Story, photos: Pittsfield pumpkin takes 3rd place at fest

It’s official: The biggest pumpkin Ray Gronski has ever grown tipped the scales at 1,210 pounds Saturday at the Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Fest weigh-off. That was enough to earn the Pittsfield pumpkin grower third place, $500 and bragging rights. A second pumpkin, entered under his wife Dianne’s name, came in fifth at 1,114 pounds. Press-Gazette readers may remember that pumpkin as the one featured in a photo with a story on Gronski last month. The grand champ belonged to first-time grower Mike Martin of Appleton, whose entry was a whopping 1,323 pounds. The 11th annual event brought in 70 giant pumpkins from across the state and beyond. Ray... [read full story]