EP252: This Man Grows Pumpkins That Weigh a TON and Tom Morton Goes to Marine Boot Camp

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Send them to our American stories.com are some of our favorites and today we have a story from Rhode Island or Jones you trust Joe is a retired cabinetmaker and since his retirement is dedicated most of his time to growing giant fruit and vegetable 2017 he broke the record for the largest green squash ever grown coming in at 2118 pounds use Joe with his story growing giant factual allow for the last 25 years that started years ago. Just by accident sonogram specials my back through giant pumpkinseed. The group 224 pounds, that salt will years later Jalan here in Rhode Island. John cast which is like the Godfather growing here in New England started in the early 90s great success real gentleman helped anybody that one so I spent a lot of time in his house just isn't learning how to group functions and we just enjoyed drawing met people from all over the world.

This hobby attracts people from all strains of life from cabinetmakers to scientists seems to be quality to growing these time bottle. How many people you meet that all have the same interest of growing fruit and just enjoy being outside of growing these large vegetables while the despots I know my wife really we have get-togethers we have cruises that we go on talking people. It's very competitive but then again is such a long season. We start the fruit beginning of April and when I finished Pilates way off until October. So no fruit on the hook for like 100 hundred and 1020 days that that's a long time to have a fruit being healthy and five things that happen level weather related problems. You run into bonds diseases. It takes a lot to get a pump into the finish line so when we go to these layoffs were all happy for each unadjusted see you getting a fruit there while people grow multiple furniture so that you do have a fruit at the whale time. Hopefully to get the full advantage of the growing season. You want to try to get these in probably about three or four weeks before your last frost which means you have to grow in a greenhouse use heating cables. The law, the soil used light squeeze like a small light green houses are up to 5 x 7 after we got the pumpkin going ask a woman driving a greenhouse and probably for five weeks is probably about the first week of May.

By the time we take it out here in Rhode Island and the race is on growing. These plants are trying to set this fruit out on the main vine probably 10 to 12 feet at least approximately 1460 confusing. Better probably 10 sidelines on either side of the fruit plants probably 500 ft.˛, 400 ft.˛ pollination time. By that time the fruit at 20 diesel re-signed from the weight read anything unlike 30 pounds a day at 20 diesel by 25 days of old. 30 pounds by 40 days be putting 4050 pounds on fortunate enough in 2006. Grow a world record longboard. Actually the very first time I tried I will record you have to act 2007 had silently gone through the world record since that I was trying to grow the world's largest green/similar to a pumpkin, but the color was different, just a little different than growing the earlier ones.

2007, 2008 there will how to grow.

I think what happened. The gene pool so closely related that they had a lot of problems with pollination. There were as many people Brian is like 9 feet, nine times more people growing giant Ross wash this hobby and giant for coming. Turns out to be quite over the last decade. Some people wanted to meet the changing squash and after a few years of crosstraining, squash and pumpkins. More people growing changing/the reason this type of difficult to crown the clinical range are actually done for the gospel take the seeds from the squash, pumpkin highbred and plate multiplicity and hopes to grow greens class in which they have a one in four chance of getting one of these tiny fruits that are being grounded gone through a lot in common. In order to become the record-breaking 2000 pound monster produced before these large fruits are about to scale the growers try to make just how much that we have a way of measuring the fruit so you have an idea how heavy coal OTT it's over the top management will you take a circumference measurement side to side measurement vaccination. You add them all up make up the 480 500 inches that measurement of aggressive child and the child is changing all the time. Depending on how I get will give you an estimate of how much you punctuated by the cubic inches of your pocket so you have an idea how many thousands growing excitement in game 300 pounds a week, 280 pounds a week and you been listening to Joe Dutra's telling the story about his retirement hobby which is grown into a pretty serious hobby and a world record-breaking hobby in my goodness what it takes to grow one of these monsters. How complexities all the exigencies of surviving through 120 day growth season and that's a long time to get from beginning to end. As he put it takes a lot to get a pumpkin that size to the finish line. When we come back more of Joe Dutra's's story giant pumpkin and squash grower from Rhode Island. On our American story view of the great American stories we tell and love America like we do, or asking you to become a part of the our American stories family. If you agree that America is a good and great country. Please make a donation monthly gift of $17.76 is fast becoming a favorite option for supporters to allow American stories.com now go to the donate button and help us keep the great American stories coming@thouamericanstories.com and we continue with our American story's and with Joe Dutra's who holds the world record for growing the largest green squad is been sharing with us all the goes into growing these giant fruits and vegetables.

