STIRLING – While it’s true that pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes, we assume that many will end up in pies while the majority will be creatively carved for Halloween decoration. But what can you do with an enormous pumpkin that has grown to such a size that it has dwarfed all others in the pumpkin patch? Well I suppose if you had nothing better to do for a week or so, you could bake three or four hundred pies. Or you might consider a little creative carving, to perhaps sculpt a life size, orange likeness of the American President. But Mike Kerby, the man who owns the pumpkin patch where the giant pumpkin grew, had a much better idea. It was about a dozen years ago that Kerby approached Julie and Min Yoo, owners of the Pro One Stop convenience store in Stirling, with a novel idea. “Mike suggested that we organize a guess-the-weight-of-the pumpkin contest,” explained Julie, “in order to raise money for the Food Bank.”
And so it is that each October, Kerby generously donates the largest of his harvest to be the centerpiece of this fun-filled guessing game. “This year’s pumpkin is absolutely enormous,” said Julie, “in fact it was so big that we had to rely on the generosity and expertise of the good people at Nobes Granite Works who managed to lift it from the truck and place it in front of the store.”
And this is where the giant pumpkin will sit for the next couple of weeks, so that all Pro One Stop customers with a keen eye can take part in this annual, Halloween challenge.
“All you have to do,” Julie explained, “is guess the weight of the giant pumpkin. It’s a 50-50 contest, with half the proceeds going to our local Food Bank, and half to the person whose guess is closest to the exact weight…without going over. Each guess costs a Toonie or you can have three guesses for five dollars. And the more guesses, the better your chance to win. But the contest closes Wednesday October 28 – and we’ll announce the winner that day at 3:00 PM”
Until then, only Mike Kerby of Hollowview Farms knows the exact weight of the giant gourd and he has been sworn to secrecy. Kerby will be on site at the Pro One Stop, on Wednesday October 28 to reveal that secret and to declare the winner.
“It’s always a whole lot of fun for everyone who takes part,” added Julie, “but the real winner will be our local Food Bank. We’re happy to be able to help and we are so fortunate to be living in such a caring community.”