Hi Mary! I have only reached about 500 pounds so far so if I brought that they'd just laugh at me! They hold a competition sanctioned by the group led by Ray Waterman around here. He originally had the exclusive rights for distribution of Dill's Atlantic Giant seeds in the US... he's from Collins, NY a distant suburb of Buffalo.
Ray puts on a competition every year in Clarence, NY, another suburb maybe 5-10 miles east of here. The sport has grown so much that there are even different "groups" or confederations that are recognized worldwide. I think the 2 biggest are WPC & GPC? (World Pumpkin Confederation & Great Pumpkin Commonwealth.) Last year I won a membership to the GVGO (Giant Veggie Growers of Ontario) for a giant pumpkin poem I wrote about me & my pumpkin adventures!
Anyway, giant pumpkin growing is not only big here in the northeast but ALSO in the PNW! Jack LaRue of Tenio WA grew a 1420lb in 2004 and Thad Starr of Pleasant Hill OR grew a 1524lb this year! The biggest weigh-off near you is Canby, OR.
Mark
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