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Hot off the Press!

2010 PUMPKINFEST EVENTS – 1st DRAFT


ROUND-UP AND WEIGH-OFF
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3

7:00 a.m. drop off for 10:00 a.m. event
DRA’s Round Top Farm, Main Street


SEED COLLECTION
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5-6

11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Pinkham’s Plantation, 431 Biscay Road


PUMPKIN CARVING/PAINTING
FRIDAY-SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8-9

Main Street


PUMPKINBOAT BUILDING
THURSDAY-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7-10

Pinkham’s Plantation, 431 Biscay Road

FUN RUN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
YMCA – 525 Main Street


PUMPKIN ‘CHUNKIN’ COMPETITIVE CHUNK-OFF
2009 WORLD CHAMPION & RUNNER-UP TEAMS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER

9:00 a.m. – 12.00 noon (Distance)
Trescott’s (Bryant’s) Farm, on Great Salt Bay, Nobleboro
(Between Belvedere & Bayview Roads)


CHILDREN’S STORY HOUR & CRAFTS
SATURDAY OCTOBER 9

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Skidompha Library, Main Street


CHILDREN’S GAMES & ACTIVITIES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Water Street


FISH LADDER RESTORATION CELEBRATION
THIRD ANNUAL RUNNING OF THE ALEWIVES
SATURDAY, OCTOBER

11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder


GIANT PUMPKIN PARADE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

2:00 p.m.
Main Street, Damariscotta/Newcastle
Exclusively Sponsored by Maine Veterinary Referral Center

UNDERWATER PUMPKIN CARVING
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

3:00 p.m.
Damariscotta Harbor


PUMPKIN DESSERT CONTEST
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

3:00 p.m.
Gallagher & Stein Lot, 181 Main Street
Exclusively Sponsored by Camden National Bank
Chief Judge: Meredith Goad, Food Editor,
The Portland Press Herald

DRA NEW MOON BALL
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9

8:00 p.m.
Darrow’s Barn, Round Top Farm, Main Street, Damariscotta


PUMPKIN PANCAKE BREAKFAST
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Wells Hussey American Legion Hall – Post 42 – Ladies Auxiliary
Main Street, Damariscotta


PUMPKIN CATAPAULT & ‘CHUNKIN’ (TARGET)
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

9:00 a.m. – noon
Trescott’s (Bryant’s) Farm on Great Salt Bay, Nobleboro
(Between Belvedere & Bayview Roads)


CHILDREN’S GAMES & ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Water Street


PUMPKIN PIE EATING CONTEST
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

1:00 p.m.
Gallagher & Stein Lot, Main Street


PUMPKIN BOAT REGATTA
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

11:00 a.m. (per tide)
Damariscotta Harbor


THE HORSESHOE CRABS - CONCERT
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Schooner Landing, Main Street


PUMPKIN ‘HUNT’ MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
DRA’s Round Top Farm, Main Street


150’ PUMPKIN DROP
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

10:00 a.m. – noon
DRA’s Round Top Farm, Main Street


‘GROWERS’ & ‘PLEDGE-SPONSORS’ DRAWINGS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

11:00 a.m.
DRA’s Round Top Farm, Main Street


FREE KID’S MATINEE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

1:00 p.m.
Lincoln County Community Theater

Pumpkinfest Works with Great Salt Bay School on 2010 Giant Pumpkins

Buzz Pinkham of Damariscotta Pumpkinfest met with Great Salt Bay School teachers, master gardeners, and other volunteers to plan for student involvement in the growing of 2010's giant pumpkins. Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta, Maine has an active gardening program for its students and spear-headed the Maine Apprentice Gardeners curriculum and program.

Organizing Committee Meeting Dates 2010

MARCH 11,
APRIL 15
MAY 13
JUNE 17
JULY 15
AUGUST 5
AUGUST 19
SEPTEMBER 9
SEPTEMBER 16
SEPTEMBER 23
SEPTEMBER 30
OCTOBER 28

This year's organizing meetings will be held at Skidompha Library on Thursday afternoons at 4:30 pm. Volunteers welcome! Anyone who is interested in the Pumpkinfest is invited to attend.

Save These Dates!

Latest update from the Pumpkinfest Committee: Save these dates for 2010 Damariscotta Pumpkinfest

This year, the 4th Annual Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta will be held from October 3 -11.

Week long events kick-off with officially sanctioned Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization weigh-off, and include Pumpkin Carving; Giant Pumpkin Parade; Street Fair and Children's Activities; The Pumpkinboat Regatta; and Pumpkin Chunkin', Catapulting, and Pumpkin Drop, plus lots, lots more!

Another date to note for those eager to grow their own, is the Giant Pumpkin plant giveaway on May 23rd. Have fun growing your own pumpkin and help make the 4th Annual Damariscotta Pumpkinfest the BEST EVER!

Big Pumpkin "On the Waterfront!" from Chris Bales, New England Organics

The Pumpkin is Bill Clark and Buzz Pinkham's "Paul", weighing 642 pounds, which Buzz generously traded for Chris' 246 pound pumpkin during his Columbus Day stop in Damariscotta, Maine at the end of Pumpkinfest 2009.

The picture was taken at Royal River Boat Yard in Yarmouth, Maine with the marina slips in the background. This pumpkin boat caused a work stoppage at the boat yard when Chris drove in to show it to owner Alan Dugas and his brother Bob.

