Giant Pumpkin's Grand Finale

Do people wonder what happens to my son's huge pumpkin after the initial fanfare?

The answer is that the fun of being the proud owner of a 700+ pound pumpkin continues after the official weigh-in. If you haven't already read about the weigh-in story you can read it here to see what all the excitement is about.

Now that my son, Andrew, has his winning ribbon and cash in his pocket, he drives his pumpkin around the streets of Arvada, Colorado, delighting on-lookers. It's quite a sight to see a huge pumpkin hanging over the back bed of a pick up truck. It's worth a double take.
People always ask me about making pumpkin pies out of this monstrous pumpkin, especially since Thanksgiving is not far away from the weigh-in. I think pumpkin pie enthusiasts are dreaming of dozens of pies lined up on their kitchen counters. It could be done but the meat from these huge pumpkins doesn't have much flavor. Lots of spices would be needed to make a tasty pie. Andrew's wife, Sarah, and I never took this prospect on and this year Sarah bought our pies already baked. So much easier. I approve, especially after all the effort it took to grow the tasteless pumpkin in the first place!

After the pumpkin's parade of glory it's time to make it's celebrated appearance. This year it was displayed at the Campbell Elementary School Carnival. Getting it delivered to the school grounds was no easy task. It was thanks to our local Home Depot Arvada #1502 who sent an extendable forklift  to unload and place the pumpkin in front of the school. It made a wonderful photo opportunity for the school children and families. Climbing on top of a huge pumpkin was a unique experience for one and all. A few people didn't even realize at first that it was a real pumpkin. It's hard to believe a pumpkin can grow so large. Once it's identity is verified, it's popularity sky rockets. Below is the proud pumpkin-owning family at the carnival, Andrew, Sarah, Mackayla and Andy. I was so impressed with the help from Home Depot as they returned at the end of the carnival to load that heavy pumpkin back on my son's truck. That is real community help and support.

Once the over-size pumpkin has been cut from the stem and weighed, it can last about 2 months without refrigeration or 6 months in a refrigerator before it starts to disintegrate. Not having that  much space, though, it's just easier to deal with it in other ways. Some years the pumpkin has been cut up and mulched. This year as it graced our son's front yard, and Halloween was fast approaching, he decided to carve it for the delight of his children. Below you can see our almost 3 year old grandson standing next to their creepy creation.  What a fun family I have. I never know what my kids will be up to next. Keep tuned and I'll let you know what that might be!