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Journalism of Courage
Farmers often love to display the fruits of their labour and some even enter contests to show off their skills in cultivation. On October 2, New York-based farmer Scott Andrusz broke the record for growing the biggest pumpkin in the whole of North America.
The 63-year-old achieved this feat at the annual World Pumpkin Weigh-Off competition held at The Great Pumpkin Farm where he presented the winning winter squash that weighed 2,554 pounds (1,158 kg) and bagged the prize money of US$ 5,500.
As per the Gothamist website, Andrusz and his family grew the pumpkin at their farm in Lancaster and tended to its growth from summer to fall. Explaining the extensive manner in which he took care of the massive gourd, Andrusz told Gothamist that he would diligently prune its vines and give it the best fertilisers.
He also added that the pumpkin needed to be protected against bugs, fungus and animals such as cats and racoons. “All the animals and critters seem to love this pumpkin more than anything in the world. They all want to eat on it. And I have cats come and try to scratch it, they think it’s a big couch,” the farmer explained.
The massive pumpkin will be on display till October 16, at the Great Pumpkin Farm at Clarence in New York.
Andrusz’s pumpkin was very close to breaking the Guinness World Record for the heaviest ever, which was set by an Italian farmer with a 2,702-pound (1,225 kg) pumpkin.
