European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Big pumpkin growers not out of their Gourd ave Barryte Miami Herald halloween is Here and when we think of halloween we think of pumpkins which arc big vegetables. When we think of big vegetables we must As responsible citizens resist the childish temptation to make gratuitous references to the vice president. Instead let s focus our attention the world pumpkin confederation. This is a real organization that i found out about when Alert rentier Paula inter sent me a letter slating that her husband had become obsessed with growing enormous pumpkin their Back Yard. Quot i should have had a due Quot she writes a when the pumpkin began to dominate conversations with friends and family a Pri end How arc you a a husband Well its two pounds heavier today Quot or end of Pooh Kay exec Quot Paula adds a there is a dub where seemingly Normal people get together and weigh their giant vegetables. We Are now members. He sent Money Tor this dub turns out to be the world pumpkin confederation. Paula sent me a Wpc newsletter and it is the finest publication i have Ever seen that is devoted to the topic of growing enormous pumpkins. It has for example a detailed article entitled a pc utilizing with Bat but the most impressive part is the photographs Page after Page of people standing proudly next to pumpkins that arc significantly larger than Charles Kuralt. I called the world pumpkin confederation founder and president Ray Waterman of ,., he told me the Wpc has 2,000 members from 30 nations. A basically a he said a a we re this to grow the largest possible Ray Waterman has grown a pumpkin weighing More than 600 pounds. The world record is More than 800 pounds. But that a not Good enough for the growers of the Wpc. Their goal a their quest their obsession their mount Everest a is the 1,000-Pound pumpkin. A a we la do it by the turn of the Century Quot Stales Waterman with quiet Confidence. Each year the Wpc sponsors annual weigh off featuring Cash prizes at official Sites around the world. Each year the winning weights creep closer to the big Mother pumpkin. Whoever finally grows it will be quite simply a legend. When the emotional stakes arc this High you inevitably have conflict. There was for example the incident at the 1989 Wpc All new England weigh off held Tapsfield mass. According to the Wpc newsletter the weigh off went normally until the arrival of Robert Gancarz a new Jersey resident who at the time just happened to be the defending world record Holder he trucked a pumpkin weighing 619.5 pounds a the heaviest at Topsfield. But some other competitors objecting to a a outsiders competing threatened to walk out. With trouble brewing and the press the scene the local Wpc official asked Gancarz to withdraw his pumpkin Effort As the newsletter puts it Quot to defuse inflammatory situation and to Stem possible International embarrassment for the Gancarz did withdraw his pumpkin even though under Wpc rules he was allowed to compete wherever he chose. This incident outraged Waterman who declared Gancarz the Topsfield Winner. Waterman still sounded ticked off when i asked him about this. A those people new England arc fruity Quot he said. Quot they bounced out the world record Holder Quot you see the craziest things flying these Days Quot no k 11 i inbox six unusual fears 1. Fear of thinking a Phroney phobia 2. Fear of slime a Blenn phobia 3. Fear of flutes a aul phobia 4. Fear of string a Linon phobia 5. Fear of flavors a Geum phobia 6. Fear of crows a names of animal stars 1. Flipper a real name was Suzy 2. Or. Eds Bamboo Harvester 3. Toto a Terry 4. Asta a Skippy 5. Trigger a Golden Cloud 6. Morris the cat a Lucky source world features Syndicate they re put of the world pumpkin confederation. If you done to have anymore brain cells than that you done to belong a world Waterman also has Strong views other topics including the Sloppy Way some organizations establish a world records Quot the vegetable areas. Quot the guinness Book of world records a he snorts a is listing a 66-Pound Cucumber that a actually a Blunt words yes. But sometimes Blunt words Are needed. a world of mealy mouthed Bumbiers Ray Waterman a voice rings out loud and Clear sounding the charge As the Wpc socks to go where no Gardener had gone before. You can become part of this by sending $15 to the world pumpkin confederation 14050 Gowanda state rd., collins.y. 14034. The newsletter alone is Worth it you can also buy official to shirts Caps Etc. And who knows you might even grow actual pumpkin. A even if you Don t have much space a Waterman notes a you can compete the Long Gourd Waterman has the world record Here with a Gourd measuring 8 feet 3 inches. To give you a totally no gratuitous idea of How Long that is if you were to Lay such a Gourd next to the vice president you would have a very Strong ticket for 1996.Page 24 a sunday october 27, 1991
