Rift leads to rival pumpkin weigh-ins

CLARENCE, N.Y., Oct. 2 (UPI) -- A falling-out between two big-time pumpkin growers led to dueling "weigh-offs" in New York this fall, officials said.

"What a tangled web these pumpkins weave," said Andy Wolf of the New York State Giant Pumpkin Growers Association, a club of "guys that go crazy with big pumpkins."

The rift between Kelly Schultz at the Great Pumpkin Farm and Ray Waterman, a Collins, N.Y., pumpkin-grower and seed company owner grew over Schultz's desire to attract larger pumpkins and dissension over what to do with the valuable seeds, The Buffalo (N.Y.) News reported.

The World Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Clarence, where Schultz set up his scales this year, netted more and bigger pumpkins than the weigh-off in front of the Irishman Pub & Eatery in Williamsville, 9 miles away where Waterman held his competition.

The big winner in Clarence was Gary Adams with a 1,613.5-pound pale orange pumpkin. Adams took home a $5,000 prize.

"I just can't believe that it weighed that," Adams said. "I worked so hard."

At the Williamsville competition, Kristen Hohensee won $300 in gift certificates for her first place 665.5-pounder.

One of her secrets: "We use compost from the Town of Amherst. It's an amazing thing all towns should have," said Hohensee.