9 hours worth of driving, 780km’s of road traveled today and myself, Tim and Tim’s son Alex went and checked out what was happening down in Marton at the Rangitikei District Monitor annual giant pumpkin competition.
The weigh in usually occurs at the Marton Harvest festival which is on tomorrow, but the weigh in was on today for a change, and we had heard big things about a young grower by the name of Aaron. He had a giant pumpkin and it was a bit ugly.
3 pumpkins turned up for the weigh in, with more expected tomorrow for the other classes. With a possible bit of confusion thrown in the mix.
New NZ record
We made it in time to see Aarons pumpkin being weighed in at Gallaghers in Marton on their industrial sized scales, with a new NZ record weighing pumpkin coming in at 732.5 kg’s

Aaron’s 732.5kg pumpkin.
2nd place went to Aarons dad Stephen with a 464kg pumpkin

464kg 2nd place pumpkin
3rd place went to Tash with a 34.6kg Pumpkin
- Getting the pumpkin onto the scales.
- It grew on it’s stem
- Makes a great seat
- Me posing with the pumpkin
- Time to get to the park
- Another shot with the pumpkin
- Prize giving, Stephen who came 2nd
- Aarons 1st prize
- Aaron helping out
- Tash with her 3rd place
- Future pumpkin grower
After the weigh in we were invited by Aaron to check out his pumpkin patch and have some lunch.
- Aarons patch
- Vines everywhere
- The pumpkins resting spot
- Awesome root from the leaf node
- Spot the giant watermelon
- Massive stem
- The watering system
- One of last years old patches down the hill
- Checking out seeds
- Cake to celebrate
Awesome day, big thanks to Aaron and his great family for all the hospitality they showed us today, I’m super tired right now and better sleep.