Goffstown man
wins Rochester Fair pumpkin weigh-in
ROCHESTER - Bill Rodonis of Litchfield drove the forklift carrying a 1,095-pound pumpkin, the largest seen at this year's Rochester Fair, through the new entryway at the Floral Court hall.
Approaching its 10th year at the fair, the annual biggest pumpkin contest was one of Saturday's main draws.
Thousands flocked to the fairgrounds as the weather brightened, with other highlights including a performance by the Don Campbell Band, pig races, a "kiddie" tractor pull and a children's pig scramble, not to mention rides, games, exhibits and food.
The morning rain made mush of the ground and may have pushed attendance at the pumpkin show, which got underway around 10 a. m., even higher.
Ian Glover, on vacation from England, looked at the pumpkins on display and "thought they were fake."
John Lubold, a Massachusetts resident who summers in Middleton, called the contest "fascinating."
"We wondered if they grow one pumpkin or if they have a patch of pumpkins to pick the largest one," he said. "And is it a special seed or stuff they fertilize with? These are probably secrets they won't tell us."
The weigh-in winner: Peter Carter of Goffstown, who also grew five other giant pumpkins this year, detailed some of those secrets.
"Most guys use fish manure, a lot of compost, a lot of watering," he said. "Once you have the right soil, you don't really need a lot of fertilizer."
Carter, who took home the top prize of $500, said the seed for the 1,095-pounder came from a 1,502-pound pumpkin grown last year by a world record holder in Rhode Island.
"You start them inside in April and put them outside in the second week of May. And you don't usually see very much until the first week of July. From the time that pumpkin is pollinated, it takes about 60 days to get that size," he said. "Some of us have heating coils in the ground. Some of us have heaters, stuff like that."
Though competitors inside the Exhibition Hall, where the pumpkins were weighed, the growers otherwise are all friends. Most of them belong to the New Hampshire Giant Pumpkin Growers Association, and they traded seeds and snapped photographs of rivals with their prizes. |
Peter Carter of Goffstown stands with his winning
1095-pound pumpkin during Saturday's giant pumpkin competition at the Rochester Fair.
(Craig
Osborne/Foster's Citizen photo)
|
This year's weigh-in, sponsored by fair Ambassador Joel Sherburne, featured nine competitors, including three youths in the junior division. Pumpkin weights varied widely, including 29 1/2, 699, 765 and, thanks to Farmington resident Hiram Watson, 801 pounds.
Last year's winner, Bruce Whittier of Henniker, made a strong showing with a 986-pound creation. But that wasn't going to cut it in a sport where expectations also are growing.
"Not too long ago, a 500-, 600-pound pumpkin here was big," Carter said. "I had my first one, weighed over 800 pounds, here back in 2001, and that's a small pumpkin by now."
He attributed the growth to cross-breeding and better seeds, and said fans shouldn't worry that the world of giant pumpkins will succumb to the rumors of illegal steroid or hormone use that have plagued other sports.
"No human growth hormones that I'm aware of," he joked.
After the fair, growers may enter their pumpkin in other competitions, make lots of pie or remove the insides and turn the pumpkins into boats, complete with holes for oars, said Robin Langlois, the competition superintendent.
The third day of the 132nd Rochester Fair continues today, with 4-H shows starting at 9:30 a.m. in the show ring, a demolition derby at 1 p.m. and a "Hearts on Fire" performance at Cold Spring Park at 6 p.m.
A full schedule can be found online at www.rochesterfair.com.
The fair also features several exhibits, including for the AARP, presidential candidates and the Strafford County Republicans.
|
|
