1,600-pound pumpkin smashes old Utah record

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brian Davis moves pumpkins at the second annual Harvest Festival giant pumpkin weigh-off at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. Multiple pumpkins in excess of 1,000 pounds were weighed before a cheering crowd as a new state record was set by Matt McConkie with a pumpkin weighing 1,600 pounds.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Matt McConkie, who raised his record-breaking 1,600-pound pumpkin at McQuigley Farms in South Ogden, is hoisted by fellow farmers after shattering his own state record from last year at 1,169 pounds. Multiple pumpkins in excess of 1,000 pounds were weighed before a cheering crowd at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi for the second Annual Harvest Festival on Saturday.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Ross and Kaye Bowman, of Brigham City, have their picture taken with his 1,174-pound pumpkin at the second annual Harvest Festival in Lehi on Saturday as part of the giant pumpkin weigh-off. Bowman, a former rocket scientist who for a brief moment held the state record, is the first to enter more than one pumpkin weighing more than 1,000 pounds and in this case brought in three for a total weight of 3,269 pounds.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Crews use special rigging and a fork lift to move giant pumpkins at the second annual Harvest Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. Multiple pumpkins in excess of 1,000 pounds were weighed before a cheering crowd with the previous state record of 1,169 pounds being broken by Matt McConkie, who held the previous record.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
People gather around the giant pumpkins on display as part of the second annual Harvest Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. The pumpkin at left, grown by Matt McConkie, broke the state record, weighing in at 1,600 pounds.

Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune
Kyle Clark, of Highland, slices up his 125-pound watermelon t the second annual Harvest Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. In addition to various fruits and vegetables winning prizes, the main attraction was the giant pumpkin weigh-off.

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Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Brian Davis moves pumpkins at the second annual Harvest Festival giant pumpkin weigh-off at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. Multiple pumpkins in excess of 1,000 pounds were weighed before a cheering crowd as a new state record was set by Matt McConkie with a pumpkin weighing 1,600 pounds. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Matt McConkie, who raised his record-breaking 1,600-pound pumpkin at McQuigley Farms in South Ogden, is hoisted by fellow farmers after shattering his own state record from last year at 1,169 pounds. Multiple pumpkins in excess of 1,000 pounds were weighed before a cheering crowd at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi for the second Annual Harvest Festival on Saturday. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Ross and Kaye Bowman, of Brigham City, have their picture taken with his 1,174-pound pumpkin at the second annual Harvest Festival in Lehi on Saturday as part of the giant pumpkin weigh-off. Bowman, a former rocket scientist who for a brief moment held the state record, is the first to enter more than one pumpkin weighing more than 1,000 pounds and in this case brought in three for a total weight of 3,269 pounds. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Crews use special rigging and a fork lift to move giant pumpkins at the second annual Harvest Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. Multiple pumpkins in excess of 1,000 pounds were weighed before a cheering crowd with the previous state record of 1,169 pounds being broken by Matt McConkie, who held the previous record. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune People gather around the giant pumpkins on display as part of the second annual Harvest Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. The pumpkin at left, grown by Matt McConkie, broke the state record, weighing in at 1,600 pounds. Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune Kyle Clark, of Highland, slices up his 125-pound watermelon t the second annual Harvest Festival at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi on Saturday. In addition to various fruits and vegetables winning prizes, the main attraction was the giant pumpkin weigh-off.

The Salt Lake Tribune

· September 24, 2011 8:15 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Left, Matt McConkie, who raised a record-breaking 1,600-pound pumpkin at McQuigley Farms in South Ogden, is hoisted by fellow farmers after shattering his state record — 1,169 pounds — set last year. Center, crews use special rigging and a fork lift to move giant pumpkins at the second annual Harvest Festival held Saturday at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi. Kyle Clark, right, of Highland, slices up his 125-pound watermelon during the festival. Several pumpkins that topped the scales in excess of 1,000 pounds dueled for bragging rights to be called Utah's largest pumpkin, but that honor went to McConkie, and his 1,600 pound squash. During peak growth of about three weeks, McConkie estimates his pumpkin was growing about 40 pounds a day.