When I first read this post over at our sister site Gadling, I was visualizing some over-sized zucchini or maybe tomatoes the size of a grapefruit, but I honestly didn't expect to see anything quite like this. Apparently, Alaska hosts a Giant Vegetable Contest every year at their state fair. As Neil points out, the sun in Alaska barely sets during the summer, and the result of the vegetables continuously receiving the benefits of around-the-clock sunlight is that they tend to grow considerably larger than in most other places. This is extremely evident judging by the picture above, which is of the 2006 winner of the Giant Cabbage Weigh-Off. Brenna Dinkel took the title with her 73.4-pound cabbage - and no, I don't even want to know how much cabbage soup that would make.
Other records set last year include:
23-foot, 3 1/2-inch corn stalk
4.702-pound parsnip
1,019-pound pumpkin
17.195-pound yellow zucchini
67 1/8-inch long gourd
55.15-pound blue hubbard squash
21.530-pound bushel gourd
The next event will be held in Palmer, Alaska, between August 23 and September 3, 2007. If anyone makes it out for this event, send us some pictures!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-20-2007 @ 4:32PM
gabriel bear said...
ginormousness has been part of state fairs for years. I was recently at the Kentucky State fair, looking for deep-fried coca cola syrup, and was disappointed that there was none.
These vegetables are a great way for Alaska to advertise its long summers. Long summer? Ok, maybe, light filled, action packed, party-on summers. State fairs are a tradition that self-haters cannot understand..witness all the remarks about deep fried coke.
at http://bridgesolution.com we are always looking for more ways for people to show the benefits of the choices they are empowered to make, from cabbages (even 73.4 pound ones) to kings.
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