Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens within the northern Ontario group of Englehart has a ardour for rising huge pumpkins and his effort is paying off in additional methods than one.
Not solely did he set a private document together with his big pumpkin this yr, he additionally broke the Port Elgin Pumpkinfest website document final weekend and took residence $3,300 in prize cash.
Jeff Warner of Aidie Creek Gardens in Englehart, ON and his almost two-thousand pound Dill’s Atlantic Big Pumpkin. Oct. 5, 2024 (Equipped)
Each fall, he straps an enormous gourd he has spent the summer season rising onto a trailer and vehicles it round 600 kilometres south to compete within the Saugeen Shores competition.
“After we’re driving down the street, we would like individuals to see it proper? Nobody will drive by you and never have the ability to smile,” Warner stated.
“So whenever you’re driving, you get a number of thumbs up.”
He stated he’s misplaced observe of what number of instances he’s competed—he thinks round 15 years—and this yr was probably the most thrilling occasion but.
His ‘Dill’s Atlantic Big Pumpkin’ weighed in at 1,966.5 kilos.
Big pumpkin being lifted onto scale at Port Elgin Pumpkinfest. Oct. 5, 2024 (Jeff Warner/Aidie Creek Gardens)
“So it is a private finest out of my patch by fairly a bit. It was 1,805, (final time) so I type of crushed my very own document,” he stated.
“It ended up beating a pair different information on the identical time, in order that’s enjoyable.”
Warner took residence prime prize, $3,200 money within the pumpkin Class and likewise gained first place within the ‘Sunflower Face’ class with a 26-inch blossom, incomes him $100.
Jeff Warner of Aidie Creek Gardens in Englehart, ON and his 26-inch sunflower blossom. (Equipped)
One other good thing about rising the massive gourds is the motivation to get outdoors extra.
“(It) simply will get you off the sofa within the night,” Warner stated.
Seed sharing
Anybody else eager to problem Warner subsequent yr is welcome to sow their very own behemoth with a seed from this yr’s winner.
“I simply have random individuals ask for a seed, so I hook them up … attempting to get extra individuals to develop big pumpkins,” stated Warner.
Among the finest methods to encourage progress are to maintain it freed from weeds, well-watered and fertilized, he stated.
Warner’s big pumpkin will dwell out its time on his farm and be on show in the course of the Aidie Creek Gardens’ Fall Enjoyable days earlier than being added to the compost heap.
