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Canadian Giants

Giant Pumpkins

Canada is the land of the maple leaf but perhaps it should be the land of pumpkins. Canadian Al Eaton of Richmond, Ontario recently held the world's record for the heaviest pumpkin. On October 6, 2004 his pumpkin weighed in at a whopping 1,446 pounds (665 kg).

Al Eaton and giant pumpkin growers all over the world have another Canadian to thank. Howard Dill of Windsor, Nova Scotia developed the "Dill's Atlantic Giant" seeds from which Al Eaton's and all the world-record holders' pumpkins are grown.

Photograph of Howard Dill posed beside a giant pumpkin in his pumpkin patch

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Howard Dill in his pumpkin patch in Windsor, Nova Scotia

Photograph of the world record setting, giant pumpkin, occupying most of the back of a pick-up truck, 2004

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World record setting giant pumpkin grown by Al Eaton in 2004. The pumpkin weighed 1,446 lbs

Photograph of Al Eaton's world record setting giant pumpkin, carved into the world's largest jack-o'-lantern, 2004

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Al Eaton's world record setting giant pumpkin, carved into the world's largest Jack-o'-lantern in 2004

While we're on the subject of pumpkin giants, Vancouver Island holds the world record for the largest pumpkin pie ever baked, a mouth-watering 40 feet (12 m) long by 47 inches (1.2 m) wide, baked in 2003. Canada also holds the world record for the most pumpkin pies baked from a single pumpkin. The Lions Club of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia baked 442 pumpkin pies from one pumpkin in the 1990s and sold them for charity. In Canada, pumpkins reign supreme!

Photograph of a packet of DILL'S ATLANTIC GIANT pumpkin seeds featuring a photograph of a man crouched beside a giant pumpkin, with his hands on the pumpkin

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Seed packets for Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds

Photograph of a packet of OSC ATLANTIC GIANT pumpkin seeds featuring a photograph of a little girl trying to put her arms around a giant pumpkin

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Seed packets for Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds

Photograph of a packet of Unwins ATLANTIC GIANT pumpkin seeds featuring a photograph of a little boy sitting on top of a giant pumpkin

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Seed packets for Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds

Photograph of a packet of ATLANTIC GIANT pumpkin seeds featuring an illustration of a seedling

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Seed packets for Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds

References

Hughes, Susan. Canada Invents. Toronto: Owl Books, 2002.

Kingbury, Al. The Pumpkin King: Howard Dill and the Atlantic Giant. Kentville, Nova Scotia: Atlantic Giant Book Distributing, 1997.

Dill's Atlantic Giant. Howard Dill Enterprises.
www.howarddill.com
(accessed February 23, 2005).

Pumpkin Records. Pumpkin Nook.
www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/record.htm
(accessed February 23, 2005).