Let's return Joe to see that growing beginning between date 20 day 40 changes that shape daily triple quadruples in size, once a cycling bigger now. Every inches like 1010 1112 they don't change as much and like anybody else I get more cracks and age spots just about in the making gain more weight as they get older to just like anybody else. Step back and wait just very rewarding to see a fruit growing to scale to watch all the people have their pumpkin come to the scale and it thinking it's me over Satan thousand pounds and ends up being 1155 48 a group ported over the scaling of their double-digit having it's great the justice chart all the time so that there is a 5% over 5% below trying to be as accurate as they can in Joe Dutra's first attempt to grow his world record-breaking green squash 12 plan 12 only one with screen 1252 Penn 2017 when he tried again different see it brought him his world record-breaking green squash 2118 pounds a year ago the world record squash you. You have very good. I gave it a good one growing same year Scott holding the same 1844 seats. We both had one going in your friends.

You talk while allowing such a hygienist will close in 1900 and try to do the math. All right my last class of 2000 pounds of measuring light to thousand and 9 pounds. She's taping 1900 Michael like to go to Vigo. Eli was good way at the end of it. I would like to send heavy fines and life. 17.

After a long season of hard work, growing these tiny paydays the way and I arrived in getting the spirits to land is quite the process takes a team effort is called fact-finding. The day before. We are usually on a Saturday. We help each other out this for five guys get together and have a tripod with a harness on the glitter on the bottom of pumpkin yeah Jane for able to lift the pumpkin by this harness from the tripod route that you have a lifting weight whatsoever in the not so big that you have treatment because it will fit in the back of a pickup truck so we pick up in the air we push the trailer and the need to let it down to the bullet out. We reverted to the farm. We have this way often worn Rhode Island very set up things for the following day. We usually wait till the end. We waited.

The biggest ones last by the measuring by how it goes and just that they are one of a recognized fortune I had the biggest repair waiting the heaviest. I was very surprised that it went 5% heavy geologist (something that could be 1844 which was the will records really come in 2118 dream come true, that's for sure, to say the least extended beyond recognition because that was the was a very very large fruit nowadays that at the time that was a 13 largest fruit ever grown pumpkins and squash about since then there's probably about another 30 or 41 seven is big. Bigger than that. But this not really any green squash that come close that all of the money. 1935. There is no doubt seen these giant pumpkins are squash in the road would be a sight to see, this is when you're going down the road. Some 70s way off we go to Ireland upstate Connecticut near the New York line near I-95 taking pictures and hanging out the windows and thumbs up and almost running off the road that that's a scary buzz when you get people to not watch it with her doll and really excited taking pictures deep in their home on everyone enjoys a lot going on. So people probably have never seen it before, early and often that's the part that said, excitingly get to the way often have families and kids that look at it. It's like a Christmas tree pumpkin you see something anybody enjoys looking is a pumpkin organization all the GPC there something like a government of the pumpkin growers GPC is the great pumpkin Commonwealth the organization and make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to growling and measuring these giant fruits and vegetables, so it is very important that we do have a GPC control and community judge fairly and we have yearly convention is put on by the GPC time when everyone gets together is usually about two or 300 people will world monologues. Usually the girl is a girl a lot of squash, fruit or vegetables. What is the PowerPoint presentation.

Everyone let what the newest strategies were obligated but what not to do what to do is just as important expected to us what not to do what you can laugh all the people's mistakes; amicable yourself. The best thing about this hobby is a phrase that you meet. I think it now. I enjoy fishing tonight but a bunch of fishing buddies that I really enjoy fishing with no can't wait to talk about the fish regarding how to get you what you basically the same thing when you're gone giant pumpkins will use the fertilizer using the spray we find designs we get together.

See what you think of that see you growing next year how to do it just really allow friendship to not only the work of its friendship acquired over the years just just so much fun to dress is now in his 60s and has no intention of stopping his hobby anytime seen God willing.

If I still fit in this really really keeps you moving your out there thrusting crack of dawn working on these plants stretching and moving up and down is quite a bit of physical work to it.

I'd like to do it as long as I can. I know my body. Anyone helping now is 83. He likes colonies fruit is much as anybody I know just what can't wait to get up in the morning to get up there and work on. Granted that nearly 83 unable to do it as well as you can. 40 or 50 or 60's still still doesn't have a job that I know is not for everybody.

