By Hannah MacLeod
Kincardine residents Chandra and Abhilasha Tripathi placed very well at Pumpkinfest in Port Elgin this past weekend.
It was the couple’s first time entering Pumpkinfest as growers, and they came out winning second and third prizes for Longest Gourd.
The couple grew their gourds in the Kincardine Community Garden and produced a few approximately seven-foot vegetables.
“We were welcomed by seasoned growers and the founder of this festival during the award presentation,” he continued. “We were also able to mingle with senior growers including Sunday’s winner for the heaviest pumpkin. We learned a lot and made new friends in farming communities. Growers shared their passion and experience on how to grow mega vegetables and pumpkins. It was news to me that most of the growers are professional and some of these large vegetables are not edible, but only are grown for this kind of competition.”
“Of course, it is a lot of hard work and lots of luck because initially there were no fruits and then we had a few abnormally long ones,” he continued. “Although this was our first experience with the Kincardine Community Garden, we got several opportunities to socialize and learn from each other as senior members of the garden and Irv always willing to lend a hand to new growers.”
“Both Abhilasha and I have enjoyed participating in the festival after many years, since our kids are grown and we had different priorities,” Chandra concluded. “However, winning this prize as growers has further extended our interest in the Festival. Thank you all for the support.”