Chris enjoyed sharing the "Cruise of Pumpkin Boat #642." Although it is now in the compost pile, its images and stories will continue cruising into eternity in cyberspace.

Chris' message continued with the following: #642 "was originally named "Pumpkin Paul", one of 4 big pumpkins (George, Paul, Ringo, and John) raised at the Pinkham's Plantation's Damariscotta patch. Can you hear a new song coming on? " We All Live in an Orange Pumpkin Boat" -- you make up the rest!"

"In December it will be time to prepare for Christmas, like making stocking stuffers, envelopes of giant, pumpkin seeds "while visions of giant pumpkins danced in their heads..."

"Fields of Gold"

A huge "thank you" to all our volunteer-growers for participating in the pumpkin-pledge program! .... even some sponsored, but drowned pumpkins, contributed to a total of $1,512.06 in donations from the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest to your designated non-profits including the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder ($292.21), Lincoln County Football ($262.50), Edgecomb Congregational Church ($202.50), Community Energy Fund ($162.00), Lincoln County Animal Shelter ($147.85), Knox County Free Clinic ($106.50), Bristol Consolidated School's Playground Fund ($100.00), Lincoln County TV ($75.00), Habitat for Humanity ($53.50), Eldercare Network ($50.00), Coastal Kids ($35.00), and Spectrum Generations ($25.00) .... thank you for growing a pumpkin, soliciting pumpkin-pledges for your pumpkin, or sponsoring a pumpkin !

"Compost, Compost, Compost"

To all you local Pumpkinheads (and those from afar) IT'S TIME TO TILL !!!! Buzz and Bill are hopeful that you will adopt a pumpkin plantlet again next spring and, "God willing and the creek don't rise", that the rainy deluge of June/July, 2009 will NOT be repeated !! Drowning seemed to be the common fate of many of the may-adoptees, but that still didn't dampen the spirits of you, our hardy volunteer-growers !!

For a successful 2010 pumpkin boat crop, now is the time to prepare your pumpkin patch for the winter by following these simple steps:
.....After the pumpkins are harvested and all the old plants are removed from the patch, it's time to start preparing for next year. All weeds should be removed from the patch to stunt next years "crop" of pesky weeds.
.....Next, collect as many leaves as you can for application on top of the patch. Maple leaves are the best, however many other varieties will work. Oak leaves have a coating on them that cause them to break down more slowly so use these as a last resort. They will break down over a winter with the proper ammendments to help them along. Do not apply chestnut leaves as they contain a soil toxin that will be detrimental to your plants. Apply the leaves in layers, up to 6 inches deep in total, mowing each layer with the lawn mower to chop them up as they will break down quicker if chopped up due to the increased surface area.
.....Next apply the same amount of aged manure, Cow is best with horse being the second choice. Fresh cow or horse manure can be applied at slightly lesser amounts. Compost, Compost, Compost !!!
.....Finally, apply a balanced fertilizer such as Espoma Garden Tone and the appropriate amount of Gypsum and Greensand. For example on a 400 square foot patch, use one 50# bag of Garden Tone and one 50# bag of Gypsum, depending on the subject soil. The best way to determine fertilizer needs is to obtain a professional soil test. Soil tests can be obtained through the University of Maine Soil Testing Service at the following link: http://anlab.umesci.maine.edu (Request the standard soil test, Soil Package 1.)
.....Roto-till all the amendments into your soil, incorporating thoroughly, and your patch will be all tucked-in for winter and on its way to a nutrient rich soil in the spring.

Animal Sightings...

Togus and Friends 2009.

Photos: Phyllis Amerikana

Herb Watson
Phyllis Guss

No, We Didn't Drop the Ball...

Last but not least on Monday October 12th, the Giant Pumpkin Drop...

Photos: Ronn Orenstein (copyright 2009)
Phyllis Amerikana
Phyllis Guss

Keep Your Hard Hat On - Here Comes the Catapult!

So this is how the Ancient Greeks did it! Sunday Oct 11th brought the Pumpkin Catapult out amongst the Hoi polloi. Victory ensued.

Photos: Phyllis Amerikaner

Kids Just Wanna Have Fun...

Meanwhile, back on Water Street in town kids of all ages enjoyed the fun & games and story-telling provided by sponsors Colby & Gale and Skidompha Library.

Photos: Ronn Orenstein (copyright 2009)

Listening to a story at Skidompha Library

"What a cutie!"

"You can do it!"

Well, it's almost as good as the beach...

Table o' goodies

Giant Bouncing Pumpkins!

There's a Whole Lotta Chunkin' Going On

Photos: Phyllis Amerikana
Phyllis Guss

Target Chunkin' The art of further wrecking a wreck by smashing it with a pumpkin shot under pressure through a cannon ..... what a blast! This event took place just outside town at Trescott's Farm on Great Salt Bay, Saturday, Oct 10th.

and.....

Distance Chunkin' The art of shooting a pumpkin (or any other type of vegetable) through a 100 ft long barrel under pressure at speeds of more than 500mph. Ralph Eschborn and Pete Hill of Chaddsford PA, current world champions and Guiness book of world record holders, put the cannon which they built out of an old grain auger to the test, much to the delight of the crowd. They shot 10lb pumpkins high over the fields and into the water, reaching distances upwards of 4000 ft.