Have you ever seen a 1,000-pound pumpkin? Howard Dill has. He is a world champion pumpkin grower. Most pumpkins weigh from 15 to 30 pounds, but Howard Dill has giant pumpkins that weigh much more. Every year, he meets other pumpkin growers from across North America. They have contests to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin. The winners get prizes, such as money or trips to exciting places.
People started to grow big pumpkins more than 100
years ago. About 20 years ago, Howard Dill decided to have a contest. He
brought his biggest pumpkin to the contest. It weighted 438 pounds. Every year,
people brought bigger pumpkins. Two years ago, another pumpkin grower set a
world record. His pumpkin weighted 1,061 pounds!
One of the pumpkin contests is at a festival called
Pumpkinfest. At Pumpkinfest, people bring giant pumpkins and other giant
vegetables. There is a contest for the biggest watermelon and the biggest
squash. There is even a contest for the world’s biggest flowers. Many of the giant
fruits and vegetables weigh more than 500 pounds. Some of the flowers are more
than 14 feet high!
At Pumpkinfest, people walk around and look at the
giant fruits and vegetables. They can even buy them after the contest and take
them home. “There is only one problem,” said a man who bought a giant pumpkin.
“I can’t get the pumpkin into my truck!”