Photo gallery: scenes from a monster-pumpkin weigh-off

Originally published September 26, 2015 at 6:37 pm Updated September 26, 2015 at 9:07 pm

Three-year-old Sig Carlson is barely as tall as the giant pumpkin he’s checking out at the weigh-off competition Saturday held by the Puget Sound Giant Pumpkin Growers at Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon. Scott Carley of Langley, B.C., won the $1,000 prize with his entry weighing 1,427 pounds. Competitor Joel Holland says it takes “Good soil, good seed, good luck and good weather and thirty years of practice” to grow these monsters. His winning Washington State Fair entry set a record two weeks ago at 1,621 pounds. His pumpkin Saturday, 1,254 pounds, came in third behind Cindy Tobeck’s 1,301-pounder. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

The pumpkin, unable to compete in poundage, is dressed for success with a plastic swan’s head and paddles for feet at Saturday’s giant-pumpkin contest at Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Lee Roof is the master of ceremonies at the event and calls for the first pumpkin to be brought to the scale at the weigh-off competition by the Puget Sound Giant Pumpkin Growers at Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

A youngster’s hand is tiny next to this entrant expected to exceed 1,000 pounds at the giant pumpkin weigh-off competition at Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon on Saturday. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Straps are used to lift the pumpkins for the weigh-off competition Saturday by the Puget Sound Giant Pumpkin Growers at Christianson’s Nursery. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Inside a greenhouse, to keep the youngsters engaged, a child pours water down a ramp to encourage frogs to keep moving in a race. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Matt Radach watches his giant pumpkin being pulled to the end of his pickup so a forklift can place it among the competitors. Almost two dozen giant pumpkins were brought to the event at Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Joel Holland is one of the most competitive giant-pumpkin growers and holds the record at the Washington State Fair, setting it two weeks ago with a pumpkin weighing 1,621 pounds. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Before the weighing begins, each pumpkin is measured by Kelly Hulsey, left, and Brian Halbert, with Lee Roof recording the data. The giant pumpkin weigh-off competition was held by the Puget Sound Giant Pumpkin Growers at Christianson’s Nursery in Mount Vernon on Saturday. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Secured in the back of a truck, this giant pumpkin fills the cargo space. It’s estimated to weigh more than one-half tons. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

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Seattle Times staff

Seattle Times staff