Pumpkin-growing competition participant in B.C. grows 620-lb. entry

Dave Kyle is feeling pretty confident about his pumpkin-farming skills these days. 

"You have to pay attention to what's happening in the pumpkin's world," said Kyle. 

The Abbotsford, B.C. farmer and his partner started growing his entry for the Canadian Compost Council's pumpkin-growing competition early this spring. The official weigh-in was Friday at noon. 

"We didn't even pick it this morning because we figured it would grow another five to 10 pounds overnight," he said. 

Last year's winner was about 400 pounds. The beast Kyle grew this year is 620 pounds. Even the runts he grew were in the 300 to 400 pound range. 

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All competition participants received two seeds from the same pumpkin, to keep the competition fair. And they all had to abide by the rules: no artificial fertilizers or other inorganic elements. The rest is up to them.  

This is the sixth year Kyle has entered the competition, and he said growing such a colossal vegetable is no easy feat. 

But he said he learns a little bit more each year — how to prune them, choose the right one to go with, and how much to water them. 

Heat, compost weigh in for success

Kyle also credits the province's hottest summer on record for his fortunes.

"Ontario usually has the best pumpkins because of the heat. This year though, the heat in B.C. was terrific," he said. 

There's also the compost factor. This was the third year Kyle partnered with Mateo Ocejo, the owner of composting company Net Zero Waste Abbotsford.

Besides household food waste, Ocejo partners with local farmers like Kyle to collect lightly-damaged vegetables grown in the Fraser Valley to produce his organic compost.

"That excess of nutrient-rich produce that comes to us makes our soil that much richer," said Ocejo. 

Official results on Monday

The official results will be in on Monday. With the potential win comes a sizable prize. 

"Bragging rights and a $500 donation to a charity of our choice," said Kyle. "And it would mean to us that next year, we can do 800 pounds." 

As for what he's going to do with pumpkin when the competition is over, he's not sure yet. He's had offers to buy the seeds from his likely award-winning squash. 

Or he could carve it for Halloween, but he figures he would need a chainsaw for that.