It is quite a bit of work that anybody has to take it quite is serious as a competitive pumping growing just a girl in your backyard have two or 300 Palmer Ave. step is a great achievement over the summer and is very attainable about the seas we have had over 10 x 15 for God easily broke 235 palm fruit without a lot of writing and a great job as always, by faith, and Robbie telling the story of Joe Dutra's and my goodness what a passion he has, in my goodness, how many of us have a world record in anything and if it's the squash will record so be at 2118 pounds done in 2017 and shows pride and joy still out there competing and wanting to win.

And most importantly sharing his hobby with pals and that's what it really is all about. We all have those hobbies and what really brings us together is more than the passion for the thing, but the people we meet in the friendships we make Joe Dutra's's story here on our American system yell in the black podcast network sponsored by better help online therapy to help online therapy a more convenient and affordable and accessible way to try therapy and heavy brown house of the chopping gems podcast podcast about the potential of personal growth in the human spirit in service to the very same and internal audit better help.com/black effect for 10% off your first suit.

Millions will make Medicare coverage decisions for next year and United healthcare can help you feel confident about your choices for those eligible Medicare annual enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. If you're working past age 65.

You might be able to delay Medicare enrollment. Depending on your employer coverage. It can seem confusing, but it doesn't have to be this at UHC Medicare health plan's.com to learn more United healthcare helping people live healthier lives. I know everything there is to know about running a coffee shop for small business insurance. I mean, my State Farm agent make sure my business days: incompetent business owners to help you best. State Farm is in your corner and on neighbor call your local State Farm agent for quote today and returned to our American story's and as you know we tell stories about everything on the show and up next story suggested to us by listening to thousand nine Tom Morton decided to join the Marine Corps, but it wasn't a cakewalk. Get onto the yellow footprints at Parris Island use time with his story of joining the Marine was born and raised in Nashville Tennessee. Kind of a middle-class upbringing like in the suburbs and stuff. Overall fairly normal childhood parents split up and got a divorce and I was 13. It was hard initially, but eventually it was something that I came to really respect and treasure because I learned a ton for my stepdad when my father is more. He's always been a businessman you know IT kinda followed the smarter pass, the more stable often goes, what his father pushed on him and my stepdad didn't really have a lot of family.

By the time he was an adult so he ended up getting drafted into Vietnam and kind of force in the service way he handled it and when he looked at it always kinda made it seem not necessarily something glorious or something. My stepfather Gary is about handling trauma and stuff like eating… Everything is kinda like well that was terrible, but I learned this from moving forward and I think that was, what made me realize that, like, even if the military was going to give me things that were horrible to experience like it was something I could learn from and grow from. If I took the right path with an now I think even as a little kid I was always fascinated by the military, but no. After a week after I got to know my stepfather, had somebody that was honest and open with me about the bad times, not just what you see more movies and stuff.

It made me respect it more even knowing that it wasn't this is positive as it was portrayed so that was him is that that's always been a great very positive influence on main that is to just always, always good over the military. When I wanted to chumming way. We butted heads quite a bit if I was in the military. He wanted me to lease go through college and going as commission officer.

Therefore, at least in their mind some kind of a better chance of survival is here that are trained higher up the food chain.

However you look at it but was really my my mentality.

I was kind of look that it is like guys would climb the ladder from the bottom make it to the point of respect. I wanted to enlist work my way and I shifted things for me which branch I wanted to approach was when I went to an army creating station and went on my way there and talk to me or anything down one and I walked in and I is really really overweight Arctic recruiter just like the most like interservice kind of trash talk poster guide and I'm like yeah so I'm really interested in listing but I really want to go to Lake Ranger's special forces. What can you tell me about what are the options house of and the student, like Rose's eyes and scratches adversaries like you want to talk to Mike about. He's not here today if these will clear Thursday and I just thought that was the most unprofessional, like the ridiculous answer I could possibly get. So what are really disappointed, for going well, maybe the military the client what I thought was maybe someone looking for in a week or two later I got a call from a Marine recruiter chat me up. Thought about doing military and you know I'm really interested in joining the Army Rangers want to go the hardest I can go and he's like well is anyone ever told you that basic Marine Corps infantry school is longer with longer hikes and harder training than Army Rangers as well.

No one is ever told me that that's my attention so that was kind of the ceiling points of the Marine Corps for maize. I wanted to go start out at the hardest level of infantry, I could find and then from there I had hopes of going to recon snipers. My mom into signing off on letting me enlist early basically like.

