Community

King Pumpkin tips the scale to victory

BARNESVILLE - A new King Pumpkin was named at the 62nd-annual Barnesville Pumpkin Festival on Wednesday evening.

Huntsburg, Ohio, resident Jerry Rose took home the grand prize with a 1,837-pound pumpkin.

Rose said that he has been growing pumpkins for 47 years.

"We start growing them in the beginning of mid-April. We put them outside at the end of April, beginning of May, and there's a lot of babying, fertilizing, watering, and just meticulous care throughout the summer," Rose said. "I've won twice before in '93 and '94, so over 30 years ago. And then I’ve been off and on coming here and placing throughout the years. Last year I took third."

He then joked that if he knew he was going to win, he might not have come because he doesn't like being interviewed.

Rose said that what makes him keep coming back to the Pumpkin Festival is because he enjoys the festival and Barnesville as a whole.

"It’s a neat little, small hometown festival. We have one in my hometown, that’s what got me growing. It’s kind of similar to this," Rose said. "I started coming here back in the 90s, and I love coming to these little hometown festivals."

He added that he likes coming to small town festivals because he believes it helps generate funds for the town.

"I’m sure just like our hometown festival it helps raise funds for the local community," Rose said.

He added that another reason he loves participating in the annual weigh off is because of his deep love for gardening.

"I just love gardening in general, watching things that can grow 50 pounds a day and to just be able to watch something grow that fast is amazing," Rose said. "I’ve always been interested in big things. Always back in school, I had the jacked-up trucks, and just everything had to be big."

Weigh Master Dean Wehr said that this year's weigh-off saw 30 contestants battle it out for the glory.

He added that he was pleasantly surprised that the contest had as many contestants as it did due to the poor weather this year.

This year saw all 30 contestants’ pumpkins being orange, which Wehr said was different from previous years.

"It was nice that all of our pumpkins this year are orange, and that’s different but a good thing for the fall season," Wehr said.

He added that each year just keeps getting better than the previous.

"62 years we’ve been doing this, and it just keeps getting larger every year. More people are stepping up to sponsor things, which is a great help," Wehr said. "It’s just a highlight of our community. It’s a highlight of my year for sure."

In addition to the glory, Rose also received a $3,674 check.

Second place recipient Adam Momivov of East Canton, Ohio, had a pumpkin weighing 1,830 which won $2,000. Third place finisher Lance Croyle of Portersville, Ohio's pumpkin weighed 1,756 and won $1,250.

The Pumpkin festival will continue throughout the weekend with an opening ceremony taking place at 5 p.m.