Travis Ginger won for the second year in a row and for the fourth time and 51st overall. Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weighing. Rudy, this year’s grand prize winner, weighed 2,471 pounds. If you have no idea how heavy it is, Twice as heavy as a grizzly bearhalf the weight of a rhinoceros, two-thirds the weight of a car, and enough to enjoy 74,794 flavors. pumpkin spice latte.
Jinger receives Prize money is $9 per poundthe other is a pumpkin grower’s championship ring, a champion jacket, and a two-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, Calif., where the contest is held every October. Minnesota’s record-breaking 2023 entry, a gardening teacher, weighed 2,749 pounds and entered the Guinness Book of World Records. Mr. Geinger also World record for largest jack-o-lantern around. He earned this prestigious honor in October 2022 with a pumpkin carved to resemble an eagle measuring 242 inches in circumference.
“I thought there would be nothing until June.” Mr. Giegner said this after the competition ended.. “If you had talked to me in June, I would have said, ‘No, the weather is too humid and too cold.’
annual Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival Thousands of tourists flock to Half Moon Bay, California each year for a variety of pumpkin-themed activities. This coastal city is known for its large pumpkin fields.
Growing these giant gourds first became popular in the 1970s, but it wasn’t until 1996 that the first 1,000-pound gourds appeared on the pumpkin growing scene. Growers create giant gourds using special seeds that are replaced every year. The growing season for pumpkins typically lasts over 100 days, so it takes longer than other crops to reach such gigantic growth. Squash also has a thick, woody skin, which protects it more than other vegetables with higher water concentrations.
[Related: How do you breed a 2,624-pound pumpkin?]
Most of the pumpkins that broke records were dills atlantic giants. These have been bred to produce larger offspring. Some past winners have had innate advantages, such as larger vascular tissue, an innate ability to grow faster, resist pests, or take in more nutrients from the soil. There may be some people.
When you’re not seasoning lattes or carving up jack-o-lanterns, pumpkin and other pumpkins are a healthy option. It supports the immune system, is packed with heart-healthy nutrients, and its versatility makes it easy to pair with many different types of dishes.