New Hartford Boasts Some Pretty Big Pumpkins
These pumpkins in New Hartford are pretty damn big, but they're still no record holders.
The pumpkins at Old McMarley's Apple Farm (pictured near some cars for a sense of scale) are easily a few hundred pounds. You can compare them to some more McMarley's beauties I posed with a few years ago. Here are some more shots of the 2020 McMarley's gourds on display along Brimfield Road:
As you can see, the one on the left is a Giant Blue Hubbard Squash and the one on the right and below is an Atlantic Giant Pumpkin.
Believe it or not, as large and in charge as the McMarley's pumpkins are, they're no match for annual New York State record holders that weigh in each year at around 1,000 pounds.
A farm in Clarence, just outside of Buffalo, has a statewide weigh-in every year, with big cash prizes doled out to pumpkin oweners in different categories. They just had the 2020 weigh-in on October 3rd. Here's their website, featuring some cool pics from each year's competition.
The current world record holder tips the scales at over 2,600 pounds.
If you're interested in growing your own world record pumpkin, check out this article in ModernFarmer.com about "How to Grow a Giant Pumpkin." It's got tricks and tips on everything from seeds to soil to fertilizer.