Corsicana Daily Sun, Corsicana, Texas

Latest News

VIDEO: World record pumpkin

Related Photos

  • Ron Wallace of Rhode Island celebrates after breaking the world record with a 2,009-pound pumpkin during the New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Topsfield Fair's opening day. PAUL BILODEAU/Staff photo

    SN 120928_ET_PBI_TOPSFAIR_426

  • Woody Lancaster of Topsfield is hugged by his wife, Cindy, after breaking his personal best at the New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Topsfield Fair's opening day.

    SN 120928_ET_PBI_TOPSFAIR_222

  • New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off crew members place a pumpkin on the scale during the giant pumpkin competition at the Topsfield Fair's opening day. PAUL BILODEAU/Staff photo

    SN 120928_ET_PBI_TOPSFAIR_101

Discussion

October 2, 2012

New England farmer grows world's first 1-ton pumpkin

CNHI News Service

TOPSFIELD, Mass. — A Rhode Island farmer has grown the world's first one-ton pumpkin, shattering the previous record by 165 1/2 pounds.

Ron Wallace's behemoth pumpkin topped out at an amazing 2,009-pounds on a digital scale Friday, earning him $15,500 in prize money at the Topsfield Fair's giant pumpkin weigh-off.

Fair officials said growing a one-ton pumpkin was comparable to breaking the four-minute mile barrier in track.

“It’s a great world record,” said James O'Brien, the fair's general manager. “Topsfield has had a lot of world records, but this one is special."

The previous world pumpkin record had been set only a day earlier at a fair in Deerfield, N.H., with a weight of 1,843 1/2 pounds.

The Topsfield Fair in this Boston suburb is the oldest agricultural fair in the nation. It has featured the great pumpkin weigh-off for several years.

In addition to the $5,500 first place prize, it has in recent years offered a bonus of $10,000 to the first one-ton pumpkin, a feat considered impossible.

A forklift was needed to lift Wallace's winning entry onto the scale. Five minutes earlier a competitive pumpkin weighed in at 1,649 pounds.

“I’m back, baby,” yelled Wallace, pumping his fist and pounding his chest when the weight of his 2,009-pound pumpkin was announced to the crowd.

Wallace had grown the winning pumpkin six years earlier at a mere 1,347 pounds. He said he had an inkling in mid-August he'd grown a special pumpkin for this year's contest, and "hoped that it weighed more than a small car."

It did.

---

Details for this story were provided by the Salem, Mass., News.

Text Only
Latest News
  • dps_logo.jpg Texas DPS adds patrols for Memorial Day weekend

    AUSTIN — More Texas troopers will be on patrol over the Memorial Day weekend watching for speeders, drunken drivers and travelers not wearing seat belts.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • CSCOPE_t607.jpg CSCOPE system dies amid criticism

    AUSTIN — CSCOPE - a classroom curriculum system used by hundreds of Texas school districts including the Corsicana Independent School District - will stop offering lesson plans after some conservative groups claimed it was promoting anti-American values.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • Firefighter dies in Dallas condo complex blaze

    DALLAS — Dallas firefighters have recovered the body of a comrade who reported by radio being trapped while battling a condominium complex blaze.

    May 20, 2013

  • 5-18 Map.jpg City proposes route changes for Clean-Up Day

    For more than 10 years, Navarro County and the City of Corsicana have co-hosted a county-wide clean-up day. For most residents, it means an opportunity to take their bulk trash to the city’s landfill for free.

    May 19, 2013 1 Photo

  • City to consider rules for airport, swear in new attorney

    The Corsicana City Council will swear in the new city attorney, and consider requests for money from local charities when the group meets in regular session at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers of the Government Center, 200 N. 12th St. The new city attorney will be Kerri Anderson Donica. She ran unopposed for the position, along with Municipal Judge Mike Russell.

    May 18, 2013

  • CISD to hire architects for new campus

    The Corsicana ISD Board of Trustees will consider selecting an architectural firm for the new middle school when the group meets in regular session at 6 p.m. Monday, 601 North 13th Street.

    May 18, 2013

  • 5-18 pocket park.jpg New pocket park planned

    A former plumbing supply shop that has since become nothing more than one wall and one partial wall, is going to become the latest city park in Corsicana.

    May 18, 2013 2 Photos

  • 5-18 Vienna Piano Academy 2.jpg Navarro College students to attend prestigious piano academy

    They’re different as daylight and dark — she loves soccer and history, he loves math and science. She hails from Flower Mound, he from Malaysia. She is bubbly, outgoing and excited; he is a bit shy, somewhat reserved.

    May 17, 2013 2 Photos

  • Police Beat

    • A woman was arrested for trying to interfere in the serving of two felony warrants around noon Thursday at an apartment at 4301 W. Highway 31.

    May 17, 2013

  • Local Beat

    May 15 to July 31
    The Navarro Council of the arts presents "With Six You Get Eggrolls" A Fine Art Exhibit featuring the works of Helen Albritton, Barbara Jones, Gladys Espenson, Deb Miller, Stephanie Ford, and Margie Taylor at the Warehouse Gallery from May 15 to July.  Exhibit is free and open to the public daily.

    May 17, 2013

Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
AP Video
Company Promises to Make All Snail Mail Digital Analyst: Tumblr Fills Void in Yahoo's Offerings Commuters Face Delays After Conn. Train Accident Raw: Swarm of Tornadoes Slams Plains Raw: Fierce Bombing in Qusair, Syria RAW: TV Staff Take Cover From Tornado Raw: Accused US Spy Reportedly Leaves Russia AP CEO: Records Seizure 'Unconstitutional' Fatal Hot Air Balloon Accident in Turkey Tornadoes, Storms Strike Midwest 'Babyland': Camp Lejeune's Toxic Legacy? Raw: Heavy Tornado Damage in Shawnee, Okla NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel?
Twitter Updates
Follow me on Twitter