The Great Library Pumpkin Off: Triumphs, Turkeys & a Touch of Pumpkin Drama
The Great Library Pumpkin Off: Triumphs, Turkeys & a Touch of Pumpkin Drama
The Great Library Pumpkin Off has wrapped for another year, and what a spectacularly chaotic, heart‑warming, plot‑twisting adventure it’s been. From surprise disqualifications to rogue poultry and the crowning of a community champion, this year’s competition had it all.
A Season of Hope… and Highly Questionable Pumpkins
Our growers began with the same humble butternut pumpkin seeds from the Western Downs Libraries Seed Library. The brief was simple: grow your best pumpkin. The journey, however, was anything but.
Let’s begin with…
The Pumpkin Scandal Nobody Saw Coming
Two of our ever‑enthusiastic participants, Carmen and Lavinia, turned up with pumpkins that were, how shall we put this, not exactly butternut pumpkins.
To be clear: these were JAP pumpkins. Large, unapologetically green‑skinned, and definitely not Seed-Library issue.
We love ambition.
We love creativity.
We do not love attempted pumpkin fraud.
With fondness (and firm judgment), we issued an instant disqualification. Nice try, team. We see you.
The Great Turkey Takeover
Jacinta’s pumpkins were thriving! Healthy vines, happy leaves, real potential.
Enter: turkeys.
A flock of opportunistic, pumpkin‑loving birds declared her patch their personal buffet. They ate everything. The vines. The blossoms. The baby pumpkins. Dreams were crushed.
(Please refer to the included turkey photos for a visual representation of chaos.)
The Final Three
Despite the setbacks, disasters, and poultry-based sabotage, three contenders stood tall:
Leesa’s Pumpkin 491g
Cecil’s Pumpkin
Barb and her 1.06kg Pumpkin
These growers tended their vines with patience, passion, and a healthy dose of competitiveness. And in the end…
Staff Champion: Leesa – 491g
Leesa’s plucky little pumpkin tipped the scales at 491 grams, officially earning her the title of Pumpkin Off Staff Division Winner.
Were the staff pumpkins large?
No.
Not even close.
Should staff perhaps focus on their core roles instead of agriculture?
Quite possibly.
Community Champion: Barb J. Krause – 1.06kg
Now this is where the magic happened.
Barb’s gorgeous, golden butternut pumpkin, grown from our very own Seed Library seeds, weighed in at 1.06kg – more than double our staff winner!
Congratulations & Thank You
A huge thank you to everyone who joined The Great Library Pumpkin Off whether your pumpkin flourished, fizzled, or was devoured by wildlife. You brought fun, community spirit, and plenty of laughs to our libraries.
And to Leesa and Barb: congratulations on your well‑earned victories!
We can’t wait to see what you’ll grow next year. Until then, keep an eye on our Seed Library shelves… greatness often begins with a single seed.