Locals go big, very big, with pumpkin
It’s the great, great, big pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
Rod Schmidt and Gavin Munci have gone big this year, growing a pumpkin that tips the scales at 449 pounds. That far outweighs last year’s efforts when they grew one that topped out at a paltry 79 pounds.
Schmidt says this year’s giant gourd, grown about seven miles down the No. 3, actually could have been bigger with a little help form Mother Nature.
“It could have been bigger if the plant wasn’t getting beat up by the wind,” he said. “We were learning as we go and didn’t expect it to get this big.” How’d that happen? “Just a matter of taking care of it and watering the heck out of it,” Schmidt said.
The growing finished, the pumpkin was donated to Alexandra Middle School for its We Scare Hunger initiative. The school is having a competition among classes to donate items to the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank.
The school has decorated the pumpkin and it is prominently displayed in the school.
“We have this instead of posters to draw awareness, trying to get better word of mouth,” said teacher Jaime Hamilton.
When the school is finished with it, Schmidt wants the seeds back to get started on hopefully growing a bigger pumpkin next year.
He has but one regret about this year. He’s kicking himself for not taking a picture with the pumpkin before donating it. “I really wish I’d done that,” he said with a laugh.