By CYNTHIA WOOLBRIGHT

Staff reporter

The giant pumpkin faithful were in full force Saturday during Coupeville’s annual Harvest Fest.

Despite a thick fog and brisk cold in the air, families flocked to Sherman’s Pioneer Farm and to the Coupeville Farmers Market site off Alexander.

Out at the farm, the crowds trickled through slowly. First sight out of the car was the farm’s trebuchet that was staffed by volunteers from the Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce. If flinging gourds wasn’t up their alley, people could pull the trigger on a potato gun that sent spuds soaring.

Following a slightly bumpy ride to the pumpkin patch, one of the first groups of kids out at the Sherman Farm couldn’t scramble fast enough off the tractor trolley. With parents in tow, kids like Anthony Weaver of Langley searched near and far for that perfect orange orb to take home for carving. It was the second time for Weaver, 2 and 1/2, to come out to the farm.

“He woke up this morning all excited,” his mother said.

Liz Sherman can’t remember a time when her family didn’t have people out at the farm come fall.

“We’ve been inviting people out here unofficially for years,” she said. “There’d always be people driving up to come pick pumpkins.”

When it’s not Harvest Fest weekend, the Shermans keep the welcome mat out to introduce life on an everyday working farm.

“We like to help with things like prairie tours,” she said. “It keeps people in touch with their roots, that we all started here, some of us just stayed working farmers.”

Back at the farmers market, people wandered about, enjoying the warmth of the market community.

“It’s been a great day,” said Peg Tennant, Coupeville Market manager.

Market vendors brought some for the last produce of the season, as Saturday also marked the close of the market. Crafts and fresh baked goods were also available, with many people making runs to booths selling hats and scarves.

“We didn’t realize how cold it was until we got here so we had to do a little outfitting on the spot,” said Coupeville resident Mariah Knoblich.

The entries for the giant pumpkin contest stood guard by the bustling market until their weigh-in time came in the afternoon.

Top honors in the junior grower’s division went to kids gardeners from Whidbey Island Naval Air Station’s Youth Center, which swept one, two and three, as well as grabbing honors as growing the ugliest pumpkin.

While Dave Binder of Coupeville didn’t have the biggest pumpkin, he did win the award for the prettiest pumpkin and came in a close second with a giant weighing 228 pounds.

Diana Campbell of Clinton grew the third heaviest pumpkin at 191 pounds 5 ounces.

Larry McMaster of Freeland tipped the scale and took top honors in the giant pumpkin contest with a pumpkin weighing 315 pounds.

Not to be outdone, the zucchini growers of the island brought their finest specimens and in the end if was Phil Renninger of Oak Harbor with the largest zucchini at 28 pounds 5 ounces.

McMaster, who’s family has farmed on the island for over 100 years, was among the pumpkin growers who stood in front of the crowd and told a little growing lore.

After the contest was over, the giant pumpkins were sacrificed, sliced open and seeds collected for next year. That’s how the legacy of giant pumpkins grows on Whidbey, one seed at a time.

“Plans are already being made for the twelfth annual contest to be held next fall,” said Lee Roof, organizer of the Whidbey Island Giant Pumpkin contest.

For more information about next year’s contest and to learn how to grow your own giant pumpkin, contact Roof at 675-5687 or 360-321-6650.