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    "headline": "Rhode Island grower’s 3,156lb pumpkin is the first on record to top 3,000lb",
    "description": "Ron Wallace, who grew the first one-ton pumpkin in 2012, weighed the giant in Warren on 10 October. It would beat the 2,749lb world record by 407lb once inspection is complete.",
    "datePublished": "2026-10-13T12:12:00+01:00",
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    "articleSection": "Lifestyle",
    "keywords": "Autumn, Gardening, giant pumpkin, Rhode Island, world record",
    "articleBody": "A pumpkin grown by Ron Wallace of Coventry, Rhode Island, weighed 3,156lb (about 1,432kg) at the Frerichs Farm weigh-off in Warren, Rhode Island, on 10 October 2026. It is the first pumpkin on record to pass 3,000lb, and it is now being inspected for recognition as a world record. If it is certified, it will beat the current Guinness World Records mark of 2,749lb (about 1,247kg), set by Minnesota horticulture teacher Travis Gienger at the Half Moon Bay weigh-off in California in October 2023. That is a jump of 407lb, close to 15%, in a hobby where records usually move in much smaller steps. Why it is not official yet A number on a scale is only the first step. Competitive weigh-offs require a giant pumpkin to pass an inspection before a weight counts towards a record: judges check for holes, rot or cracks that reach the cavity, because a damaged pumpkin can hold water or lose structure, and either would make the weight meaningless. Only once the inspection is signed off does the weight go forward for ratification. That is why the 3,156lb figure is being described as a potential record for now. The weigh-off result stands; the world record status follows if the fruit clears inspection. Wallace has done this before This is not Wallace’s first milestone. In September 2012, he brought a 2,009lb pumpkin to the Topsfield Fair in Massachusetts, the first pumpkin ever to top one US ton (2,000lb). It won him a $15,500 prize and the world record at the time. In the 14 years between his two milestones, the top weight has risen by more than half. Growers credit genetics more than anything. Nearly every competition pumpkin descends from the Atlantic Giant variety developed by Nova Scotia breeder Howard Dill, and serious growers cross seeds from the heaviest fruit each season, so the best lines keep getting bigger. What it means for a home grower The practical answer is that a record pumpkin is a full-season, full-time project. Competition fruit grows on a single vine given a large patch of ground to itself, with careful watering and feeding. At their peak, giant pumpkins can put on a remarkable amount of weight in a single day, which is why growers watch for splits every morning. A realistic starting point for a first-time grower is an Atlantic Giant seed, a sunny plot with rich soil and room for one plant, and a goal of a few hundred pounds. That is still big enough to need several people, or a tarp and a borrowed trailer, to move it. For spectators, autumn is weigh-off season across North America. Many local events are free or low-cost to attend, and the biggest fruit usually end up on display at farm stands and harvest festivals through Halloween. The next number to watch is the inspection result on Wallace’s 3,156lb pumpkin. Once it is signed off, the heaviest-pumpkin record will sit above 3,000lb for the first time. Further reading Wikipedia: Giant pumpkin Wikipedia: Howard Dill Image: Nick Ares, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by our Editorial Desk. How we work.",
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