When Trevor Halliday gets home after a work day, he goes out to the garden to see his giant pumpkin – even before he says hi to his wife Joanne.
At least that's how Pascale Shaw tells it.
Shaw might have sour grapes, however, because her 100-pound pumpkin took second place to Halliday's 110-pound entry in the first Whonnock Giant Pumpkin contest. That was six years ago, and Halliday has won the contest every year since, with each entry more huge than the last.
The path to a giant pumpkin growing championship in Whonnock goes through his pumpkin patch, which now spawns behemoths that tip the scales at more than 1,000 pounds. His winning entry last year was 1,024 pounds, and the second place winner was 412.
He can practically watch his pumpkins growing, while Joanne watches Survivor.
Trevor now enters contests in the U.S., where there are next-level pumpkin growing competitions.
Shaw and Joanne organize the annual contest, and they do their best to keep it fun, even for those who may feel they don't have a chance against Trevor.
However, Shaw noted the champ is generous with tips and advice, and even shares the seeds from his winning pumpkins with those who would steal his title. In fact, most of the entries this year will be descendants of last year's gargantuan gourd. Hundreds of seeds have been passed out in the city.
The contest is open to anyone in the Maple Ridge or the Stave Falls area, and the free event is coming up on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., at Whonnock Lake. Pumpkin check-in will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
There are categories based on weight, biggest zucchini, crowd favourite, coolest gourd, and even a "survivor" category.
The latter is an interesting class, because not every pumpkin makes it. Some are eaten by slugs as seedlings, others survive long enough to make a meal for a goat, and the odd one has fallen victim of a bear attack. Some of those survive to get entered in the contest.
The survivor stories are fun, said Shaw.
The whole day is fun. Shaw urges people to arrive by 1 p.m., so they can get a coffee or hot chocolate, cookies or cupcakes from Hansel and Gretel Bakery, take some photos, and try to guess the weight of the entries for prizes.
By approximately 1:45 p.m., the weighing will begin, so people arriving at that time may not be able to enter their guesses.
Shaw said there are always a lot of laughs, in an event that promotes a closer community, and agriculture.
The organizers are looking for volunteers for the day, and for donations of locally grown or made items for prizes and gift baskets.
For more information, see Whonnock Giant Pumpkin Contest on Facebook.
