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October 1, 2007

Jumbo pumpkins crush world records at Topsfield Fair weigh-off

By Cate Lecuyer, Staff Writer

Giant-pumpkin growers at the Topsfield Fair broke the world record this weekend for heaviest pumpkin | twice.

For just a moment, Bill Rodonis, of Litchfield, N.H., held the title with a 1,566-pound pumpkin. Then Joe Jutras, of Scituate, R.I., crushed it with a pumpkin weighing 1,689 pounds. Both men beat last year's record of 1,502 pounds, but only Jutras will make it in the Guinness Book of Records.

"To be that much over the world record from last year is incredible," Jutras said. He also received a $3,500 check for first place and he will probably make double that amount if he decides to sell the pumpkin afterward.

Last year, Grand Central Station paid $6,000 for the former champion pumpkin grown by Ron Wallace, of Smithfield, R.I., said Hugh McMann, a professional carver who turned it into a giant gorilla that New Yorkers dubbed "King Kong."

"He could have gotten $10,000 for it," McMann said.

Wallace placed third this year and he gave up his title with grace.

"I held it for a year, so it's somebody else's turn," he said. The vegetables are progressively larger every year as gardeners save the best seeds, share them with friends and grow pumpkins with better and better genes.

"Realistically, the first 2,000-pound pumpkin might only be four or five years away," Wallace said. "There's really no secrets left."

Maybe not, but there's plenty of techniques. The first time Rodonis tried to grow a giant pumpkin four years ago, it only weighed 317 pounds.

"I grew that like I was growing a crop of them," he said. Basically, he planted the seeds too close together and left them alone, so the vines grew into a tangled mass.

"When you plant these, you're growing one pumpkin on 750 square feet," he said. "Then you let the vines grow and cut everything off." The next year, his "manicured" pumpkin reached 1,000 pounds. The size is also highly dependent on soil conditions, the amount of water, pollination and other variables | which means pumpkin growers tend to spend long hours in the garden monitoring the vegetable's every move.

"I always know where he is, that's for sure," said Susan Jutras, Joe's wife. Like golfing or hunting, growing a giant pumpkin requires dedication, which borders on obsession, she said. She jokingly calls herself a "pumpkin widow."

So does Jan Cunningham of Peabody, although she's no more a pumpkin widow than she is a wife | yet. She and Hank Farrell, also of Peabody, are getting married this month in what will be a pumpkin-themed wedding to celebrate Farrell's first attempt at growing a giant pumpkin, which weighed in at 483 pounds.

It was time-consuming and on many mornings, they were outside at 5 o'clock with a large-bristled paint brush waiting for the pumpkin flowers to open so they could take the element of chance out of a successful pollination.

"We did not trust the bees," Cunningham said. When the flowers took their time opening, they were late for work.

Throughout the summer, they also watered their pumpkin for one full hour twice a day. They are still waiting for the water bill. Despite the hard work and money spent, it brought the couple closer together.

"Even after growing the pumpkin, we're still getting married," Cunningham said.

---

Great pumpkin secrets

Joe Jutras of Scituate, R.I., who broke the world record yesterday for heaviest pumpkin, weighs in on how his pumpkin tipped the scales:

How long have you been growing giant pumpkins?

"I'm going on my 11th year."

What got you into it?

"I like gardening and this is like the Olympics of gardening. You can see this thing growing before your eyes."

How long did it take?

"That pumpkin grew in 87 days. It was an average of 20 pounds a day. I went on vacation for three days and came back and it was huge."

What's your secret?

"TLC and hard work. There's no magic wand, and no milk or beer."

Milk or beer?

"It's an old wives' tale. I think they thought the calcium in the milk helped it grow. What really happens is you spray milk on the leaves and it stops mildew."

Did you do that?

"No. I'm heavy on the chemicals. You have to spray before you have a problem, and you have to have a schedule. You know by your notes from last year."

How many pumpkins did you grow?

"I grow 10 plants each year. That's 7,500 square feet. It's 750 square feet for each pumpkin.

You must have a big backyard.

"I have 6 acres."

Why save your largest pumpkin for the Topsfield Fair?

"I always wanted to win Topsfield, and I wanted to bring it to where the most amount of people would see it for the longest amount of time. It's on display for the length of the fair."

Then what, pumpkin pie?

"It will probably be carved. I'll have to see what offers I get for it."



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