Family carve up giant pumpkin prizes

Giant pumpkin winner Mark Dibley (foreground) makes short work of slicing up his prized monster. Mark's wife Sophie (left) and father Eddie took second and fourth place respectively. Photo/Stephen Parker

The Dibley family have proved they are no slouches when it comes to growing giant pumpkins.

The Oturoa Rd clan are quietly forming a dynasty of pumpkin-growing prowess among the close-knit farming community.

Senior pro Mark, his wife Sophie and father Eddie duly stepped up to the plate yesterday at Brownie's annual giant pumpkin weigh-in to snare three of the top four placings - including first and second.

The proceeds - $1000 - were donated to the Rotorua Hospice.

The family affair saw Mark's orange monster take out first prize, weighing in at 169kg.

The massive vegetable shaded a 155kg specimen grown by Sophie, for second place.

Not to be left out, family patriarch Eddie Dibley, chimed in with his 105kg entry to take fourth place. It was the biggest pumpkin he had grown in 10 years of entering the event.

"They seem to be getting bigger and bigger each year - it might be something to do with climate change," he joked.

The event attracted 46 giant pumpkin entries - all grown in the neighbouring area from seed taken from the previous year's entrants, and all planted at Labour Weekend.

After nurturing for five to six months, the pumpkins are all picked within six weeks of the contest held at Brownie and Cilla Brown's Oturoa Rd property.

Around 100 people from the area attended the weigh-in which also included a fancy dress children's category of painted pumpkins.

The pumpkins, mostly inedible due to the high water content, provide feed for the farm animals.

The seeds are used for the next competition.