It’s pumpkin patch season — but just how big have Tennessee’s pumpkins gotten through the years? News 2 has taken a look at gigantic gourds across the state in honor of National Pumpkin Day.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — It’s pumpkin patch season. But in honor of National Pumpkin day, News 2 asks: just how big have pumpkins gotten in the state of Tennessee?
Fortunately, the Indiana Pumpkin Growers’ Association (IPGA) has kept tabs on the heaviest pumpkins grown around the world. The IPGA takes a state, province or country’s top 10 heaviest officially weighed pumpkins to find a place’s average weight in pounds. Out of the 69 states, countries and provinces represented, Tennessee clocks in at 44 — right between Slovenia and New Brunswick, Canada.
Eight of the 10 heaviest pumpkins grown in Tennessee were grown by one farmer: Jason Terry. Jason holds the state record for the heaviest pumpkin, which weighed in at 1,846.6 pounds at the 2023 Allardt Pumpkin Festival. Fun fact: that record-breaking pumpkin has a family tree.
Weight (in pounds)YearGrowerWeigh-off1,846.62023Jason TerryAllardt Pumpkin Festival1,7422018Jason TerryRoberts Family Farm, KY1,731.82020Bruce TerryAllardt Pumpkin Festival1,5772015Jason TerryCullman, AL1,5222015Jason TerryBear Wallow, KY1,4912019Jason TerryAllardt Pumpkin Festival1,473.52015Jason TerryAllardt Pumpkin Festival1,4722016Jason TerryAllardt Pumpkin Festival1,405.62014Kevin GarrettAllardt Pumpkin Festival1,3662017Jason TerryTennessee Valley Fair
On average, Tennessee’s officially weighed pumpkins clock in at 1,562.75 pounds. The United Kingdom has the heaviest pumpkins, weighing, on average, 2,415.9 pounds. Arkansas comes in last, averaging 299.37 pounds for their top 10 pumpkins.