BOB HALLINEN / Anchorage Daily News
J. D. Megchelsen of Nikiski directs the unloading of his giant pumpkin at the Alaska Sate Fair Aug. 27, 2008.
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STILL BIG: Cool temps held down the growth.
Published: August 28th, 2008 12:29 AM
Last Modified: August 28th, 2008 05:35 AM
PALMER -- The biggest pumpkins in Alaska weighed in Wednesday at the Alaska State Fair -- all two of them entered in the 2008 Alaska's Midnight Sun Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Growers this year fretted about this summer's cool temperatures and the effects it would have on pumpkins. Pumpkins like the heat. Nikiski grower J.D. Megchelsen holds the state record for giant pumpkins, for a 1,019-pound champion entered in the fair in 2006. He said earlier this week he didn't expect to break the record this year.
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But Megchelsen took first place this year, with a 907-pound orange whopper, nearly triple the size of the second-place pumpkin, a 328-pounder grown by Dale Marshall of Anchorage. That was it -- fair officials said no other pumpkins were entered in the contest, which is sanctioned by the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth.HOURS
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