ELISSA NADWORNY, HOST:
It's peak season for giant pumpkin growers. Right now, hundreds of them are competing to grow the biggest pumpkin, some weighing in at more than 2,000 pounds. From member station WBUR in Boston, Amanda Beland introduces us to two generations of growers in New England.
AMANDA BELAND, BYLINE: Each morning in the summer and early fall, you can find Steve Connolly in his yard, maneuvering around a giant network of plants.
STEVE CONNOLLY: It's kind of hallowed ground in here. These pumpkin plants are not used to having visitors.
BELAND: But these aren't just any pumpkins. These are giants. Connolly grows them competitively and has for decades. This morning, he's walking around the patch and inspecting his three pumpkins for damage that could disqualify them from competition.
CONNOLLY: It looks OK, and I always say that with caution because anything can go wrong. But it's in one piece right now, and that's a big deal for me.
BELAND: Connolly knows it's a balancing act. Give too much water or food, and the pumpkins could grow so fast, they split open, disqualifying them. Growers also have to worry about the weather, pests, soil quality and disease. The odds can be stacked against them each season. But it seems like the 70-year-old has cracked the code. He's won or placed in dozens of contests. He's even in the worldwide Hall of Fame for giant growers. Still, each growing season is stressful for the retired engineer.
CONNOLLY: I'm like an expectant parent, you know? It's like, ah. Everything that could go wrong is all I think about, and I try not to let that overwhelm me.
BELAND: Connolly's pumpkin is destined for the Topsfield Fair, known for its food, rides and animals. But for local growers, this Massachusetts fair is their Super Bowl. The best bring their giants to compete for the title and the prize money. A small audience trickles into the arena as the weigh-off begins. Forklifts arrange the roughly three dozen pumpkins that are competing this year. Alex Noel is one of the growers.
ALEX NOEL: I've loved pumpkins since I was born.
BELAND: He's grown pumpkins for most of his childhood. He stopped in college and got depressed, but didn't know why. Then he came back to pumpkins.
NOEL: And I threw a pumpkin seed in the ground again, and it's been an uphill trajectory since then, so I need to be growing them.
BELAND: Noel is now a rising star. He's won Topsfield two times and held the record for the largest pumpkin grown in his home state of Connecticut. When he first started growing, Noel says he learned a lot from local veteran grower Steve Connolly.
NOEL: You know, this is a friendly contest. Best grower wins. He taught me how to behave in the community.
BELAND: Connolly is a four-time Topsfield champion, including last year's competition. He was hoping for a repeat win. His pumpkin looked big and heavy in the patch, but a soil virus killed it just weeks before the fair. Still, Connolly is at the weigh-off to support his friends. This includes Noel, who has a real shot at the title. The arena is almost full now, as growers lock heavier and heavier weights. There's almost a silent anticipation as the first pumpkin weighs in at over 2,000 pounds. Alex Noel's pumpkin is up next.
UNIDENTIFIED ANNOUNCER: Alex, your pumpkin comes in today at 2,507 pounds.
BELAND: That's a new Topsfield Fair record. And with it, a win for Noel. His peers cheer him on as he accepts the title and his prize. He seems tired, and it's not just because it's been a long way off. Noel's a new first-time dad. His daughter Nova was born the day before the fair. He laughs as he thinks about what his Octobers will be like now.
NOEL: Now we have a birthday that conflicts with, you know, one of the most important days of my year, and now that's the other most important day of my year. So it's going to be a fun life, I guess. We're thrilled, you know?
BELAND: Noel says he can't wait to get Nova into the pumpkin patch as soon as she's ready.
For NPR News, I'm Amanda Beland in Topsfield. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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