With a little help from a forklift and a crane, some of the largest pumpkins and watermelons in the world were weighed in at the N.C. State Fair on Tuesday. Growers waited in anticipation to see if their giant would weigh more than the last. The winning entries will be on display in the Agri Supply Expo Center for fairgoers to see and photograph at the N.C. State Fair, Oct. 17-27.
Tuesday’s weigh-in included the special competition sanctioned by The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth and hosted by the N.C. State Fair. The competition is open to competitors from other states.
This year, two pumpkins weighed more than 2,000 pounds each, with the third-place finisher not far behind. Chris Rodebaugh of Lewisburg, WV, placed first with a 2,206.1-pound pumpkin – setting a state record for the largest pumpkin grown in West Virginia. Terry and Lois Nelson of Thomas, WV, came in a close second with their 2,197.8-pound pumpkin. Albert Rodebaugh II of Craigsville, WV, placed third with a 1,858.5-pound pumpkin.
In the separate North Carolina-only competition, the top NC-grown pumpkin weighed 824.2 pounds and was grown by Ernie Coley of Jefferson. Mark Rollins of Clyde also placed with his 515.4-pound pumpkin. Donald Murphy of Pink Hill brought the third-largest NC-grown pumpkin, weighing 332.1 pounds. Growers from North Carolina can enter both contests.
The watermelon competition also saw many impressive entries. Andrew Vial of Liberty took first place with a 258.6-pound watermelon. Chris Rodebaugh of Lewisburg, WV, placed second with his 242.6-pound watermelon. Third place went to Chris Kent of Sevierville, Tenn., with his 233.9-pound watermelon. This year’s watermelon competitions are sponsored by Agri Supply.
“We have some remarkable entries this year, despite the challenges farmers have faced in North Carolina and beyond,” said April Blazich, horticulture superintendent. “At times, it’s been too hot, too dry or too wet. But farmers in North Carolina are resilient and fairgoers won’t be disappointed with these entries.”
The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth is an international organization that promotes growing giant vegetables. The top three winners in pumpkins take home between $1.50 and $3 per pound. The top three winners in watermelons are awarded between $3 and $6 per pound.
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