paul i suggest you go to bigpumkins.com
and ask their. there are several methods for pumpkin lifting, pitures diagrams,products and blue prints.

Here is a link that might be useful: bigpumpkins.com

Generally they use a purpose-built "pumpkin tarp" with many (10+) built-in handles to move these babies. Another method I've seen used is when the pumpkin is still small (

Paul,
This is how we moved my 615 lber. last year:

After cutting the pumpkin from the vine, we rolled the pumpkin on its side, and tucked a tarp with handles under it. Then we rolled it the other way, and pulled the tarp under the other side. Then a number of us lifted it onto a pallet(covered with cardboard), using the tarp.
Our neighbor, who is a farmer, then used his skid loader(with forks) to lift the pallet and pumpkin onto our pickup bed. All this requires attention to safety.
Then off to the weighoff we went.

Douglas

Here's a picture of my Brother loading his onto the truck to take to the Windsor NS weigh off.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v468/bloomorelse/Pumpkinintarp.jpg

in abscense of a skid loader or a tractor 10 or 12 guys 8 pizza's a five cases of beer.