WAUPUN, Wis. — One of the heaviest pumpkins in the world this year was grown in Fond Du Lac County. As of this article, Tom Montsma holds the title for heaviest pumpkin in the Badger State at 2,046 pounds.
Growing Giant Pumpkins
"Well, us giant pumpkin growers we got the label that we are kind of crazy," Montsma said.
He began growing the pumpkin in mid-April. Pollination occurred on June 21, and from that date on, the pumpkin grew 40 to 50 pounds a day until he reached his goal of growing a pumpkin weighing more than 2,000 pounds. It's currently on display at the Tom Dooley Apple Orchard in Waupun.
"To grow a 2,000 pound, you're probably going to be considered the top 15 to 20 to 30 pumpkins in the world," he said.
Before 2015, a Wisconsin farmer had never grown a 2,000-pound gourd, according to the Wisconsin Giant Pumpkin Growers. Now, that is the number you have to reach if you want to be considered elite. The world record is 2,702 pounds set in 2021.
However, Montsma doesn't do it for the records or because he is competitive. It's all about fun. While reporting on this story, I talked with multiple people who thought the pumpkin was fake. He is creating something that people don't believe is even possible. He also mentioned that when he drives with it, people always take out their phones to snap photos, children press their faces up against windows, and truckers honk their horns as they pass by.
He also does it simply because he has a green thumb and loves to work with his hands.
"I'm a very avid gardener. Gardening has been part of my life since I’ve been knee-high to a grasshopper. I mean it's just been part of my life, you know."
So What Happens Next
The seeds he uses aren't just standard seeds you get from your ordinary pumpkin patch. They are specifically designed to grow large. In fact, genetics are closely monitored just like they are in raising cattle. This is why Montsma got his seeds from his neighbor, Mike Schmit, who grew a 2,520-pound pumpkin last year. It was the unofficial largest in the country. However, a crack appeared in the pumpkin and disqualified it from competition.
Montsma will harvest his seeds for use next year and then auction some of them off. Those will probably sell for around $50 to $100. Then the gourd will go back to his backyard and decompose.
These giant pumpkins aren't that fit for eating, so Montsma won't be making dozens of pumpkin pies. These aren't the tastiest of gourds and they are often pumped with other nutrients to help them grow.
In some cases, the fate of a giant pumpkin is to be blown up, dropped from a crane, used as target practice, or even used as a jack-o-lantern.
