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Congratulations Bill Neptune on his 2,027 dmg pumpkin at the 2021 Barnesville Pumpkin Festival. His pumpkin was grown from the 2183 Mendi and was 10-12 percent heavy. Don’t you love when a pumpkin splits!

His 7-year-old granddaughter, Jayden, set the Barnesville record with a bushel gourd weighing 238 lbs. There’s a funny story behind it though. Bill says when he was grafting bushel gourds over the winter, there was a single plant left. It was the worst one with the seed leaves not developed correctly. Bill threw it in the trash! His granddaughter, Jayden, saw the measly plant and asked, “Pap, why did you throw it away?” She then proceeded to dig it out of the trash and replant it herself! She even added grafting clips and toothpicks to hold it back up. The plant was put under the grow lights back with the rest of the good plants. For the next month, Jayden made sure it was watered and cared for. Again, Bill wanted to “throw that thing away.” When he was moving his plants to the outdoor greenhouse, Jayden slipped her bushel gourd plant in with the rest. “Great,” Bill goes. He still wanted to toss it aside. More time goes by. Bill planted his pumpkins and watermelons in the field, each having their own miniature greenhouses. Well, a watermelon plant didn’t make it after all. So, there was an opening in the field. Bill thought one night, “what the heck, I will plant Jayden’s plant in there.” She weeded and really took good care of that thing until it grew 238 pounds. She definitely has developed a green thumb like her Pap!

10/1/2021 10:59:00 AM

Hopedale Ohio

Great story, so nice to see the old never give up on a project, no matter who think's what about it. Congrats to the Neptune's and to Jayden for the desire to see Her gourd make it to the weigh off. A green thumb indeed !

10/1/2021 11:53:21 AM

Nova Scotia

Ouch, that's a heart breaker, very sorry to hear, especially one over 2,000 lbs. Congratulations Bill!

10/1/2021 2:18:23 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

That is a heartbreaker! but I love the rest of the storyline! Keep going GrowEmBig!

10/4/2021 6:20:26 PM