Jeremy Zwicker from Mahone Bay, NS won the 2022 Howard Dill Award. Photo: Howard Dill Farm

A Mahone Bay farmer claimed this year’s Howard Dill Award at the annual festival hosted at Howard Dill Farm in Windsor, NS which is awarded to the prettiest “Atlantic giant”, which are massive pumpkins grown in the Maritimes.

Jeremy Zwicker grew his pumpkin just outside of Mahone Bay, at his family farm which they have operated for four generations. He says he’s been growing giant pumpkins for nearly a decade, and this year his harvest yielded a beautiful 657-pound pumpkin.

Zwicker knew his pumpkin wasn’t one of the largest in the field but recognized it had a chance to win for its beauty. “I think it was pretty good, but ultimately it’s the people at Dill’s that make the call they judge it based on size, shape, colour, and things like that,” Zwicker said.

Although he’s been growing giant pumpkins for years Zwicker didn’t do anything special this year and is crediting his pumpkins looks with good fortune, “There’s a lot of luck when it comes to growing these things so I guess it was just my year,” Zwicker said.

The pumpkin will now remain at Howard Dill Farm for the rest of the fall as the farm welcomes many visitors throughout the season to show off some of their best pumpkins along with the award winners.