Soon his high school was done even though I had turned 18 yet I will go straight to boot camp. My dad was very hesitant and didn't want to sign it over and basically said like when you're an adult you can make that decision for yourself. What I really want you to take some time getting education and think about this before you do it. I kind of relented and agreed to go to college and Elise just see how that went to see if something in school grabbed me that made me want to go and do that professionally more than I wanted to join Raines's onto University Tampa for my first semester and 1/2 and have that level of freedom was not something that 18-year-old me was quite ready to handle. I got to school so that was the point where I can attract telegrams like a looksee trade school and obviously an idiot I didn't work out like time for me to go join the Marines and remembering that summer after the spring semester when I got kicked out. My sister and I were talking about it and she was really upset.

She was worried about my will be by C expressed her worries enough to me to where I kind of relented and again agreed like a right.

I will try school again. I know I cannot screw around and party last time around was giving school hard drives will go back so into the middle Tennessee State.

I still have this kind back of my mind urge that I wasn't needed to do something else to. So I went and talked to my my advisor and kind of explains look, I kind of feel and an internal obligation to serve four years in the Marines, at least so specific. If you're going to drop out to join at some point now is kind of a time getting not so far in will lose everything. So that was when I kind of decided with Eric while it's now or never.

So in October 2008 I am sign the contract and swore in Nashville, Tennessee. Knowing something that was always really attractive to me that the military was an idea order consistency. Everything doing something I can be really proud of telling people that I was really excited. I was also very afraid, for an when I did it didn't go over all that well started trying to find loopholes like until you finished boot camp. You have actually not actually obligated to do anything whatever it already made up my mind and on top of that, given my word way that I look at the contractors wants you were going to be something whether it signed and not follow through and finish it up. So from that point on back. I also really didn't know and you're listening to Tom Morton tell the story of how he ended up becoming a US Marine in my goodness I wanted to enlist and work my way up.

He told his dad's Dataquest wanted to send to go to college if he was going to go into the military men with some protection is maybe those officers will get hurt war by the way those officers to get hurt for but well often is the case in many of our stories you can let your dad, but disagree when we come back for more of Tom Morton story here on our American story yell in the black podcast network are sponsored by help online therapy to help online therapy a more convenient, affordable and accessible way to try therapy and heavy brown house of the jobbing gems podcast asked about the potential of personal growth in the human spirit in service to the very same an internal help.com/black effect for 10% off your first student millions will make Medicare coverage decisions for next year and United healthcare can help you feel confident about your choices for those eligible Medicare annual enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. If you're working past age 65. You might be able to delay Medicare enrollment. Depending on your employer coverage.

It can seem confusing, but it doesn't have to be this@uhcmedicarehealthplans.com to learn more United healthcare helping people live healthier lives know everything there is to know about running a coffee shop for small business concern.

I mean, my State Farm agent and company business owners to help you pass.

State Farm is in your corner and on neighbor call your local State Farm agent for quote today and we returned to our American stories and the story of Tom Morton joining the Marine Corps we last left off Tom after finding out college wasn't for him twice. Finally decided to join the Marines.

Despite his parents reservation. Continue with a story that's a funny looking back on just how much I was just how excited I was about the idealistic kind of thing you know Marine Corps commercials where the dude in dress blues is slaying a dragon with the saber and stuffing it all looks so all looks so crisp and beautiful and perfect in man.

I want to be that dad and I, found out the hard way that it's nothing like that when you actually we first got there, there is the iconic scene of the drill instructor getting on the bus and screaming at everyone like Tony get off my boss right now you get on the yellow footprints and those yellow footprints are a big source of law or in the Marine Corps.

You know what they're just kind of referred to, and everyone knows exactly what you mean like what would you do to go back and not step on the yellow footprints like your 10 miles into a horrible hike in the rain or something you always point of reference of, like that of the matrix thing of red pillar blue pill like you to go back and not stand on the yellow footprints to stay on the bus, but you want to get there. It's complete chaos. For the first week. It's all the sleep deprivation and just making you feel like you do not know what because you don't dear just thrown into the most extreme version of a very very regimented lifestyle without being told how that regiment goes.

So you learn through messing things up and then getting call IT individual training basically want to drill instructor says you there. Come over here and you go to the quarterdeck, which is the little open area at the front of your squad bay and then you'll get pushed through a series of push-ups, jumping jacks, crunches, whatever. Basically just any exercise until you start to fatigue and then they'll push a little longer and then you finally think it's done when they tell you to stand up and then notated to something else and it's all about just pushing you past your comfort zone and then there's also the pit which is every series of buildings for each company has pit.

