Don Cronk shatters record weight at RR Pumpkin Fest

Ken Johnston

He is truly the grand champion of the Rainy River Pumpkin Festival now!
Don Cronk of Thunder Bay has done what no one has done before. He has won the Rainy River Valley Giant Pumpkin festival three times and shattered the biggest pumpkin record.
On Saturday Cronk travelled five hours from Thunder Bay to weigh in what could only be called a behemoth of a pumpkin. He broke the previous record by nearly 200 lbs. when he tipped the scales at 945 lbs. Saturday in Rainy River.
But that was not the whole story for the day. Another Thunder Bay grower sought to dethrone Cronk with another record breaker. Tim Spivak, a rookie in the sport of giant pumpkin growing, weighed in and 847 pounder. Not enough to win but it too broke the old record easily. Another member of his family, Adrienne Spivak just missed the old record with a 762 pounder to take third.
Cronk received a $1,000 for first and the Golden Hoe Award. Tim Spivak received $500 for second and the Silver Watering Can as Rookie Grower of the Year. Adrienne Spivak received $100 for third.
In the youth category there were also some giants to be weighed. Kenzie and Bryce Godin of RR won with a 424 lb. pumpkin and received $50. Damon, Nolan and Aaron Short of RR, came in second with a 330 lb. pumpkin ($25 in prize money). Kyle Olson of RR came in third with 194 lbs. and won $10.
Hidden weight went to Inge Szeder of Barwick. She won $100. The hidden wt. was 76 lbs.
Most Attractive Pumpkin was grown by Juane Johnson of Clearbrook, MN.
Best Decorated Pumpkin:
1st Riverview Grades 1 and 2
2nd Audrey and Tyrell Chjoko-Bolec of Arbor Vita
3rd Hailey and Skyler Arpin of Sleeman
Ugliest Pumpkin: Gerald Johnson of Clearbrook, MN.
Best Sculptured Vegetable: Else Ewald
Guess the Weight: The pumpkin weighed 205. Three tied with a guess of 203. They were Eljto Wiersema, Bob Locking and John Wiersema.
Distance Award: Adrienne Spivak of Thunder Bay.
Best Pumpkin Pie: Inge Szeder
Best Pumpkin Dessert: Vivian Hartnell of RR
Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest:
Adult: Eltjo Wiersema-20’
Youth: Jul Morken of Stratton-21’10”
Child: Kyle Olson-13’18”
Best Vegetable Display: Gerry Jolicouer of RR
Oddest Overall Vegetables:
1st Inge Szeder
2nd Duffy Gulbrandsen of RR
Tallest Sunflower:
George Trenchard of Sleeman-12’