Alaska farmer grows almost a tonne pumpkin and sets state record again

Dale Marshall of Anchorage, Alaska, set a new state record for pumpkin weighing. The previous record was set in 2019 by a pumpkin grown by him. DNA.

Photo: IStock

On August 29, a giant pumpkin from Anchorage broke the state record. Her weight was 973 kg. And in 2019, Marshall's pumpkin also won and set a record with a weight of 930 kg.

After the victory, Marshall said that the achievement was unexpected and that he felt great.

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This year's winning pumpkin was called the Cookie Monster, but its shape was more like Oscar the Grouch. Marshall said that the pumpkin "was beautiful at first" but "grew a little strange."

Second place at the 16th annual competition went to another giant raised by Marshall, who weighed 825 kg.

Marshall used Atlantic Giant seeds for both of his pumpkins this year. Some were from Spain and others from New York State. He said that Cookie Monster's mother weighed over 1130 kg.

“The guy I got the seeds from will be happy,” he said.

According to Marshall, pumpkins grow well in warm weather.

Marshall said that Cookie Monster could have gotten even bigger with "a couple more sunny days" and late summer "if it hadn't rained every day for six weeks".

“If there had been a little more daylight, it might have been bigger,” he said. “Yes, a little more photosynthesis and a little more sunlight would help.”

But given the pumpkin's size, he added, "you could say the rain didn't do much damage."

Marshall grew his pumpkins in a 65-square-meter greenhouse and planted Cookie Monster on June 4th, making her 86 days old. He said that the vine was over 19 meters long. Marshall said he watered the pumpkin with 25 to 75 gallons of rain-adjusted water daily.

Third place went to seven-year-old Taylin Polis Vasilla, who grew pumpkins with her grandmother. Before weighing, Polis assumed that her pumpkin weighed 44 kg. She was glad to know that he actually weighed 70 kg.

She said she helped her grandmother by planting seeds, watering the pumpkin and checking it. She was especially worried that the moose would eat her gourd.

Teresa and Tad Phillips placed fourth with a pumpkin named George weighing 30kg. This year they competed for the first time. Thad represented the couple at the weigh-ins, although he said his wife did most of the work. She is a bus driver and cannot leave her job due to a constant lack of drivers.

The stands were packed with State Fair goers excited as a group of three judges were weighing the pumpkins. Cadmon, 13, and Beckham DenBleyker, 13, looked on with their grandmother Velma Stewart.

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“It would be great to carve this pumpkin for Halloween,” Stewart said of Cookie Monster.

The competition was also attended by the so-called "Cabbage Fairies", a troupe of five women who dress up as fairies to entertain the public during the pumpkin and cabbage weighing competition, another staple of the state fair. For 18 years, fairies have been bringing their enthusiasm and creativity to the fair.

“We come every year throwing fairy dust,” said manager Marie Jo Parks.

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