Saturday, August 30, 2025
54.9 F
Beckley
More

    Carrot, pumpkin, cucumber, cantaloupe break W.Va. records

    Farmers in W.Va. broke four state records for fruit and vegetable produce in 2017.

    Four new produce records were established in 2017 in West Virginia, the state Department of Agriculture announced today. A carrot, cucumber, cantaloupe, and pumpkin raised the bar for farmers statewide, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt.

    Advertisement

    “We’re the only state in the region that has this type of program. We see it as a fun way to encourage farming while bring attention to our gardeners throughout the state,” Leonhardt said of the records program.

    Dustin Trychta, of Morgantown, West Virginia, set new standards in three categories. His 38.6 lb. cantaloupe shattered the previous record of 27.45 lbs., held since 2011 by Glen Knox.

    Trychta also set records in two new categories —  heaviest carrot, at 2 lb. 6.88 oz., and heaviest cucumber, at 10.77 lb.

    Advertisement

    Robert Cyrus, of Fort Gay, West Virginia, grew a 1,407 lb. pumpkin, which was the top entry at the West Virginia Pumpkin Festival and set a new state record. The previous record was set in 2006 by Scott Wotring, at 1,157 lbs.

    Produce and fruit eligible for records must follow rules established by the department, including being grown in West Virginia and within one season, Leonhardt said.

    “The rules and categories have been a bit more formalized in recent years. This keeps the program manageable and as fair as practically possible,” he said.

    New categories include carrot by weight, cucumber by weight, pawpaw by weight, sunflower by head diameter and zucchini by length.

    Advertisement

    For a complete list of rules and regulations, as well as current record holders visit .


    Sign up to receive a FREE copy of West Virginia Explorer Magazine in your email weekly. Sign me up!
    David Sibray
    David Sibray
    Historian, real estate agent, and proponent of inventive economic development in West Virginia, David Sibray is the founder and publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine. For more information, he may be reached at 304-575-7390.

    LEAVE A REPLY

    Please enter your comment!
    Please enter your name here

    Hot this week

    The Battle of Stanaford—how did a massacre in W.Va. escape the notice of historians?

    STANAFORD, W.Va. — A quiet residential community outside the...

    Beloved Camp Kootaga scouting landmark in W.Va. saved for generations to come

    PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — For more than a century, Camp...

    West Virginia Explorer celebrates record 3.3 million monthly users amid 25th anniversary

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Explorer, the state’s most...

    Retro commercial realty for sale near Hatfield-McCoy ATV trails in West Virginia

    PINEVILLE, W.Va. — Once a gathering place for miners...

    West Virginia monitoring seasonal hemorrhagic disease in deer populations

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Cases of hemorrhagic disease in deer...

    Topics

    Related Articles

    Popular Categories