Rhode Island man grows record-breaking, 2,200-pound pumpkin
WARREN, R.I. (WPRI) – The largest pumpkin ever grown in North America topped the scales at more then 2,200 pounds – and was cultivated by a man in Coventry.
Frerichs Farm in Warren is an international weigh station, and Ron Wallace’s pumpkin was deemed the second largest gourd of it’s kind in all of the world.
“I knew that we had something special and it was just a huge mountain of pumpkin flesh,” said David Frerich of Frerichs Farm.
Wallace won $3,500 in cash on Saturday for his pumpkin, which weighed 2,232 pounds.
Visitors who missed the competition stopped by the farm Monday to see other large pumpkins.
“We have a huge pumpkin celebration in Ohio in Circleville and I wanted to see what you had compared to what we had and yours is bigger. I think yours is bigger. You won!” said Lynn Regenhold.
“It’s a Rhode Island record from the smallest town in the smallest county in the smallest state. So it makes me triply proud of what’s happened,” Frerich said.
Wallace’s pumpkin will go on display at the New York Botanical Garden.
Farmers say growing pumpkins can be a great source of income, because a single pumpkin seed can go for up to $700.