Giant Pumpkin Contest

The Woodpile has been closely following the efforts to promote climate resiliency. In the past decades we have become dependent on a mono-culture (i.e. sunflower seeds). Our forecritters used to harvest a wider range of seeds and nuts. Although sunflowers can grow just about anywhere and under harsh conditions, it would only take a sunflower disease to wipe out our food supply.

We sometimes plant other seed producing plants like squash and pumpkins but they tend to be small and don’t produce a ton of seeds. We thought we would have a contest to find the biggest pumpkins and squashes and then use those seeds to plant next year’s crops and thus improve the yield of seeds.

I called the humans who run the Topsfield Fair and they were all excited about opening up a critter exhibit hall. They even offered to find us a load of wood to build our own Woodpile hall. I will have more on that aspect next week. Word spread through the paw network about the contest. We got calls from as far away as Canada.

The Woodpile’s very own Tomato Bob was chosen to represent the Woodpile in the contest. He managed to grow three huge pumpkins in his patch. Everyone was sure he would win the contest. Once all the excitement died down, reality set in: how was Tomato Bob going to get his pumpkin to the fair which was twenty miles away? The Woodpile DPW crew saved the day by offering the use of the city's backhoe and dump truck.

A DPW crew member hops on the backhoe

A lift rope is tied on to the stem of the pumpkin.

“Are you sure those knots were tied tightly?”

“Slowly, lets take the slack out of the line.”

After lifting the pumpkin up, the tractor operator heard a loud explosion from direction of the tractor engine and turned to see what the problem. It turned out to be some kid setting off fire crackers.

In the meantime, he accidentally hit the control to lower the tractor arm and the pumpkin ended up in wrong place on the truck!!!

“Ooops … sorry about that. Lets try again.”

The pumpkin is carefully guided into place.

An overly enthusiast Tomato Bob wants to drive the truck away before they even remove the lift rope!

He turned around and asked the tractor operator to get a move on.

Tractor operator checks to see if the pumpkin is properly balanced in the truck.

 Satisfied, he stretches out to reach the rope to untie it.

The driver is concerned the truck is over its legal weight limit.

After off loading a few pounds of sunflower snacks for the trip, they just barely got under the limit.

Tomato Bob climbs on for a photo opportunity and yells “Topsfield Fair or bust!!”