FARMERS’ ALMANAC EDITOR RISKS LIFE AND GOURD IN PUMPKIN REGATTA

Lewiston, Maine: Peter Geiger, philanthropist, Philomath, and editor of the Farmers’ Almanac™—a publication renowned for long-range weather predictions—is heading north this weekend. He’s Canada-bound and determined to bring home gold—or make that orange—as he paddles across Lake Pezaquid and toward victory, competing in the 7th Annual Pumpkin Regatta in Windsor, Nova Scotia, on Sunday, October 15.

Geiger, quoted earlier this fall as saying that "Shivery is not dead,” was perhaps inspired by a need to perform an epic quest. He certainly sought a pumpkin of epic proportions and found a 687 lb. one on the Sanford, Maine, farm of Al Berard, who has been growing award-winning giant pumpkins for the past 14 years. Berard is passionate about his giant pumpkins—his largest, to date, has been a 978 lb. beauty—and he is something of a proud papa when it comes to them. He invited Geiger to visit his farm when the plants were just "giving birth" and has sent Geiger photo updates throughout the growing season—including the month of August when giant pumpkins are known to grow as much as 30 lbs. in a single day.

Geiger will be picking up his pumpkin in Sanford on Wednesday, October 11, and trucking it for ten long hours to Windsor on Friday, October 13.

Then, real chivalric feats will begin. For, on Saturday, the 687 lb. pumpkin will have to be gutted and transformed to a personal vegetable craft (PVC). Geiger has already named his PVC, “Peter’s Pumpkin Pie-yak”, a moniker undoubtedly inspired by the canoeing and kayaking that he taught at a children's camp for 18 years.

“I love boating and anything on the water,” says Geiger. “Notice how I said ‘on’, not ‘in’,” he adds.

During the regatta, Geiger will be packing a life vest, wetsuit, two kayak paddles, and one canoe paddle. He plans to put his battery-operated bilge pump into his PVC and run it throughout the entire race.

“I’ll be wearing my lucky Farmers' Almanac hat,” adds Geiger. “I’ve never lost a pumpkin race while wearing it.”

After the regatta, Geiger—ever the philanthropist—will be donating “Peter’s Pumpkin Pie-yak” to a pig farmer outside of Windsor.

“It is the least I can do for the locals,” he says. As for the estimated 400 lbs. of seed-filled pumpkin scoopage, Geiger will be taking it back to Berard’s farm, so that many more giant pumpkins may be grown in Maine next season.

For a more detailed account of Peter Geiger’s first-hand experience of the 7th Annual Pumpkin Regatta in Windsor, Nova Scotia, go to www.FarmersAlmanac.com.