The Great Chattanooga Weigh-Off at the Barn Nursery

1801 E. 24th Street Pl, Chattanooga, Tenn. 37404 Saturday October 10th, 11am to 4 pm

Growers must have their fruit onsite by 9:30 am and be registered. No entry fees, Custom trophies!

All growers once registered onsite will receive a “gift bag” with a VIP Lanyard, inaugural t shirt and ballcap, two tickets for a free lunch (grower plus one), a b+ sample, bagged goods from Espoma, and Coast of Maine, and local Chattanooga gifts. Tented Vip seating for the growers will be provided adjacent to the stage with cold drinks provided. Locked and secure parking is available Friday night if the grower is on sight by 7pm. Bring a soft folding chair if so inclined.

WEIGH-OFF RULES

1. Specimens must have been grown and cared for by the exhibitor.

2. Exhibitor (grower) must be present the day of the weigh-off.

3. Exhibitors are permitted to have one official and one exhibition fruit entry per category. Only one entry per household

of the same type will be eligible for prize money.

4. Pumpkin Color: All fruit, not solid green or gray per GPC rules, will be judged as a pumpkin.

5. Specimens must be sound, healthy and undamaged. Entries must be free of rot, holes/cracks through to the cavity,

chemical residue and serious soft spots as described in detail in the GPC rules located here:

https://gpc1.org/about/rules/ Leaking fruit will be disqualified.

6. No foreign material is permitted. Vines must be trimmed to one inch from the stem of the fruit. The judges reserve

the right to fully inspect each specimen before the weigh-off begins and before the weight is announced and becomes

official.

7. In the event of a tie, the prize money for those places will be combined and split equally. Pumpkins and Squash will

compete equally by weight for prize money

8. The decisions of the judges are final.

9. The weigh off takes great care in the receiving and placement of entries; however, the weigh off and fruit handlers are

not responsible for accidental damage to entries.

10. A pumpkin must weigh no less than 500lbs to qualify for the Howard Dill Award.

11. Pumpkins must weigh no less than 300 pounds to be eligible for cash prize premiums

12. Watermelons must weigh no less than 75lbs to qualify for cash prize premiums.

Prize structure: Howard Dill Award $250

Atlantic Giant Pumpkin & Squash

1st Place $5000

2nd Place 3000

3rd Place 2000

4th Place 1500

5th Place 1000

6th Place 900

7th Place 800

8th Place 700

9th Place 600

10th Place 500

11th Place 300

12th Place 300

13th Place 250

14th Place 250

15th Place 250

Watermelon

1st Place $2000

2nd Place 1500

3rd Place 750

4th Place 500

5th Place 400

6th Place 300

7th Place 300

8th Place 250

9th Place 250

10th Place 250

Tomato $100, 75, 50

Bushel Gourd $100, 75, 50

Long Gourd $100, 75, 50

Marrow $100, 75, 50

Field Pumpkin $100, 75, 50

All pumpkins and squash over 2000 pounds will receive a $500 bonus.

Squash:

1st $800
2nd $500
3rd $400
4th $300
5th $250
Squash and pumpkins will compete by weight, but squash money will be in addition to weight placement money.

A $3000 bonus for a World Record Watermelon in excess of 350.5 pounds will be paid provided that the record stands at the end of the 2026 weigh off season.