A California Engineer Grows a Record-Setting Giant Pumpkin
A gardening enthusiast from California has successfully cultivated a massive jack-o-lantern gourd, tipping the scales at 2,346 pounds (1,064 kilograms), and clinching the top prize in Northern California’s annual pumpkin weighing competition.
Brandon Dawson, hailing from Santa Rosa, took home the championship title at the 52nd World Championship Pumpkin Weighing event held in Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco.
Upon being declared the winner, Dawson couldn’t contain his excitement. He raised his arms in triumph and had his two children pose atop his enormous pumpkin, which weighs nearly as much as a small sedan or a large bison.
“I can’t believe it. My heart is racing because I was so close last year, losing by just 6 pounds,” he shared during an interview.
Dawson works as a manufacturing engineer for Rivian Automotive, the electric vehicle company. He has been growing giant pumpkins for about five years now, and he credits his professional skills for helping him provide the ideal amount of water and sunlight for these massive gourds.
He enjoys getting his kids involved in the experience. “We really like spending time in the fields and watching them grow,” he mentioned, referring to his 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.
His 4-year-old son is starting to grasp the growing process, especially as he learns that these pumpkins can add 50 to 70 pounds (23 to 32 kilograms) daily.
The giant pumpkin earned Dawson a $20,000 prize for being the largest at the contest.
Last year, his pumpkins finished as runners-up in the same competition, which was won by Minnesota’s gardening teacher, Travis Zinger, with a pumpkin weighing 2,471 pounds.
Zinger, from Anoka, Minnesota, previously set a world record in the 2023 Heaviest Pumpkin Contest with a gourd that weighed a staggering 2,749 pounds (1,247 kilograms). However, Zinger’s pumpkin suffered damage earlier this season, preventing it from competing this year.
Earlier this month, two brothers from Britain broke Zinger’s record with their own pumpkin, which weighed in at 2,819 pounds (1,278 kg).
