Great pumpkins face the scale
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Gretel, Slim and Peanut all went to Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply on Saturday, Oct. 4. While it’s not so unusual to go to Murdoch’s, it is if you’re a pumpkin.
Saturday was the giant vegetable contest hosted by the Big Sky Pumpkin Growers, sponsored by Murdoch’s and Rocky Mountain Scale Works.
Gretel, Slim and Peanut joined three other entrants for the giant pumpkin weigh-off at high noon.
The pale orange and green giants were strapped securely with webbing, lifted via forklift and put on the scale.
Slim ended up weighing the most, tipping the scales at 651 pounds with Gretel coming in at 592 pounds and Peanut at 255 pounds.
Slim belongs to Emmett May, who has grown 839 and 1,030 pound state winners for 2011 and 2012. May had an interest in Giant Atlantic pumpkins and began growing the great big squashes for five years. He likes growing the apricot-colored pumpkins so much he travels around Montana teaching other people to grow the giants and founded Big Sky Pumpkin Growers.
Jamie Dennis grew Gretel, and it’s her first time competing. She and her husband gardened with May, president of Big Sky Pumpkin Growers, who taught them about growing the giant gourds.
Other big vegetable categories were green squash, long gourds, tomatoes and watermelon.
Visitors could view all the big vegetables, take a look at some yaks, and check out the UDAP bear spray booth. Brave customers could try the bear spray on a mechanized bear that came speeding toward them.
Hungry onlookers could eat lunch — hamburgers were 25 cents, and drinks were also a quarter. All the proceeds went to the Big Sky Pumpkin Growers, but Murdoch’s provided the food, according to Bob Burke, Murdoch’s manager, as part of their community outreach program.
Kids from the Mission Valley Ranch Hands 4-H Club and other volunteers served the food. Also on hand were five 4-H ambassadors who painted faces to add to the festive atmosphere.
The 4-H members just wanted to give, not ask, since Murdoch’s helps local 4-H clubs and donated $25,000 at the state level.
To join the Big Sky Pumpkin Growers, or learn more about their organization visit: www.bigskypumpkingrowers.com
