GAPSTED farmer Royce Sample hails from the land of the pumpkin pie, but the American expatriate is not a big fan of the orange Halloween symbol.
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“To me pumpkin pie is what the Yankees eat,” the son of Oklahoma said.
“We used to grow squash and gourds where I came from — pumpkin was something from north of the Mason-Dixon line.”
Nevertheless, Mr Sample has been enticed to enter the second annual giant pumpkin competition at Murmungee tomorrow.
Mr Sample sought out Australian and Spanish pumpkin varieties and, after a hot summer, he has been left with a heavyweight contender.
“I haven’t weighed him and it’s not as big as last year’s winner (112 kilograms) but given the conditions were tough over summer, he could sneak over the line,” Mr Sample said. “He’s probably more than 60 kilograms.”
The vegetables will go on show tomorrow from 10am at Bowmans Murmungee Hall as part of the Giant Pumpkin Competition and Harvest Festival.
A pretty pumpkin contest will also be held.