Travis Gienger, a plant expert and teacher from America, won a big pumpkin contest in Half Moon Bay, California. His pumpkin was so big, it weighed as much as a small car!

Half Moon Bay, a town near the ocean, was very happy and proud. Gienger’s giant pumpkin broke a world record. It was even heavier than the one grown by someone in Italy.

Gienger has been learning how to grow big pumpkins for almost 30 years. He waters them a lot and gives them special food to help them grow. Because of his hard work, his pumpkin got super big. Every part of this pumpkin shows how much he cares for it.

Everyone in Half Moon Bay was excited. Gienger won a prize of $30,000 and became a town hero. His giant pumpkin will be shown at a special festival, where lots of people can see it.

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Learning About Pumpkins

• In the fall, when the air gets chilly and the leaves change color, we see a lot of pumpkins. They are bright and orange but did you know they are fruits, not vegetables? Pumpkins come in many different colors and sizes.
• Pumpkins have been around for a very long time. The oldest pumpkin seeds were found in Mexico and are more than 9,000 years old. People all over the world, from big cities to quiet countryside areas, grow pumpkins.
• Growing a pumpkin takes a lot of patience and care. It can take up to 120 days for a pumpkin to grow fully. But when it does, it is a beautiful sight to see.
• Gienger’s Huge Pumpkin is special because he took good care of it and because Half Moon Bay has the perfect weather for growing pumpkins. It’s a reminder of what can happen when people take good care of plants.
• Pumpkins remind us of fall. In cities everywhere, people, including kids, get ready for Halloween by carving and decorating pumpkins. Pumpkins, big and small, tell a story of the changing seasons and the beauty of nature. Every pumpkin has its own story to tell.