'Monster' Pumpkin Sets State Record

Posted on: Friday, 1 August 2008, 18:00 CDT By Dawn Hinshaw, The State, Columbia, S.C. Aug. 1--As they hoped, a Lexington couple's giant backyard pumpkin has indeed set a state record for weight. Frank and Tina Finders' pampered pumpkin weighed in this morning at 897 pounds, beating the previous best of 737 pounds. "I was hoping for 1,000 but 900 pounds is awesome," Frank Finders said. The newlyweds have been waiting for this day for nearly four months, keeping their pumpkin moist and shady. Two plastic hoot-owls scared curious crows from their garden in Arcadia Lakes. "You ever seen something that big?" Tina Finders said, grinning. At the height of the growing season, the Finders' pumpkin was putting on 60 pounds a night. It was practically growing before their eyes. Tuesday, it stopped. With the tape measure registering 186... [read full story]