It's a gigantic, probably about the size of a tennis court area of sand that surrounded by gigantic logs and basically you go and do a much calisthenics in the St. so you get super sweaty and sand sticks to you and gets all down your pants and in the crevices and spaces that shouldn't be but if it's 6 AM and you've just been doused in Sandwell just what you get sand in every orifice for the rest of the day about how much more running you do only what calisthenics you have to do it's all done with sand revenue in your so really it's all about trying to remove your identity as a person is an individual so that they can rebuild your identity as part of a larger group that an organization team so we first get there you don't have even maintains can't say the word. I mean you my any of that. This recruit or recruit Morton request permission to speak to drill instructor so-and-so and if permission is not granted, then Morton does not get to speak and start learning how to tell time based on how hungry you are because you can't have a watch and I love the know things like that but you start figuring out from your schedule like okay well stomach growling pretty hard so we gotta be within about an hour for lunch. It's incredible how much you you can conform to such a harsh environment, but that's what it's designed to make but I also completely recognize that it was all mine game like everything that the drill instructors were doing were intended to break us in some way so I never really broke because I feel like I was little more capable of keeping my calm and some guy and just because I was little older. Doesn't sound like that much to be 20 going in and listing being that much older than anyone, but most people in Lister 18 so because of that I was squad leader for all Boot Camp sincerely me. Much of this means that things stand at the front of the line and canceling your squad makes a mistake to pay with them.

I would say a big moment for me in recruit training was the so the tail end recruit training. The final test is called the crucible. It's a three day nonstop field exercise where basically all day.

There hiking or going through some kind of a possible course during 19 teambuilding exercise, things were like you. Yes, climb this obstacle. He can only do so if you like makeup human pyramid to be able to step on each other and then pulling to the backup or whatever stuff like that but it's nonstop and you will ignite hikes and everything so it's really only supposed to get about three hours sleep and your on your feet moving at all times and are crucible special sauce because it had been raining for three straight days before Christmas started and continued writing for the entirety of what you know about Paris Island South Carolina but it's very small B environment. So when it rains hard for a long time to go anywhere just keeps getting deeper so the we don't always obstacle courses.

Most of them were at least knee-deep in water by being drill instructors that this means, I think I hate life more earn it all right.

So we spent three days just staying side to the point where your feet have been skin your feet is so soft from nothing but wet boots that your skin is tearing off inside a lot of us were bleeding through our booths like see it coming through by the end is that final hike. You hike back to the main parade deck where you actually do your drill competitions and graduation everything you get information right there in front of the statue of the statue of Iwo Jima right at sunrise and drill instructors go through present.

Each one of you with your first Eagle, Globe and anchor, which is the Marine Corps because up until that point you have in earned, you don't deserve. And so, that moment is like really makeshift for like it's you no longer your Marine. You are property of the US government and part of the oldest and fiercest fighting force America has offered one of the fiercest and drill instructors get to choose who they give each of them gives Eagle, Globe and anchor.

I was very proud that my senior drill instructor chose to present me with mine because he was an incredibly impressive he was silent drill team before 9/11 happened, that as soon as it did. He was on the first units in Afghanistan and then went to Iraq for battle flus just so living legend of war stories and that someone like that choose to, whether it's because he saw something in me maybe just like me better. Whatever, for whatever reason, having him choose me and handed me the EDA was very meaningful in its own is also the first time that I could speak to him without having to request permission refer to myself and him and third person so he asked me like find anything saying he remembered choking up barely holding it together saying I never thought that little piece of metal would ever mean so much to me is this this and you look me in the night. He said it's not just a piece of metal where life and I think that was when I kinda set in has been took up a little bit now even was at 2009, so 12 years later, that was what really reinforced the concept of the Marine Corps is just a job or you don't just serve a little time in the Marine Corps and get out. It's not like the Army, Coast Guard of the Navy. It's it's a different mindset.

It's a warrior's once you if you truly like… Mindset will never be the same. You will always be something and even though you all that kind of settled in on the waiter over and over time it was still extremely impactful and scheming to shake that man's hand after he made my life hell for so knowing that it was over. It was very very liberating, exciting and inspiring moment in a special thanks to Monty Montgomery for the production on the piece, and a special thanks to Tom Morton for talking that his journey becoming US Marine. As the saying goes, once a marine always Marine.

It's not just a piece of metal said it is a way of life. And indeed, it is the start of the last two years.

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