Come on a tour of the Pumpkin Patch

Doug Court and Chris Lyons (right) walk through Court’s gourd arbour during the Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario Pumpkin Patch Tour, August 13.

Hub Staff

Members of the Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario (GVGO) explored what’s been growing in Bruce County during a Pumpkin Patch Tour that took place on a soggy, wet day, August 13. The tour began in Tiverton at Bob and Elaine Mackenzie’s patch, followed by Port Elgin Pumpkinfest 2015 Master Grower Doug Court’s field. The Marshall patch in Southampton soon followed as did patches in Walkerton and Hanover.

The ongoing rain pleased the growers who were prepared with rubber boots and umbrellas, as many could count the amount of quality rainfalls they had seen this season on one hand.

At the second stop on the tour, Doug and Louise Court’s property, the crowd took short solace from the rain in Court’s barn that is outfitted in Mohawk of the Bay of Quinte artwork that has been created by Court to celebrate his Mohawk heritage.

To begin the giant vegetable tour everyone passed through a picturesque 13 foot tall gourd arbour, then onto Court’s tomatoes plants. Court won heaviest tomatoes at Pumpkinfest 2015 with a 5.07 pound tomato. Chris Lyons, who was a part of the tour, came in second with a tomato that weighted 4.62 pounds.

Next Court showcased his Giant Atlantic Pumpkin and Squash and Field Pumpkins that still have a few more weeks to grow, before their big day. Upon going to the final stop where his watermelons were growing, Court spoke to the group about the challenges of this year, mainly the lack of rain that he said humorously was in no short supply during the tour. Many had been seeing the same challenges, but all agreed that Court has been putting a lot of effort into his growing.

“I’d say the growing is average,” said Court. “The struggle has been the moisture levels are down. When they’re supposed to be growing at 20 pounds per night, they're growing at 10 pounds per night; and if you had extra moisture, like now, they can grow up to 30 to 40 pounds a night,” Court said August 13.

Doug and Louise Court received second and third place for their watermelons at Pumpkinfest in 2015. Doug’s melon weighed 99.92 pounds while Louise’s weighed in at 92.81 pounds. Court admitted that because of the lack of moisture their current watermelons are struggling. “They should grow on average 3 to 4 pounds per night and they're growing about a pound a night. Same with the the gourd, they are growing to 2 feet and then dying off.”

Court admitted that at this time in 2015 he was ahead but believed that his plants could catch up. “Having said that, some of my plants are really healthy and long range for August looks promising. So, who knows? I could catch up to last year. Every day is a different day.”

Many members of the GVGO, a non-profit organization dedicated to the growing of giant vegetables for the purpose of competition, display, and sales; will showcase their giant produce at Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, now in its 30th year. Pumpkinfest takes place on October 1 and 2 in its new downtown Port Elgin location. The vegetable weigh-off will take place inside the Missionary Church.

Court, who is also on the Pumpkinfest Board, said that the prize money for giant winners is catching up to the amount that is given out at Pumpkinfest. Prize money for top three pumpkins is $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third. And new weigh-offs are taking place throughout Southern Ontario. He also thinks that the new downtown location will be a draw.

The Court’s Tomato Plants.