By Claire Cooper
The annual battle of the pumpkins will be played out in the King Edward Hall on 9th September, when rival pumpkins growers go head to head to see who can produce the biggest vegetable at Lindfield Horticultural Society’s Autumn Show.
Last year’s winning giant pumpkin, pictured, was grown by Ian Cooper on his allotment and weighed in at an impressive 56kg (123lb)!
“It was actually judged by circumference as the society doesn’t have scales big enough to weigh it,” said Ian. “After the show I cut it into quarters and weighed it piece by piece!”
Ian’s giant pumpkins have picked up the top award at Lindfield Horticultural Society’s autumn show for six out of the last seven years.
“I was beaten in 2013 by my rival, Richard Watson,” Ian recalled. “He’d been runner up the year before and had asked me my secret. Rather foolishly I ‘spilled the beans’ and the following year he beat me!
“It was also the year I had presented the society with the Pumpkin Cup, and I didn’t get to bring it back home!”
This year Ian has been cultivating two pumpkins and is quietly confident that one will scoop him a seventh award. “The recent weather has been absolutely perfect for pumpkin growing, so I’m certainly on track to beat my record and bring home the cup,” said Ian.
“The competition is always very good-natured, but we are all in it to win!”
[Full article in September 2017 issue of Lindfield Life]