Good gourd.
Farmers and future farmers weighed their prized pumpkins on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Armstrong Interior Provincial Exhibition Fairgrounds as part of the 20th Annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival hosted by the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce.
The annual weigh-in is sponsored by Valley First.
âWhen we started the weigh-in 20 years ago, we didnât realize what the future held in store,â said Sean Newton, chamber president.
The largest pumpkin grown by Lloyd Main weighed in at a whopping 1,000 pounds. Erma Main was close with her pumpkin tipping the scales at 967 pounds.
The Spallumcheen husband-wife combo was one-two in 2019 with Ermaâs winning gourd weighing in at 797 pounds, 22 pounds heavier than Lloydâs entry.
In the youth category, Kinley Pshykâs pumpkin weighed in at 214 pounds.
âSince May, local growers have been nurturing giant pumpkins using some top-secret methods,â weigh in volunteer Mike Paull said. âSome fertilizer, TLC and a sunshade will help grow a heavy pumpkin but good weather also helps.â
The winner in the adult category will receive $500 while the youth winner will receive $50 thanks to Valley First.
Scott Carley of Langley currently holds the record for the biggest Giant Pumpkin in B.C. at 1,543 pounds.
âWe encourage everyone to think about growing a pumpkin for next yearâs competition. Who knows we might have an 1,100-pound pumpkin,â said Newton with a smile. âThe Township of Spallumcheen is where farming comes first.â
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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