Agricultural Digest
It’s been a good season for pumpkin growers. Jeanice Britvich, owner of Ferris Farms in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, told New Castle News that her crop even came “early” due to “all that high heat.” While pumpkins normally take about 110 days to reach maturity, Britvich’s crop “just came together” in 90 days this year. Dr. Stephen Meyers, an assistant professor at Purdue University’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, told Agrinews that the midwest region is looking chock full of pre-carved Jack o’ Lanterns, saying, “I think there will be plenty of pumpkins available for consumers.” But the biggest pumpkins are apparently grown in Minnesota. Last years’ winner of the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off (held in Half Moon Bay, California) Travis Gienger of Anoka, Minnesota, didn’t just win this year’s competition, he smashed the world record with a 2,749 pound pumpkin. He’ll take home $24,741 in prize money for the record-breaking behemoth, which he grew …