:26 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

All very exciting. Dutch Brad please email me at
garythewizATcomcast.net

Yes use an @ instead of AT...damn bots.

12/1/2017 1:11:12 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Brad, watermelons will have several different varieties...but measuring rules should prbly be the same. Weights are what counts I guess, no matter which variety? Peace, Wayne
Great work...by the way!!!

12/1/2017 6:09:18 PM

Alaska

I think that's right Wayne, a watermelon is a watermelon. Just like a tomato is a tomato. I've seen some try and claim they've grown the heaviest cherry tomato. Can't do that in my opinion.

12/1/2017 8:23:31 PM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

Love what your doing as I plan on growing and hopefully bringing some of these giants to a weigh-off next year. Thank You!!

12/2/2017 1:29:43 AM

Netherlands

John, sweet melon is a generic term for cantaloupe, galia, honey melon, etc. Seeing as they cross easily, it is literally impossible to tell the difference, so like watermelons, the biggest one counts.

12/2/2017 3:29:17 AM

Netherlands

Bill, are sweet potatoes being grown for competition in the US? I hate the names that have been given to a lot of vegetables though. Sweet potatoes aren't potatoes, yard long cucumbers are melons, yard long beans/spaghetti beans are peas and elephant garlic is leek.
Thanks for your suggestion Bill.

12/2/2017 3:31:51 AM

Ontario, Canada

This is the best thing to happen to the other giant veggie classes in my opinion. No more vague rules that can be read several different ways. I applaud Brad & others to make these rules more understandable & acceptable to all. I also ask him to involve major Canadian weigh offs & maybe the Royal Winter Fair for their info as well.
Hopefully all clubs & organizations world wide will embrace these rules & help promote them to their members.

Phil & Jane
GVGO

12/2/2017 10:12:45 AM

Alaska

There is a world record sweet potato certificate floating around out there. I was contacted by Guinness quite a few years back asking for my advise. They sent me a picture of a sweet potato wanting to know if it was a rutabaga. They suspected it was not a rutabaga but needed conformation. I sure hope Guinness is willing to embrace what Brad is doing. I've been told by them at different times they are only the records keeper and they rely on experts on the ground at the shows. Then I've been told confusing and conflicting information and in some instances just factually wrong info. Like I've told Brad when we need clarification we usually need it now not 6 months from now. Which tells me they don't have the answers and are scrambling to find them at times. A clear and open rules book is needed. I hope this doesn't turn into a control issue.

12/2/2017 3:04:54 PM

North Smithfield, RI

Oustanding idea brad !!! How about long handled dipper gourds ? And I don,t think that elephant garlic is a leek . Thanks

12/2/2017 7:00:49 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Scott, I am sorta confident that Superman (Chris) Kent holds the Guiness World Record for two different types of watermelons! Carolina Cross @ 350.5#'s & Jumbo Black Diamond @ 250#'s! So I have to disagree w/you...a water melon is not just a watermelon...there are different types of watermelon catagories that each hold world records! Would guess that there are other categories that contain different variations! Peace, Wayne

12/3/2017 2:13:36 AM

Ontario, Canada

In the eyes of Guinness, a watermelon, is a watermelon. Can you imagine how many tomato WR records there would be if they gave out a WR to each variety?

12/3/2017 9:39:17 AM

Alaska

There are more than 3,000 varieties of heirloom or heritage tomatoes in active cultivation worldwide and more than 15,000 known varieties. Forgive me, I copy and paste.

12/3/2017 11:45:29 PM

Netherlands

@ Wayne, first of all, a watermelon is not a melon at all. Melons have all their seeds in a central cavity, melons have them dispersed, so they are botanically classed as berries. Because different varieties cross easily, it is impossible to have separate categories for each variety. New varieties are being made as we speak.

@ GEOD, botanically speaking elephant garlic is a leek.
Garlic is allium sativum, elephant garlic is allium ampeloprasum, exactly the same as leek, and its flat leaves give away its connection to leek.

12/4/2017 3:55:07 AM

Netherlands

Also elephant garlic contains syn-propanethial-S-oxide which leek and onions contain but true garlic doesn't.

As far as long handled dipper gourds are concerned, they are the same species as long gourds, just a different variety. Once again, they will easily cross so cannot have separate classes.

Thanks for your suggestion though.

12/4/2017 4:02:09 AM

Hamilton - New Zealand

This is a great idea and will be great for growers all around the world, having everything standardised will be of benefit to everyone, and especially smaller places like here in NZ where we don't have big weigh-offs for different things.

And will be of benefit to a new project I am kicking off down here.

12/6/2017 12:14:46 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

I personally have not seen them, but think that Chris Kent has two wall plaques from Guinness, World Record CC, and World Record JBD! As stated...have not seen them...Maybe Chris will tell us? Peace, Wayne
& a pumpkin is actually a squash? No disrespect meant...but they are certainly two different categories now?
So...species? or varieties? How are we/you/Guiness going to split the differences? No disrespect meant & hope something good comes of this! Peace, Wayne

12/6/2017 1:13:14 AM

Netherlands

Very good question, Wayne. There are a few classes that are botanically identical, one of which is pumpkin/squash, both being squash. In this case we have to look at the history of giant vegetable growing, which we can trace back to the 19th century. That being said, it is possible that in the future new classes will come evolve.

12/6/2017 5:55:48 AM

Netherlands

At this point the general judging rules are complete. I have 48 classes and they are divided into groups. I am busy working on the individual classes. At the moment that is Alliums.

12/6/2017 5:57:49 AM