Mike Schmit has been growing giant pumpkins since 2016 and this year, he had a surefire titan. He told ABC7, "This is a giant pumpkin. Weighs in - it weighs in at about 2,520 pounds."
This pumpkin was the heaviest in the country this year, and could have netted Schmit a hefty amount in prize money. "This pumpkin would have won this year and so you're looking at a pumpkin that would have been worth $20,000," he said.
Unfortunately, the pumpkin won't win Schmit any prize money this year as it has been disqualified from any competition it could enter, due to a crack the size of a fingernail. He said, "The crack was the size of a fingernail. It happens. There's no crying in pumpkin growing."
Despite the disqualification, Schmit is already preparing for next year. "I know I can do it again, so we just got to look forward to the future," he says.