2nd annual chicopee pumpkin growing contest

The results are officially in for the 2nd Annual Chicopee Pumpkin Growing Contest. Last year, fourth grade students at each elementary school were given pumpkin seeds, which they started planting in their classrooms. Some of those students brought their seedlings home and worked hard all summer to care for them and learn more about the science of growing pumpkins. Last week, 46 fifth grade students across Chicopee brought their pumpkins back into school for a final weigh in to determine who grew the heaviest pumpkin. The first place winner at each school won a brand new bike, second place won a $25 gift card, and all of the participants received a voucher for an ice cream at McCray’s farm in South Hadley. Many parents on the competition Facebook page expressed gratitude for this experience, stating that they enjoyed watching and growing the pumpkin together as a family. One parent had this to say about the competition: “[It] was a great experience for my kid, they loved it.” Our hope at ChicopeeFRESH is that by directly engaging in the growing process, students gain an appreciation for local farming efforts and take a more vested interest in their food choices.

The 2016 Chicopee Pumpkin Contest Results are…(drumroll please)....
Bowe: 1st- Tre (10.62 lbs), 2nd- Kiara (7.23 lbs), 3rd- Caroline (picture), DuWayne (3.28 lbs*), Danasha (1lb*), Brooke (0.64 lb*)
Litwin: 1st- Ayden (10.98 lbs), 2nd- Chase (10.09 lbs), 3rd-Kayden (8.65 lbs), Hayleigh (6.46 lbs), Nick (2.2 lbs), Tenzin (.76 lb), Ella (picture)
Barry: 1st- Nathan B. (12.38 lbs), 2nd- Adam (10.23 lbs), 3rd- Nathan F. (1.48 lbs)
Lambert-Lavoie: 1st- Kaitlyn (12.47 lbs), 2nd- Maddox (7.61 lbs), 3rd- Kayla (6.08 lbs), Alexandra (4.47 lbs), Hayden (4.12 lbs), Layton (2.89 lbs), Fallon (2.11 lbs), McKenzie (2.09 lbs), Kate (picture)
Stefanik: 1st- Kayla (13.37 lbs), 2nd- Kyle (12.44 lbs), 3rd- Jaelyn (11.63 lbs), Lexyanna (4.33 lbs), Ja’Kaila (0.02 lb), Joe (flower), Emily (picture), Yanitza (a day late but BIG)
Streiber: 1st- Noah (10.76 lbs), 2nd- Trey (6.69 lbs), 3rd- Joshua ( 5.87 lbs), Ellana (2.58 lbs), Makayla (picture)
Fairview: 1st- Noah (17.10 lbs), 2nd- William (6.94 lbs), 3rd- Brianna (3.56 lbs), Colleen (1.45 lbs)
Bowie: 1st- Anessa (12.58), 2nd- MacKenzie (6.26 lbs), 3rd- Colin (3.25 lbs.), Julia (0.43 lb)

*- student borrowed from school garden
(picture)- Student grew a pumpkin at home but it did not produce a pumpkin so they brought in a picture

Top 10 heaviest pumpkins:
1- Noah Q (Fairview) -17.10 lbs
2- Kayla (Stefanik) -13.37 lbs
3- Anessa (Bowie) -12.58 lbs
4- Kaitlyn (Lambert) -12.47 lbs
5- Kyle (Stefanik) -12.44 lbs
6- Nathan (Barry) -12.38 lbs
7- Jaelyn (Stefanik) -11.63 lbs
8- Ayden (Litwin) -10.98 lbs
9- Noah (Streiber) -10.76 lbs
10-Tre (Bowe) -10.62 lbs

​