Wiersema wins Pumpkin fest

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The scale of things at the 14th Annual Rainy River Giant Pumpkin Festival was the story this year.
Not only were pumpkins a lot smaller than last year, but the organizers had problems with their weigh scale.
With only 28 pumpkins entered this year it appeared that the weigh-ins would breeze by this year. However, after weighing all the smaller pumpkins with a wheeled scale, a bale scale was mounted on a forklift so that the big ones could be lifted up and weighed in front of the audience. Right from the start it was giving weigh-men Guy Arpin, Robert Tolen and Richard Short trouble. At first it would not weigh at all. Then when they did get it going it would not go back to zero after weighing a pumpkin. After the fourth big pumpkin they needle on the scale stayed at 400 lbs. and the weigh-men decided to scrap the bale scale.
They went back to the wheeled weigh scale and reweighed the four they had already done with the bale scale. “They will all be weighed on the same scale,” said Arpin. The four they had already weighed came out lighter on the wheel scale than the bale scale, but at least all were weighed on the same scale.
The switch in scales took up a lot of time and many people that had waited for the weigh-ins left. The crowd had been cut to less than half of that of when they began.
The scale of the size of the pumpkins also went way down this year due to a poor growing season across the region. Last year the champ, Ben Johnson, of Kakabeka Falls weighed in a 902 pound pumpkin. This year’s champ, Eltjo Wiersema tipped the scales at about half that weight at 467 lbs.
Coming in second and third this year was Eltjo’s wife Dorothy, 463 lbs. and their grandchildren, Skylar, Haley and Jackson Arpin at 434 lbs.
Eltjo, who has been the chair of the festival committee for the past decade has never won it before and did not expect to be the winner this year. “It was just a poor growing season this year with no warm nights.” He did say all three of his family’s pumpkins came from the same plant. “I planted two plants in a 40’X40’ patch and only one plant produced.” They received $1,000 (and Golden Hoe), $500 and $100 respectively.
Giving the plant between 200-300 gallons of river water per day, he said had he had three more weeks he would have had pumpkins closer to last year’s championship weights.
Last year’s champ, Ben Johnson, did not attend. Apparently he had a big one growing but it split in August. Former champ Don Cronk did not make the trip this year either.
Other prizes:
Junior Growers
1st-Skylar, Hayley and Jackson Arpin, 434 lbs, $100
2nd-Nolan and Aaron Short, 371 lbs., $50
3rd-Kira Olson, 168 lbs., $25
Rookie of the Year
Alison Lemon, 6, 315 lbs., Silver Watering Can.
Closest to 100 lbs., Lynwood Anderson, 102 lbs., $50
Closest to 200 lbs., Dean Skolen, 206 lbs., $50
Closest to 300 lbs., Alison Lemmon, 315 lbs. $75
Closest to 400 lbs., Susan McLain, 384 lbs. $100
Closest to 500 lbs., Eltjo Wiersema, 467 lbs. $100
Hidden Weight
It was 260 lbs. won by Leona Skolen (255 lbs.), $100
Ugliest Pumpkin
Dianne McCormack
Most Attractive Pumpkin
Leona Skolen
Best Decorated Pumpkins
1st-Cadence Lundgren
2nd-Ryder Sinninghe
3rd-Skylar Arpin
Oddest Overall Vegetable
1st-Jack Elliott
2nd-Annie Krahn
Best Vegetable Display
Ben Mast
Best Pumpkin Dessert
Vivian Hartnell
Best Pumpkin Pie
Janice Wiersema
Guess the Weight of a pumpkin
434 lbs. by Kitty Berube
Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest
30 participants

12 and under
1st-Cole Tymkin-17’ 7”
2nd-Eldon Vandenbrand-15’ 4”
3rd-Wiat Ulricia-14’ 5”
13-18 years of age
1st-Saragh Fraser-17’ 8”
2nd-Emily Fraser-15’ 2”
3rd-Kyle Olson-14’ 8”
Adults
1st-John Sinninghe-24’ 9”
2nd-Rick Tymkin-22’ 10”
3rd-Corrie Wiersema-22’ 10”
*Because Tymkin’s second attempt was farther than Wiersema’s he was awarded 2nd place.
Tallest Sunflower
Nina and Olivia Kreger 12’ 4”
Best Sculpted Vegetable
Jack Elliott
Distance Award
Cliff and Susan McLain of Kakabeka Falls, Ont.