US Grower Sets World Record for Heaviest Pumpkin
2023-10-11
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1An American teacher from Minnesota has set a record for growing the world's heaviest pumpkin, which weighed 1,247 kilograms.
2Travis Gienger was named the winner Monday of the 50th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California.
3The 43-year-old won the same contest in 2022.
4His winning pumpkin last year weighed 1,161 kilograms.
5Still, Gienger told The Associated Press he was surprised to win the world record.
6"I was not expecting that," he said. "It was quite the feeling."
7Gienger is a teacher at Anoka Technical College in Anoka, Minnesota.
8He teaches agriculture and growing methods and has been producing pumpkins for nearly 30 years.
9Gienger says his father also raised pumpkins and this got him interested.
10The past world record for the heaviest pumpkin was set by a grower in Italy who produced a 1,226-kilogram gourd in 2021, the Guinness World Records organization reports.
11Gienger - who grows the pumpkins on his home property - said this year he decided to give his plants extra care.
12This included watering them up to 12 times a day and feeding them food, or fertilizer, a little more than usual.
13Gienger first competed in Half Moon Bay's yearly contest in 2020.
14He has won three of the city's last four pumpkin contests.
15"I put in the work so that I can put a smile on people's faces and it's just so nice coming out here to see everyone in this town," Gienger said.
16The pumpkin champion won a $30,000 prize for growing the biggest pumpkin and setting a world record.
17Gienger's pumpkin will be shown along with the runner-up winners at the city's upcoming Art and Pumpkin Festival.
18At the event, visitors will be able to look at the pumpkin prizes and take pictures with the growers.
19In the United States, pumpkins are popular throughout the autumn.
20During the U.S. holiday Halloween - on October 31 - many people decorate the orange gourds and turn them into "jack-o'-lanterns." A jack-o'-lantern is a pumpkin that has been carved, usually to show a frightening or funny face.
21Pumpkins are also a seasonal favorite for Americans to make pumpkin pie.
22This dessert food is traditionally eaten on Thanksgiving Day, which this year falls on November 23.
23I'm Bryan Lynn.
1An American teacher from Minnesota has set a record for growing the world's heaviest pumpkin, which weighed 1,247 kilograms. 2Travis Gienger was named the winner Monday of the 50th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California. 3The 43-year-old won the same contest in 2022. His winning pumpkin last year weighed 1,161 kilograms. Still, Gienger told The Associated Press he was surprised to win the world record. "I was not expecting that," he said. "It was quite the feeling." 4Gienger is a teacher at Anoka Technical College in Anoka, Minnesota. He teaches agriculture and growing methods and has been producing pumpkins for nearly 30 years. Gienger says his father also raised pumpkins and this got him interested. 5The past world record for the heaviest pumpkin was set by a grower in Italy who produced a 1,226-kilogram gourd in 2021, the Guinness World Records organization reports. 6Gienger - who grows the pumpkins on his home property - said this year he decided to give his plants extra care. This included watering them up to 12 times a day and feeding them food, or fertilizer, a little more than usual. 7Gienger first competed in Half Moon Bay's yearly contest in 2020. He has won three of the city's last four pumpkin contests. "I put in the work so that I can put a smile on people's faces and it's just so nice coming out here to see everyone in this town," Gienger said. 8The pumpkin champion won a $30,000 prize for growing the biggest pumpkin and setting a world record. 9Gienger's pumpkin will be shown along with the runner-up winners at the city's upcoming Art and Pumpkin Festival. At the event, visitors will be able to look at the pumpkin prizes and take pictures with the growers. 10In the United States, pumpkins are popular throughout the autumn. 11During the U.S. holiday Halloween - on October 31 - many people decorate the orange gourds and turn them into "jack-o'-lanterns." A jack-o'-lantern is a pumpkin that has been carved, usually to show a frightening or funny face. 12Pumpkins are also a seasonal favorite for Americans to make pumpkin pie. This dessert food is traditionally eaten on Thanksgiving Day, which this year falls on November 23. 13I'm Bryan Lynn. 14The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. 15__________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17gourd - n. a large fruit with a hard shell 18decorate - v. to add something to an object or place, especially to make it more inviting 19carve - v. to make something by cutting into something 20dessert - n. a sweet food usually eaten at the end of a meal