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Mn

Alright pre weighers, let's talk biggest losers.

What has been your biggest weight loss on a pumpkin before weighing? We are driving 2150 miles at 70mph off the vine for 4 days. Granted we try to keep it wrapped but...

Would you say loss of A) 5 to 10lbs B)10 to 20 C) 20 to 30 D)30 to 40 E) more

9/5/2026 1:23:27 PM

Central NY

20 if she's wrapped in plastic...40 if not

9/5/2026 2:12:06 PM

Nova Scotia

Dad lost about 15 lbs back in 1976 driving to Circleville, Ohio. It was around 1,500 miles. Granted back then 336 lbs was huge which it weighed here. Oh no prize money either, they only paid for entries from within their county back then. Oh my how times have changed. Anyway I figure porkchop might be in the range? Good luck!

9/5/2026 2:38:09 PM

Nova Scotia

Well crap 50 years now!

9/5/2026 2:38:46 PM

Australia [email protected]

So does this mean fans going on your fruit whilst growing could affect weight gains

9/5/2026 3:53:53 PM

Grittyville, WA

If it's raining it might gain weight :)

9/5/2026 4:49:53 PM

Europe , slovenia

Holy crap, 2,150 miles?! I thought 132 km (82 miles) to my weigh-off was far!!
Id guess 20-30 lbs as im not experienced

[Last edit: 09/06/26 3:22:48 AM]

9/5/2026 5:58:05 PM

Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, Quebec, Canada

I have to do 250 km

9/5/2026 6:34:52 PM

Western NY

4 days off the vine you'll lose less than 10 pounds.

Wrapped and jugs? close to zero loss.

9/5/2026 9:02:10 PM

6 days off vine to half moon bay gained 3 lbs this was 16 years ago

9/5/2026 9:54:13 PM

Jericho Vermont

Leave plenty of vine and every 2 days cut off a 6-8 inch section. The cut vine starts to clog up but cutting it will get pumpkin drinking again.

9/6/2026 5:02:41 AM

Nova Scotia

Good points with the vines still attached and jugs of water the norm on road trips. Unheard of during the early years so another good example of many how things have progressed.

9/6/2026 7:40:28 AM

Connecticut, USA

When you cut the pumpkin and drive for days and the pumpkin gains weight, it is time for a new scale!

9/6/2026 11:33:40 AM

https://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=124173

i thought same ken soaked up thru skin heavy canteloping watered 2 comforters every 4 hours the vines dont soak up hardly any water

9/6/2026 11:47:32 AM

Plymouth, MN

Back in '20, I weighed the same fruit at River Prairie and Stillwater just to see how much difference there was. There was only 6-10 lbs of difference in a couple of weeks. Your kin is a bit bigger so may lose less, but I'd guess B.

9/6/2026 12:52:12 PM

canal winchester ohio

I remember the weighoff when Howard came to circleville. I was 11 and school would let out early the day of the weighoff and I'd go straight downtown to watch. And now 50 years later my buddy Darryl, myself and our sons are still strapping them in and taking the pumpkins to the scales.

[Last edit: 09/06/26 8:39:32 PM]

9/6/2026 8:34:46 PM

Nova Scotia

Interesting posts. And thanks for sharing huff that's cool. He went again in 1980 and took 2 orange AGs over 400 lbs. He left the second biggest one there, 414 lbs. I believe?

9/7/2026 8:14:27 AM

Colorado

5lbs if wrapped in wet blanket and covered by plastic along with vines in water. 30 o 60 lbs if uncovered.Theres no way a saine pumpkin competitor would willingly lose weight.

9/7/2026 1:52:41 PM

Bethlehem CT

Interesting what Don is saying, if you look at the photos, it looks like a completely different pumpkin! It went from a smoooth skin beauty to a cantalouped beast. Don said he put the pumpkin under soaking wet blankets. during his long trip.
I think it could be possible to gain weight and For me this was just confirmed in a different way. I hope that this analoogy makes sense to you guys, that it indeed couuld be possible to gain weight post harvest. Perhaps at the expense of looks!

Heres how it was confirmed to me; Earlier last week i had picked a box of tomatoes in a plastic box that didnt have any drainage. It rained on the box with the tomatoes in it. It left a layer of rainwater on the bottom. The tomatoes sat in the box with the water in the bottom for several days. When I went to take the tomatoes out. every tomato on the bottom had split, like they do in the field when they get a bunch of rain right before harvesting. Too me this proves that these tomatoes were taking on water the whole time they were sitting in it. Another example of this in action is this. Have you ever soaked radishes in water for a day or so before eating? It makes them super crisp and full of water, better for eating. Perhaps we should try soaking our pumpkins in blankets filled with water and perhaps pickling Lime? (look it up). This could open a new can of worms.

[Last edit: 09/08/26 8:22:48 AM]

9/8/2026 8:19:13 AM

Central NY

The ol "wixom soak" has made it to the pumpkin world...

9/8/2026 9:31:17 AM

Bethlehem CT

Did he soak his tomatoes?

9/8/2026 3:28:50 PM

Ma

Well if I get to that point, next year, the pumpkin is going in the deep end of the pool for the night. Keep you posted... :-/

9/8/2026 8:57:25 PM

Bethlehem CT

Lol

9/8/2026 9:16:34 PM

Washington State

vines in water jugs, check and refill daily. keep the blankets/cover damp and wet down often

9/8/2026 11:55:21 PM