The scale at the annual Smoky Lake Pumpkin Fair has weighed-in a new Canadian champion as a Lloydminster-grown pumpkin has broken the record for the country’s heaviest gourd.
For over two-decades Midwest resident Don Crews has been making the yearly trek to Smoky Lake, but this year he had a sense that he might need a bigger ride to transport the heavy vegetable.
“This one was a little harder to load. It tipped the skid-steer when I was trying to load it. I knew we were in trouble then. I had to get the old big forklift and put it on. I could tell on the trailer it was pretty heavy. And you know it’s going to be a problem everywhere, because it’s just a little bit overweight compared to everything else they have been dealing with there.”
Dipping the scale at a hefty 2537 pounds, to best the old record by some 500-plus pounds for a gourd produced in a single growing season.
Crews says he used 2365 Wolf-seed which was not a tested seed, but he admits he likes to take chances. He serves the secret to growing a gourd-breaking champion.
“You have to have everything perfect. Everything has to be perfect. You have to have perfect soil. Perfect temperatures. And just a lot of work.”
That perfection comes as well by growing the champion gourd in his greenhouse.
Crews had the giant pumpkin on display at Sunday’s Lloydminster PumpkinFest.