The second grower to enter Sunday morning, John Guaydacan

Ron Hlavac of The Orange County Blacksmiths Guild takes a breather.

It wasn't hard, back-breaking work the whole time.

Pumpkinistas celebrate the spirit and fun of Pumpkinmania!

Akili Arnold

Brian Gould

Wendy Taylor

John Guaydacan

Martha Treadway

Linda Hales

Elenore Lepe

Chuck and Joan McClain

Christy Concan

Mark Imhoof

Stacey Taylor

Gary Williams & Family

Mayson Gilmore

Stuart Shim

Gracie Gilmore

Ken Smith

Allison Van Wingerden

Talia Van Wingerden

Mae Powell

Alfonso & Katharine Lepe

Walter Van Wingerden

Warner Prodan

Mike Gray

Carol Slagle

Michelle Lofthouse Recaptures The 2009 Pumpinmania!

Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest Crown with a 903 Pound Effort!

Good morning, Pumpkinistas!

The question on the minds of all the Pumpkinmania! grower/participants yesterday was: "Will Michelle Lofthouse be back in 2009?" The answer was a resounding yes, as Michelle Lofthouse regained the title of this year's Pumpkinmania! champion with a 903-pound effort! Carol Slagle with a 559 pounder, Mike Gray with a 517.5 pounder, Warner Prodan with a 419.5 pounder, and Walter Van Wingerden at 384.5 pounds rounded out the top five finishers.

Here are the results of the other prize categories:

Best Color: Gary Williams, 190 lbs., "Ginger"

Funniest Shape: Brian Gould, 45 lbs.

Ugliest Pumpkin: Akili Arnold, 17 lbs.

Best Shape: Mike Gray, 517.5 lbs.

Judges' Favorite: John Guaydacan, 77 lbs.

Most Experienced Grower: Mae Powell, 286.5 lbs.

Youngest Grower: Mayson Gilmore, 205.5 lbs.

Best Costume: Martha Treadway, 100.5 lbs.

The winning estimate for Guess The Weight of The Three Heaviest Pumpkins was 2,000 pounds, and the correct answer was 1.979 lbs.

The 2009 Pumkinmania! prizes and sponsors:

Gardner & Bloome of Kellogg Garden Products

First place Heaviest Pumpkin: $1,000.00

Second place Heaviest Pumpkin: $500.00

Third place Heaviest Pumpkin: $300.00

Best Color: $50.00 Gift certificate from Laguna Hills Nursery

Funniest Shape: $50.00 Gift certificate from Walter Andersen Nursery

Ugliest Pumpkin: $60.00 Gift certificate from Batavia Garden Nursery

Best Shape: $50.00 Gift certificate from Yamagami’s Nursery

Judges’ Favorite: $50.00 Gift certificate from Island View Nursery

Best Costume: $100.00 Gift certificate from Orange County Farm Supply

Most Experienced Grower: $25.00 Gift card from Starbucks, courtesy of The Epoch Times, and $25.00 Gift certificate from Cedros Gardens

Youngest Grower: $50.00 Gift certificate from Cedros Gardens

Winner of the Guess the Weight of the Three Largest Pumpkins:
$25.00 Gift certificate from Laguna Hills Nursery and $25.00 Gift certificate from Cedros Gardens

Prizes were also awarded in the following categories:

4th-12th Heaviest Pumpkins: 1 Quart Bottle of Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Blend Organic Fertilizer, 1 Heated Seedling Mat from HydroFarm

13th-20th Heaviest Pumpkins: 1 Watering Meter from HydroFarm

We would like to thank the following companies for their generous support and participation:

Gardner & Bloome of Kellogg Garden Products
Crainco Crane Services
Dr. Earth
Neptune’s Harvest
HydroFarm
HB-101

U-Haul
Roadkyll Apparel Graphics
Batavia Gardens
Cedros Gardens
Island View Nursery
Laguna Hills Nursery

Orange County Farm Supply
Walter Andersen Nursey
Yamagami’s Nursery
The Epoch Times

New Tang Dynasty Television
The Orange County Blacksmiths Guild
The Heritage Museum of Orange County

GardenLive Radio

The University of California Cooperative Extension Certified Master Gardeners

We would like to recognize and thank the following individuals for their strong backs, very generous help and participation:

Ty Hall

Brian Smith

Mark Imhoof

Brian Gould

Ron Sallinger

Casey T. Shim

Jessie Chen

Lauren Shim

Phil Concan

Christy Concan

Partrick Strock

Stanley Szymczyk

Jessie Chen

Casey N.E. Shim

Greg Thiel

Milo Shammas

Nobo Azuma

Ron Kanemoto

Carolyn Villa-Scott

Chris Roy

Mia McCarville

David Ross

Katie Sorensen

Ron Hamada

Gary Matsuoka

Sharon Asakawa

John Bagnasco

Adam England

Alice Su

Albert Roman

Sharon Stolen

1,725 Pound New World Record Set October 3, 2009!

Good evening, Pumpkinistas!

It was bound to happen sooner or later! Christy Harp, a teacher in Massilon, Ohio, set a new world record of 1,725 pounds last Saturday, October 3rd!

Joe Sabol was kind enough to e-mail me this link of the weigh-off and Ms. Harp's triumphant effort:

http://www.worldrecordsacademy.org/nature/largest_pumpkin-world_record_set_by_Christy_Harp_90368.htm

We'll see if her world record stands after October 25th!

Diana in Germany's Final Harvest 2009!

Good afternoon, Pumpkinistas!

I received these great and very colorful pictures Diana in Germany's 2009 harvest this morning! I am stunned by all of the different varieties of vegetables that Diana grew this season, and how beautiful they are.

Please enjoy them!

Rick Sacks' Daughter Ashley and Her Pumpkin!

Good afternoon, Pumpkinistas!

Well, not all was lost in the south... Rick Sacks' (who works for Kellogg Garden Products in the Ventura-Santa Barbara?Central Coast area) daughter Ashley grew the monster pictured above! I think I know who I'd recommend to be part of the Southern Rebels team next season...

Congratulations to Ashley!

Kellogg Garden Products' Lockeford, CA North Stars' Pumpkin!

Good afternoon, Pumpkinistas!

It appears we have a winner of the 2009 Kellogg Garden Products Company Giant Pumpkin Growing Competition: The Lockeford, CA North Stars successfully grew and harvested a giant pumpkin! (It could be a contender for Best Color at the Pumpkinmania weigh-off!) It is pictured above. Unfortunately, the Southern Rebels, of Kellogg's Ontario facility's pumpkin developed a soft spot that became a rotten spot, and that was it.

So, with their eyes already on the 2010 season, the Southern Rebels are planning their strategy.

The North Stars are using their time to savor their victory.

Congratulations!