Central New York Couple Grows 1,200-Pound Pumpkin

If you thought pumpkin spice season was big, wait until you see what’s growing in Remsen.

Daniel J. Sheets and his girlfriend, Brynne Myers, are making waves with their backyard giants this year. One of which they’ve nicknamed “Pumpzilla,” currently estimated at a whopping 1,239 pounds. Daniel confirms it's real:

“This is my third year growing giant pumpkins—my first year I got 600 pounds, and the second year, 400 pounds. But this season, things grew to an entirely different level."

 

The Magic Seeds Behind Pumpzilla

The magic, according to Daniel, might just come down to the seeds. Last year, at a farmers market in Buffalo, he met a man known only as Scarecrow Scott.

“I told him I was growing giant pumpkins and he told me he had a magic seed or something like that. I thought he was full of it but I bought a few seeds anyway. Turns out he wasn’t joking!”

 

How Do You Grow a 1,200-Pound Pumpkin?

From there, Daniel and Brynne carefully started their plants indoors before transferring them into the soil. The late spring chill in Upstate New York meant they planted later than they hoped, and the hot, dry summer forced them to water constantly. But the payoff has been huge. Alongside Pumpzilla, another pumpkin named “Ducky” is still swelling, already tipping the scales at 715 pounds.

Pumpzilla Is Up for Sale

And if you’ve ever dreamed of owning your own colossal pumpkin, you might be in luck. A recent Facebook post from Daniel advertised Pumpzilla with a price tag of $1,200, noting:

“Giant pumpkin for sale. Currently estimated at 1239 pounds. I have not picked it yet but will if someone wants to buy it. Located Remsen, NY.”

 

How Big Is the Biggest Pumpkin in the World?

To put things in perspective, the world record for the heaviest pumpkin was set in 2023 in Italy at an eye-popping 2,749 pounds. Here in the U.S., pumpkins weighing over a ton have won competitions in New England and on the West Coast. While Pumpzilla isn’t quite world-record size, it’s still larger than most cars’ engines and about the size of a hot tub.

Why They Do It

For Daniel and Brynne, though, it’s about more than breaking records. It’s about the fun of the challenge, the science of seed selection, and the pure joy of seeing people’s faces when they lay eyes on a pumpkin that could practically double as a guesthouse. Pumpzilla may not fit on your porch, but it’s safe to say this Remsen couple has officially put Central New York on the giant pumpkin map.