BARNESVILLE — Big things can happen in a small town.
Every year, thousands of pumpkin growers not only strive to grow the biggest pumpkin, but also to compete to grow the three largest pumpkins for Grower of the Year (for the heaviest combined weight.)
That's what happened in the village limits of Barnesville when Todd and Donna Skinner grew a 1,621.5 lb., 2,112 lb. and a 2,150 lb. pumpkin for a combined weight of 5,883.5 lbs., earning them the title of 2017 World Wide Great Pumpkin Commonwealth Grower of the Year.
To earn this award, a grower must weigh in three different pumpkins at three different GPC Sites. There are five GPC Weigh Off Sites in Ohio, which the Skinner's won and set new records at 3 of the 5 in 2017.
There are GPC Weigh Off Sites around the world.
Coming in second place was Steve Sperry of Rhode Island with 5,823 lbs. followed by Ruben Mendi of Spain in third place (5,694 lbs.), Russ Pingrey of California in fourth place (5,653 lbs.) and Joel Holland of Washington in fifth place (5,605 lbs).
The Skinners have been growing for 24 years and spend approximately 40 hours a week for six months tending to these pumpkins.
The GPC Awards Banquet will be held in Portland, Ore., in February.