A Manatee County fisherman — who gardens as a passion — breaks state report with large pumpkin. Kim Kuizon stories.
CORTEZ, Fla. – The sound of birds on the Cortez Fishing Village lets you already know Tim Canniff has completed his day of fishing. When he’s not on the water, yow will discover the industrial fisherman in his yard backyard.
“That is sort of a spring passion when the fishing is gradual,” Canniff instructed FOX 13. “Put a bit of time within the backyard, get it began.”
For the final 25 years, Canniff has labored towards the Florida components, rising pumpkins.
A Florida industrial fisherman grows a prized pumpkin that weighs greater than 1,000 kilos.
(Tim Canniff / FOX 13 Information)
“It’s yr to yr actually. The final couple of years I solely had hundred-pound fruit, so that you simply by no means know if it can take off or not,” he mentioned.
Not simply any pumpkins, however large pumpkins. Name it excessive gardening.
Canniff mentioned the seed’s genetics assist.
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“Final yr, the man that grew this seed that I used to develop the pumpkin, he grew a 977-pound fruit himself,” he mentioned.
He planted the seed on January 11. About 50 days later, the primary pumpkin developed and confirmed up on the principle vine.
A Florida industrial fisherman grows a prized pumpkin that weighs greater than 1,000 kilos.
(Tim Canniff / FOX 13 Information)
Canniff pollinated it by hand, and it continued to develop larger and greater.
“It’s good to get an earlier pollination on the fruit and that sort of retains it going,” he defined. “The chilly climate can gradual issues down. I attempt to get issues began earlier than it actually heats up in Might or June.”
Canniff knew his pumpkin was a contender. He loaded it up by forklift to weigh it.
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“I used to be sort of nervous, sweating it out if it will break a thousand or not,” he mentioned.
On the identical scales used to weigh his fish hauls, Canniff broke the official state report by greater than 400 kilos for his pumpkin.
“On the finish, it was 1,039,” he mentioned.
A Florida industrial fisherman grows a prized pumpkin that weighs greater than 1,000 kilos.
(Tim Canniff / FOX 13 Information)
Now, the enormous pumpkin is drawing crowds.
“Nobody has ever seen something prefer it,” mentioned Adam Sears the final supervisor at Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar.
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The pumpkin is on show on the restaurant, positioned alongside 119th Road West in Cortez.
“We’ve had individuals ready in line to take photos with this factor,” mentioned Sears.
A Florida industrial fisherman grows a prized pumpkin that weighs greater than 1,000 kilos.
(Tim Canniff / FOX 13 Information)
The oldest, lively fishing village within the state is now identified for its prized pumpkin – all 1,039 kilos of it.
“It’s going to be robust to beat,” Canniff mentioned. “I assume we’ll shoot for 1,500. A brand new benchmark, half-ton, possibly three-quarters of a ton.”
The pumpkin will stay on show via the weekend at Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar.
