If you want to see the biggest zucchini in the world, you don’t have to go too far. Right outside the Montpelier Agaway sits the 115-pound marrow, a giant zucchini. Ron Scholtz, of Williamstown, grew it. The organization Great Pumpkin Commonwealth keeps the records and lists Scholtz’s as the largest marrow in the world registered in 2020, so far.”This one really sits good because I’ve never been number one in nothing and all of a sudden here we are in the world and now we’re number one at the moment,” said Scholtz. He said you have to have the right seeds. Then, the trick is having good soil, fertilizer and also temperature. “When we had a couple of 90-degree days like we did this year, and warm nights, these babies grow,” Scholtz said. He said it’s been just right this year. Still, Scholtz said not everybody has had a good growing season. There have been drought conditions, and he knows that’s hit some people hard. “I know folks have struggled with the water this year, there’s no doubt about that,” said Scholtz. The USDA has been collecting crop-loss data from farmers this year. They are about to submit it to get federal money to help. Farmers can get loans to help with water infrastructure, and other disaster support money to help tide them over. “In order to qualify for our request they had to demonstrate a 30% crop loss. So some may have been slightly under that but some were probably much more. I think there were reports of near total crop losses in some places,” said Wendy Wilton, Vermont Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency.She said it’s been localized in the state and that some parts were hit harder than others. Those that need help can contact the USDA. But while some farms had a rough season, one Vermonter did okay and is helping continue to grow his state’s reputation around the world. “This might never happen again and I pulled it off one time. That’s all I need, one time,” said Scholtz.
MONTPELIER, Vt. —
If you want to see the biggest zucchini in the world, you don’t have to go too far.
Right outside the Montpelier Agaway sits the 115-pound marrow, a giant zucchini. Ron Scholtz, of Williamstown, grew it.
The organization Great Pumpkin Commonwealth keeps the records and lists Scholtz’s as the largest marrow in the world registered in 2020, so far.
“This one really sits good because I’ve never been number one in nothing and all of a sudden here we are in the world and now we’re number one at the moment,” said Scholtz.
He said you have to have the right seeds. Then, the trick is having good soil, fertilizer and also temperature.
“When we had a couple of 90-degree days like we did this year, and warm nights, these babies grow,” Scholtz said.
He said it’s been just right this year. Still, Scholtz said not everybody has had a good growing season. There have been drought conditions, and he knows that’s hit some people hard.
“I know folks have struggled with the water this year, there’s no doubt about that,” said Scholtz.
The USDA has been collecting crop-loss data from farmers this year. They are about to submit it to get federal money to help. Farmers can get loans to help with water infrastructure, and other disaster support money to help tide them over.
“In order to qualify for our request they had to demonstrate a 30% crop loss. So some may have been slightly under that but some were probably much more. I think there were reports of near total crop losses in some places,” said Wendy Wilton, Vermont Director of the USDA Farm Service Agency.
She said it’s been localized in the state and that some parts were hit harder than others. Those that need help can contact the USDA.
But while some farms had a rough season, one Vermonter did okay and is helping continue to grow his state’s reputation around the world.
“This might never happen again and I pulled it off one time. That’s all I need, one time,” said Scholtz.
