St. Thomas man squashes the competition at Norfolk County Fair

A St. Thomas man took home first place at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show giant squash competition in Simcoe, Ont. with a nearly four foot tall fruit that weighed more than half a ton.

The prize-winning giant squash was a whopping 581.96 kilograms, but it wasn't the most impressive one to ever come out of his garden, said Joel Jarvis, a horticulturalist who has been growing giant vegetables for over 30 years.

"You need a pickup [truck] to move it. It's a monster squash but if I'm being honest, I've grown bigger," Jarvis said.

In 2011, Jarvis set a Guinness World Record by growing a 674.3 kilogram squash. The current record holders are U.S. growers Todd and Donna Skinner whose monster squash weighed in at 981.57 kilograms in 2021.

Once the fair is over, Jarvis said that his squash will be brought out to the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club so guests can take photos with it.

While this particular squash will be on display, the fruit's flesh could also be used in a tasty fall recipe.

"You could eat it. There's nothing wrong with it, but the water content is quite high in these giants because we're going for weight," he said.

Originally from Nova Scotia, Jarvis' passion for growing giant fruits and vegetables was sparked by a prize-winning grower and farmer named Howard Dill whose seeds are still sought after to grow giant-sized pumpkins.

"You can't help but smile when you see these things," he said.

Growing massive fruits and vegetables is a matter of balance, Jarvis said. He recommends good quality soil, between 600 and 800 square feet of space, and only a few seeds to soak up all the nutrients and water.

"The biggest thing to focus on is the health of your plant, then you have a healthy fruit. Also, genetics will take you a long way these days. Getting a 405 hundred pounder in your backyard is not out of the question," he said.

Though, as the recent heavy rains over his home in St. Thomas reinforced, more water isn't always better.

"I lost a really good pumpkin and squash for the simple fact they grew too fast with all that rain. They basically exploded," he said.

For those who are interested in going into the competitive side of growing, Jarvis has some advice.