Record breaking produce on day one

Todd Kline of Shawville, Quebec broke a site and Canadian record at Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, October 1 with his 1,877 pound pumpkin.

Megan Dunn, Saugeen Shores Hub

Two Canadian records were broken during the first day of Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, October 1. The two-day festival attracted giants as Quebec’s Todd Kline produced the biggest pumpkin Pumpkinfest had ever seen and created a new Canadian record with his 1,877 pounder. Kline, who is from Shawville, Quebec, has had the heaviest pumpkin at the Port Elgin festival three years in a row and also brought with him this year’s heaviest squash, weighing in at 1,117.5 pounds.

“I knew I had a outside shot but I really didn't think it would be enough,” said Kline after his record breaking win. He admitted that there is no secret to growing giants, “just a lot of work, good luck, and weather,” said the grower.

Kline is happy to make the trek from Quebec to Port Elgin and said that his pumpkin had a thick skin so he wasn't worried. When asked why he hadn’t travelled to a closer site, Kline admitted that Port Elgin Pumpkinfest is his favourite place to go. “It’s the biggest event in Canada. I’ve got lots of friends down here and we like to make a weekend of it - do the travelling, stay here for the weekend and have a party.”

Kline credits his success to living near a lake which helped him during the dry year which was experienced by all growers in the area. “I’m lucky that I live next to a lake so I'm able to pump water from the lake so that helps a lot,” said Kline. After Pumpkinfest weekend, Kline plans to bring his pumpkin back to Shawville where he will either donate it to a school or let it sit back in the patch and see if the phone rings, as Kline admits that sometimes you can sell the pumpkin and their seeds.

Not to be outdone, Port Carling’s Nathan Vetch brought a strong contender with him, a 12.2 pound cucumber which was a site record breaker as well as breaking the current Canadian record.

Records were broken all day long with Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Bill Walker breaking his 2015 seed spitting record of 29 feet, 6 inches, with a 30 foot distance during Pumpkinfest’s Celebrity Seed Spitting Contest. Saugeen Shores Councillor Dave Myette came in second with his projectile reaching 27 feet, 2 inches; while Brockton Deputy Mayor Dan Gieruszak came in third with 26 feet, 8 inches.

First-time grower Ryan Hicks, 27 from London, was interested in growing a pumpkin after researching online and was amazed that his pumpkin weighed 605.50 pounds. He was more surprised however, when long-time emcee Dave Middleton got him to participate in the special “Bum-Dance” in front of the large crowd that filled the Missionary Church in Port Elgin, officially welcoming him into the “Growers’ Club”.

“It wasn’t too bad, the Bum-Dance they called it,” said Hicks. “Once [Middleton] told me what I had to do, I'm like, ‘I’m not doing that’ and he’s like, ‘Yeah, you are’,” said Hicks following his performance.

Hicks said that he grew his first pumpkin with lots of water and lots of luck and brought it to Port Elgin because of the reputation of the long-standing festival. “I heard it was one of the biggest events in Ontario for vegetables so I figured I may as well bring mine here. So I will be here forever now. I’ll come every year now.”

As per tradition, the Chantry Singers opened the festival with a rendition of O’ Canada and announced that they’ve been invited to sing in Ottawa on the nation’s 150th birthday next July.

Following the Celebrity Seed Spitting Contest, long-time grower, Port Elgin’s Master Grower, Doug Court presented Jan Chamberlain and Rick Hunt, the mother and husband of the late Pumpkinfest Coordinator, Sally Hunt, with an honourary entry in the Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario (GVGO) Hall of Fame. Court said that normally this award is given to growers who are able to contribute in a non-profit way to the Giant Vegetable world.

“Sally knew all the genetics and could speak to all the world growers which helped Pumpkinfest here in Port Elgin grow considerably. Growers pick a site for many reasons and it’s not always the prize money; it’s how they're received and treated,” said Court of the Port Elgin festival, now in its 30th year.

Follow this link to view the current Pumpkinfest Leaderboard - www.pumpkinfest.org/giant-vegetables/leaderboard. And stay tuned to Saugeen Shores Hub for more Pumpkinfest coverage!

For a video a montage of this year's festival, see https://youtu.be/ejvlW1pXzYo.

Growers were quick to congratulate Kline on his wins in both the Giant Atlantic Pumpkin and Squash categories.

Dave Middleton showing novice grower Ryan Hicks of London the traditional Pumpkinfest “Bum-Dance”, October 1 at Port Elgin Pumpkinfest.

Nathan Veitch from Port Carling hoisted his record breaking cucumber into the air at Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, October 1. Veitch broke a site and Canadian record with his 12.2 pound cucumber.

Marvin Mitchel of Fenton, Michigan brought the biggest watermelon at 199.5 pounds, as well as a few impressive sunflowers and long gourds.

Master Grower Doug Court of Port Elgin presented former Pumpkinfest Coordinator, the late Sally Hunt’s mother, Jan Chamberlain and husband, Rick Hunt with a GVGO Hall of Fame award for her work and service.

After hours of talking, emcee Dave Middleton (left) got into some pumpkin wine that was created by grower, Dave McCallum (right).

The struggle was real for Port Elgin Deputy Mayor and Pumpkinfest volunteer, Luke Charbonneau as Todd Kline’s record-breaking pumpkin trapped the straps preventing its weight from being read. Charbonneau successfully pulled the strap free but had to do so with such force that he rolled backwards, his landing awarding him applause from the crowd.