Read Larry Connors' blog – Short Term Trading Strategies
Waterman maintains that the globe's first 1,000-pound pumpkin which was featured on the Discovery Channel and made the Guinness Book of World Records after its $50,000-win in Clarence years ago--"had been likened to accomplishments such as running the first four-minute mile, conquering Mount Everest or putting a man on the moon." At least in pumpkin circles.
"Everyone wants to know about the biggest pumpkin," says Waterman, who is aptly-named, since growing one of those giants requires you to be a water-man, following months of a watering and feeding schedule.
Growing a giant pumpkin also requires contending with critters. Rabbits and deer, Waterman points out, will go through a patch of pumpkins, taking a bite out of each one to pick the best.
Waterman, a graduate of Griffith Institute and Alfred Tech, is "the P. T. Barnum of giant pumpkin growing," says Don Langevin, who wrote the "How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins" guides displayed at Main Street's Great Pumpkin Farm.
"Nothing seems to slow his enthusiasm for the sport, and no one is more capable of attracting attention to the sport than he is," Langevin said of Waterman.
As for the giant pumpkins, if you're tempted to touch these orange monsters--don't.
The pumpkin world has it's own etiquette, Langevin explains. Growers who "have coddled their pumpkins for three months are not likely to want others handling or touching them," he notes in his guide--with the exception, of course, of helping them to load and unload.
Too often, he's "seen unintended damage produced from curious onlookers who must touch a giant pumpkin to prove to themselves that it is real," Langevin warns. "A giant pumpkin displayed for just one day in a high traffic area will have hundreds of fingernail marks to mark the curiosity of people."
The winning half-ton pumpkin at the recent Pumpkin Farm World Pumpkin Confederation 27th Weigh-Off remained pristine, though, as the crowd gave it respectful space.
And what do competitors do with their behemoths after Halloween? Some will turn them into actual boats to sail on Halloween. Or save their abundance of champion pumpkin seeds.
Yet there's plenty more pumpkin fun throughout the rest of October through Halloween at the Great Pumpkin Farm.
"Everyone loves fall," comments Great Pumpkin Farm owner Kelly Schulz. "And the Halloween season's a lot of fun."
The fun continues today at the Great Pumpkin Farm, as area high schools compete in this year's trebuchet pumpkin catapulting competition. From 10 a. m. to 5 p. m., teams representing about two dozen local high schools will catapult pumpkins--a skill they've been practicing. They'll try to catapult their pumpkins up-to-500 feet and also "take aim" at a castle. But don't look for any of those perfect pumpkins. "They're usually the pumpkins you don't mind shooting from a catapult," Schulz said.
Have an idea about a local person whose life would make a good profile or a neighborhood issue worth exploring? E-mail: lcontinelli@buffnews.com
Or write to: Louise Continelli, Sunday Profile, The Buffalo News, P. O. Box 100, Buffalo, NY 14240
To see more of The Buffalo News, N.Y., or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.buffalonews.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Buffalo News, N.Y. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
More News:
Market Updates |
Stock Alerts |
All Trading News |
Stock Index
About TradingMarkets | Contact | Advertise | Careers | Link to Us | Site Map | Help | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Return Policy | Testimonials | Feedback
The Connors Group, Inc. ("Company") is not an investment advisory service, nor a registered investment advisor or broker-dealer and does not purport to tell or suggest which securities or currencies customers should buy or sell for themselves. The analysts and employees or affiliates of Company may hold positions in the stocks, currencies or industries discussed here. You understand and acknowledge that there is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities and/or currencies. The Company, the authors, the publisher, and all affiliates of Company assume no responsibility or liability for your trading and investment results. Factual statements on the Company's website, or in its publications, are made as of the date stated and are subject to change without notice.
It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable or that they will not result in losses. Past results of any individual trader or trading system published by Company are not indicative of future returns by that trader or system, and are not indicative of future returns which be realized by you. In addition, the indicators, strategies, columns, articles and all other features of Company's products (collectively, the "Information") are provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Examples presented on Company's website are for educational purposes only. Such set-ups are not solicitations of any order to buy or sell. Accordingly, you should not rely solely on the Information in making any investment. Rather, you should use the Information only as a starting point for doing additional independent research in order to allow you to form your own opinion regarding investments. You should always check with your licensed financial advisor and tax advisor to determine the suitability of any investment.
HYPOTHETICAL OR SIMULATED PERFORMANCE RESULTS HAVE CERTAIN INHERENT LIMITATIONS. UNLIKE AN ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RECORD, SIMULATED RESULTS DO NOT REPRESENT ACTUAL TRADING AND MAY NOT BE IMPACTED BY BROKERAGE AND OTHER SLIPPAGE FEES. ALSO, SINCE THE TRADES HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN EXECUTED, THE RESULTS MAY HAVE UNDER- OR OVER-COMPENSATED FOR THE IMPACT, IF ANY, OF CERTAIN MARKET FACTORS, SUCH AS LACK OF LIQUIDITY. SIMULATED TRADING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT ANY ACCOUNT WILL OR IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE PROFITS OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN.
The Connors Group, Inc.
10 Exchange Place, Suite 1800
Jersey City, NJ 07302
© Copyright 2009 The Connors Group, Inc.
