Tom Dudka may not have come away from the 34th annual Windsor West Hants Pumpkin Weigh-off the champion but his giant orange pumpkin did what none of his previous pumpkins could accomplish — it finally broke the 1,000-pound mark.
Dudka, of New Glasgow, grew four giant pumpkins this year — naming each one after a politician. There was Trudeau, Putin, Kim Jong-un, and Trump.
“I went out one day and Trump was losing bad and I said listen... you start gaining some weight. A day and a half (later), (he gained) 75 pounds and he never stopped,” said Dudka.
“In the paper, all you hear about is Trudeau, Trump, Putin and I said ‘it’s politics, let’s go into the garden with it and see who rules there.’ So, Trump’s the ruler,” Dudka said with a laugh.
The retired Linacy resident, who said he grows giant pumpkins as a hobby, said everyone back home was waiting to see how the Trump pumpkin — or Trumpkin as some were calling it — fared.
“I’ve never broken the 1,000-pound mark and I’ve been in it for 14 years. Every year it’s in the 900s,” said Dudka.
The Trump pumpkin placed fifth overall with a weight of 1,051 pounds (477 kg).
Dudka said anyone can learn to grow giant pumpkins, and said it’s quite a fun hobby.
“Once you get into it, you’re hooked for life,” said Dudka.
Bill Smeltzer, of New Minas, won this year’s competition with a pumpkin weighing in at 1,226 pounds (556 kilograms).
