OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — They are members of a small segment of Oklahoma farmers and gardeners competing for size alone: the longest squash, the fattest gourds, and the heaviest pumpkins.
Richard Bottorf has been watching his prize pumpkin closely all summer.
“It’s an experience,” he smiles.
He lives in Republic, Missouri, but when his largest produce stopped growing he brought it to the closest registered scale available.
He admits, “I was hoping it would get bigger, but you never know with a pumpkin.”
Bottorf already owns the top five records for largest pumpkins ever grown in Missouri.
Tom Rozenstine held the Oklahoma record a few years ago at 880 pounds and now helps run this unique competition at the State Fair.
“To think you can grow a pumpkin that big is extremely amazing,” he remarks.
Russell Fanning has the record now at 1,172 pounds.
This event is the only place all year where farmers and gardeners like the Harrison family of Elk City, and landscapers like Bryan Baker meet in one big room.