The Heavy Hitters

The Heavy Hitters are a group of giant pumpkin growers that consistently outperform their peers. They hold state, country, and world records, and surprisingly have one thing in common – they are all backyard gardeners. There are no professional horticulturists, no research scientists, and no commercial vegetable farmers in their ranks. Many things drive their ambition to compete, but the common denominator is, they all love to garden.

The Heavy Hitters have been responsible for continuing the modern quest of growing bigger and still bigger giant pumpkins. Since 1976, the world record has been broken in 25 of 37 years, and from 1998 to 2007, it was broken in 10 consecutive years. Before 1976, the record of 403 pounds had lasted 72 years. Now people with average gardening experience, and the right seed and information, are growing pumpkins that are more than double the 1904 record ­– and those are still less than half the present world record of 2009 pounds.

Most competitive giant pumpkin growers live in an area roughly contained within the 40th and 50th latitudes in North America, yet people all over the United States and Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa compete in giant pumpkin contests in their countries. It is estimated that more than 2 million people plant the seed of choice every year, the Atlantic Giant Pumpkin variety.

The first 1000 pound pumpkin was not grown until 1996, but in 2012 alone, there were 370 growers who had sanctioned weights exceeding 1000 pounds. What has caused these weights to explode over the last 20 years? Most agree that it is a better Atlantic Giant Pumpkin seed, improved through tens of thousands of selective plantings by backyard gardeners, the seeds then shared among competitors. And, the rest agree that it is the availability of better information, once hoarded by a small group of growers, now shared through books, association newsletters, and the internet.

Because better seeds and better access to information exists, almost every giant pumpkin grower feels that he or she has a fighting chance at growing a world record. Most of them have their eyes on 2000 pounds, and I have my eyes on the next Heavy Hitters!

Don Langevin is the author of four books and numerous articles on giant pumpkin growing. For more information go to: www.GiantPumpkin.com
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List of Heavy Hitters shown in Heavy_Hitter_Story.pdf layout:

Starting in the top left corner, counter clockwise: Larry Checkon’s 2005, WR (World Record), 1,469; Steve Daletas with his 2003, 1,385, WR; Kevin Marsh’s family with his 2007, 1,445 SD record; Joe Jutras with his 2007, 1,689, WR; Joe Jutras, Ron Wallace, and Steve Connolly with Connolly’s, 2008, Beast of the East, 1,568; Dick and Ron Wallace with Ron’s, 2006, WR, 1,502; and Ron Wallace with his current WR, 2012, 2,009 pound pumpkin.