Decorah man wins 4th place at Anamosa Giant Pumpkin Contest

This is what a giant pumpkin looks like! (Photo courtesy of Anamosa Pumpkinfest)

A Decorah man, Chris Schultz, finished in 4th place at last weekend's Ryan Norlin Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at the Anamosa Pumpkinfest.

Schultz's pumpkin weighed in at just under 1,000 pounds, tipping the scales at 998.5 pounds.  The contest was won by Richmond, Minnesota resident Scott Speil with a 1,507 pound pumpkin, with his son, Cole Speil, finishing second with a 1,231 pound pumpkin.

Schultz says this was a somewhat difficult year for the giant pumpkin growers.  The heavy spring rains left growers contending with mold and fungus.  The growing conditions were better in Decorah than to the south, but the Minnesota giant pumpkin growers had the best conditions of all.

Schultz says Scott Speil has an even bigger pumpkin, wieghing over 1,700 pounds, that he intends to show at a giant pumpkin contest in Stillwater, Minnesota this coming weekend.

Schultz won a $550 prize for finishing 4th.