Pumpkin Fair Coverage – Ray Anderson, Growing Giant Community Pumpkins

CIRCLEVILLE – Just below the North Side Circleville water tank on Nicolas Drive, Ray Anderson grows giant pumpkins, something he says has become a community affair.

Ray Anderson is preparing for this year's pumpkin growing competition, where he plans to showcase his impressive harvest despite a challenging season. Featuring two large pumpkins, affectionately called “Humpty Dumpty” and “Double Trouble”.

My daughter, who is a teacher in Circleville, helped me with Humpty Dumpty. She named it because it really was a beautiful orange pumpkin. Then he got kind of ugly so she called him Humpty Dumpty, but in my opinion he became pretty again. “Double Trouble is called 'Double Trouble' because this pumpkin gave me a lot of trouble this year because of its strange size and the way it grew.” Anderson reflects on his journey over the last four years of cultivation .

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“This year we have two pumpkins and one of them is really big,” Anderson shared. “I put more care and time into it, along with some help and expertise from others in the community.”

Anderson's dedication paid off; Last year he dropped off a pumpkin weighing 1,410.5 pounds and is optimistic about surpassing that weight this year. However, it was not without difficulties. This season has been marked by a drought that resulted in sunburn on leaves and damage from a recent storm that wiped out much of his crop.

“The sunburn killed the outer leaves and burned anything that wasn’t in the shade,” he explained. Despite these setbacks, Anderson managed to grow some strong pumpkins, using both rainwater and city water for irrigation.” He noted that in his opinion rainwater was superior due to the lack of chemicals, but that didn't stop him, two Growing pumpkins that could exceed the 2,000 pound mark.

Learning from experienced growers was crucial to Anderson's development as a pumpkin farmer. “Having 35 years of experience shared with me in just four years is invaluable,” he noted. “It’s important to know how far you can push the plants and when to take a step back.”

Anderson's passion for growing pumpkins was sparked by his daughter and he admits it can be addictive. “I enjoy the camaraderie; It’s amazing how many people want to talk about pumpkins,” he said, adding that the communal aspect of the hobby makes it all the more fun.

“I have people walking by on Nicolas Drive right now asking how the pumpkins are doing. Sometimes I see people on my cameras walking down the hill and looking over the fence to check the progress. My elderly neighbor checks on me and asks about the pumpkins. I restore vintage and antique vehicles, but people stop and talk to me about Pumpkins,” Ray laughed.

As he prepares for the upcoming weigh-in, Anderson is hoping for a podium finish. “It would be great to make the podium, but the win would be a bonus,” he said, pointing out the size of his pumpkins — one of which was about 50 inches tall.

He also emphasized the importance of caring for pumpkins at the end of the season. “We are now in maintenance mode – keeping the soil moist and keeping the plants alive,” he explained.

Looking forward, Anderson plans to grow more pumpkins next year with the help of his daughter, who has supported him throughout the growing season.

As the community eagerly awaits the upcoming pumpkin competition, Anderson remains focused on tending to his crop while enjoying the support and enthusiasm of his fellow growers.