That Big Pumpkin

Most people that know me well know that I really like to garden, but more specifically I really like to grow pumpkins.  So, this year I set out to grow a pumpkin over 1000 pounds.  You may recall last year I grew one that ended up weighing 701 pounds but did a lot of things wrong and knew I could do better.

This year I started early and followed the advice of Chad Revier of Spicer MN, the current Minnesota State Record holder.  As with anything, if you want to be good at it, you learn from the best, and Chad is one of the best.  So, here we are.  I am one week away from weigh-off and have 4 nice pumpkins in the garden that are coming to the end of their growing life.  In fact, it sounds as if tonight will be the first killing frost, so that will put an end to it fast.

Pictured here is my biggest pumpkin in the patch with my three neighbor kids.  It has a circumference of 15 feet 3 inches and should weight between 1200 and 1300 pounds.  I am proud of the pumpkins I grew but know I can do better next year.  The weather we had this summer made growing giant pumpkins tough.  Six hail storms in two months with damaging winds is not a recipe for growing big pumpkins but I seemed to manage this year.  I am already looking forward to making a run at the 1485 pound state record next year.  I will report back with my actual weights after the Oct 9th weigh off at the Stillwater Harvest Festival.