Big happy pumpkin story
Biggest Prince Edward County pumpkin weighs half a tonne
I answered the phone and the proud voice of the County’s newest pumpkin champion identified himself on the other end.
John Vincent told me he and his growing partner, Brian McGill, had just been crowned the winners of the Wellington Pumpkinfest competition in the local weigh-off category. Their champion gourd weighed 1059.6 lbs.
I’ve always loved reporting on our local giant pumpkin growers. The vibe is joyful and it’s a lovely reflection of the rural community of which I’m a part.
I wish I still had that first radio interview we did with Arnold Vader when I started at Cool 100 radio as part of “Aaron and Jen in the morning: your homegrown morning show.” Arnold Vader is sort of like a relative of mine, and he’d been winning awards for his giant pumpkins all over Ontario at that time in 2005 – even getting his photo taken at the Royal Winter Fair with Martha Stewart! He was a great guest and remains at the helm of an accomplished farming family.
Hats off to all this year’s competitors and event organizers for a job well done.
