Travis Geinger of Minnesota has just smashed the world pumpkin record. This weighs in at 2749 lbs
Let us put this into context.. My squash, bought in the village shop a couple of days ago weighs 2.4lb. The one Travis grew is over 1000 times heavier! If 7 year old Rosie, and her classmates- and the other Year 3 class from her school got together, they would weigh about the same as the pumpkin.
Travis won last year [that one was a mere 2560 lns] He says he spent $15,000 on the growing and feeding of the 2023 pumpkin - but he wins $30,000 so I guess he is happy. Nick Kennedy, who came second gets a mere $3000. The organisers had to buy a new industrial scale this year, which could weigh up to 5 tons, as their previous equipment could not handle the Geinger monstrosity
But what on earth do they do with them afterwards? You can't cut them up for soup can you? [This is even worse than the UK marrow problem discussed previously] Gary Miller, who came 9th, and won $1000, says his is a 'Cinderella Pumpkin', which could be carved out for her golden coach!
I love the name calabash*. It's also called the Bottle Gourd, because once dried out, it can be used in dozens of ways - hollowed out as a bottle, or fishing float, or musical instrument. It can be carved into utensils and plates, and has hundreds of uses.
Do you have any calabash products? [Kezzie, what about the instruments?]
And do you mark your stitches with these cute pins?
*The English word calabash comes from Middle French
calebasse, which in turn derived from Spanish calabaza meaning gourd or pumpkin.
It is either loaned from Arabic قَرْعَةٌ يَابِسَةٌ (qarʕatun yābisatun, “dry
gourd”) or directly from its etymon Persian خربزه (xarboze, “melon”).
I use these little pins all the time in my knitting.
ReplyDeleteMarking decreases/increases in a sleeve and then transferring them to the second sleeve as I knit to ensure they match. Anything that requires row counts I mark every ten or twenty with one.
No home is complete without them it seems as they pop up in all sorts of random places when I thought them lost!
The pins are so light and small they do end up in strange locations as you say!
DeleteThey could make a record breaking pumpkin pie with that huge pumpkin! Maybe they'll make the world's biggest Jack-o-lantern with it!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any calabash products. I do have some round stitch markers which I rarely use (they are the kind that have to be placed on the knitting needles); occasionally, I will use some safety pins, which work just as well.
😀 👍
DeleteKezzie sent me this comment via WhatsApp- from her school commute this morning
ReplyDelete"I have 3 cabasas/ afuches/ shekeles/ calabashes made from small bottle gourds at school. Mum has a large one at home which is beautiful. The traditional Balafon uses gourds as resonators under the wooden keys. I do not own one, but I do teach my year 4 children about them.
Thank you Kezzie - a lovely reply with lots of names for these gourd-based instruments!
I cant imagine that the pumpkins would be edible, but if they were they could be used to feed hundreds of hungry people with soup, surely?
ReplyDeleteIt would be a good use for the pumpkins wouldn't it?
DeleteWe have a hollowed out gourd plucking instrument, about 12 inches long, which feels and looks and sounds beautiful. I had forgotten the proper name so thank you for reminding me. I bought it for my son when he was about 10 yo and he then went on to learn the violin and he still plays the guitar and ukulele! Not a fan of pumpkin growing competitions. I harvested nine Uchiki Kuri squashes this year which go from sowing seed in mid-May to harvesting and curing throughout September. We have eaten three already but they will keep in a cool place until February. One year at the allotment I grew 36 different squashes and we ate them all. I have almost as many delicious ways with squash as I do courgettes. Butternut squashes are not very flavoursome and in my experience take ages to get going so I no longer grow them. My favourite ever squash to eat is Delicata and I must try and order seed as it’s not widely available. Re: Cinderella, why would you choose a life partner based on the size of their feet! Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteWow, perhaps I should try growing some of these cool sounding squashes next year
DeleteAren't words fascinating? My son who is a musician has a Shekere I think it's called that, a percussion instrument from the Yoruba people which is a gourd covered by a net of cowrie shells and when shaken makes a nice rattling sound. He uses it sometimes but mostly just likes it as an ornament. What a shame if that giant squash goes to waste. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteYes, I love all these names
DeleteI’m not a fan of the giant veg competitions as I don’t think food should be wasted. It’s ridiculous that money was spent when it could have bought food without all the nonsense involved. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI too abhor food waste. I do hope they find a use for them afterwards
DeleteA Blueberry farm/gift outlet/seasonal event establishment in our area used to have an annual pumpkin boat race, and no kidding, people would actually sit in giant pumpkins on water and paddle them! I don't think they are doing it now. We never did get to see them and the place is over an hour away. So much for my bucket (pumpkin?) list!
ReplyDeleteI DO like blueberries!
DeleteHope these is something usedful that fan be done with those immense pumpkins!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Me too.
DeleteP.S. I love the sound of the Kora! It is so distinctive! Kx
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteThose big squash can be fed to livestock. Many people get pleasure from the growing of giant squash as I did from reading your post. My son grew a 100# pumpkin and won first prize at a fair when he was a boy. Happy times; and we cooked the pumpkin and ate it all.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Rita- I feel so much better now I know they are not just left to rot!! And how proud you must have been of your son's achievement - I'm sure you enjoyed eating the fruits of his labours!!
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