Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Congratulations Joel Jarvis! Ontario farmer breaks World Record for largest squash.


At 674.3 kg or 1,486.6 pounds, Joel Jarvis' squash beats the old record of 560 kg or 1,234 pounds as confirmed by Guinness World Records.


Article in The Star:

SIMCOE, ONT. — Joel Jarvis watched with the anticipation of an expectant father as his baby put on as much as 40 pounds a day.

The St. Thomas resident knew it was going to be a big one but never imagined in his wildest dreams that it would easily “squash” the world records.

His prizewinning squash tipped the scales at 674.3 kg or 1,486.6 pounds, easily eclipsing the old record of 560 kg or 1,234 pounds as confirmed by Guinness World Records.

Jarvis broke the record on Oct. 1 at the Port Elgin Pumpkinfest, which Jarvis describes as the “Kentucky Derby” for giant vegetables.

“This has been a long time coming,” he told the Toronto Star. “I’m 38 and I have been doing this since I was 11,” said the horticulturist, who got his training at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro, N.S.

“Sometimes the wind blows the right way and the sun shines right.”

No matter how you slice it, this is a big deal in the world of oversized vegetables. Word is seeds from the world’s largest pumpkin last year sold for more than $1,600 apiece.

“To be honest I might get $40 a seed,” said Jarvis, who figures his various prize monies — including from the Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario — will add up to as much as $8,000, and that will likely go toward a new van now that his family has just expanded by one.

That’s right, he’s also the proud papa of a seven-pound baby girl, Rayna, who decided to arrive just as he was showing off his prize squash.

The added twist to the gargantuan squash is that it out-plumped the largest pumpkin at the Norfolk County Fair, which Jarvis also grew. The pumpkin weighed 1,426 pounds or 646.822 kg and fetched $2,000 in prize money at the fair in Simcoe, Ont. The squash, meanwhile, won $300.

As far as anyone knows in the 171 years of the Norfolk County Fair, this is the first time a squash beat out a pumpkin on the scales, according to Karen Matthews, the fair’s general manager.

The heaviest pumpkin on record weighed 821.23 kg (1,810 lb. 8 oz.) and was presented by Chris Stevens at the Stillwater Harvest Fest in Stillwater, Minn., on Oct. 9, 2010, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Jarvis says his squash is not genetically modified but is the result of cross breeding and a whole bunch of fertilizers and non-stop tender-loving care. It was planted on May 6.

“You start off with a little seedling and it grows the same length of time as a regular squash or pumpkin, but as soon as you get it in the ground you are pushing it to the extreme with your fertilizers,” he said.

Jarvis said the vegetables actually grew for about 90 days and “there were days that it was putting on average 35 to 40 pounds a day. That’s bad for people, but when you are talking pumpkins and squash. . . ”

He said most people think that given its size, the squash wouldn’t be edible, “but my wife (Kristine) made squash soup last year with ours (another whopper of a squash) and it was fantastic.”

 

 

Views: 529

Reply to This

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Saskatchewan farm show ready to highlight new innovations

Western Canada’s largest outdoor farm show returns this month to showcase new and exciting technology for the agriculture sector. Ag in Motion show director Rob O’Connor said there will be more to explore, drive and discover. “There’s a reason Ag in Motion is known as the place to find out what’s new in agriculture every year,” O’Connor said. “Advancements in production and AgTech are always featured and celebrated here.” Among the key attractions this year are the Ride & Drives that give farmers the opportunity to get behind the wheel and test the latest equipment in real field conditions, offering a hands-on comparison of models and features. A variety of sprayers, tractors and material handling equipment, such as skid steers, compact loaders and will be available to try out. The 2025 Innovations Program highlights emerging products and solutions developed to solve real on-farm challenges, which are available for visitors to view on-site. New this year is the debut of the one-da

Hail, excessive moisture, insects caused the most crop damage in Saskatchewan

Thunderstorms swept across parts of the province, bringing moisture along with some hail and that means some producers will be assessing crop damage over the next week to determine the impact on yields. According to the latest Saskatchewan Agriculture crop report, the most rainfall recorded was 115 millimetres (mm) in the Archerwill area, followed closely by the Beatty area with 85 mm. There was also notable rainfall in the Kinistino and Middle Lake areas with 75 mm and 65 mm, respectively. Despite heavy rainfall in some locations, overall provincial topsoil moisture conditions declined from the previous week’s report. Kim Stonehouse, a crops extension specialist, said other than hail, there were several other factors that contributed to crop damage. “There was also grasshopper and flea beetle activity that has persisted and is causing some minor damage in some dry areas,” Stonehouse said. “In West Central, East Central and Northeast regions producers are reporting minor damage fro

Tax credit expands meat processing facility

The province’s inviting and tax-friendly business environment, and abundant agricultural resources, make it one of North America’s best places to do business. In addition, the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit helps attract investment that will further diversify Alberta’s agriculture industry. Beretta Farms is the most recent company to qualify for the tax credit by expanding its existing facility with the potential to significantly increase production capacity. It invested more than $10.9 million in the project that is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 29,583 to 44,688 head of cattle per year. Eleven new employees were hired after the expansion and the company plans to hire ten more. Through the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, Alberta’s government has issued Beretta Farms a tax credit of $1,228,735. “The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers t

Massey Ferguson introduces the MF 8S Xtra featuring comfort and efficiency upgrades

Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE:AGCO), is proud to announce the introduction of its new MF 8S Xtra series, building on the success of the multi award-winning MF 8S models and featuring new styling, increased efficiency and even better operator comfort.

Four-Time Olympic Gold Medalist, Hall of Fame Inductee, and Philanthropist Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser to speak at Grape Growers 40th Annual Celebrity Luncheon

The Grape Growers of Ontario’s Celebrity Luncheon marks the opening of the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival by showcasing Canadian personalities and celebrating the annual grape harvest. This year, in partnership with Meridian

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service