North Dakota
North Dakota man grows gargantuan gourd, sets sights on pumpkin world record
HUNTER, N.D. — A Minnesota man may hold the world record for growing the largest pumpkin, but an ambitious North Dakota pumpkin farmer is hoping to give him some competition.
Tim Iwen, who has grown and sold pumpkins for 29 years near Hunter, successfully harvested his first giant pumpkin. At 1,250 pounds, the gargantuan gourd is proudly displayed next to a tree at Tim’s U-Pick Pumpkin Patch.
“Maybe some year I can catch up to those Minnesota guys,” Iwen said.
Tim Iwen and his brother, Dan Iwen, are partners in producing and selling pumpkins. Their large patch has 20,000-plus gourds, while the small one has roughly 4,000, Tim Iwen said.
Starting in mid-September, families come to the patch about 3 miles south of Hunter on Highway 18 to pick from an array of pumpkins, squash and gourds. The brothers also sell pumpkins commercially to Hornbacher’s stores in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Hunter is about 35 miles northwest of Fargo.
Tim Iwen focuses on growing the fruit — yes, squash, gourds and pumpkins are fruit — while Dan Iwen handles commercial deliveries to Hornbacher’s.
This year, Tim Iwen started growing his giant pumpkin in April. It started in a greenhouse, then he moved it outside in May, he said.
David Samson / The Forum
He realized about three-fourths of the way through the growing season just how large the pumpkin would be, he said. At its peak, the light orange could-be jack-o’-lantern grew 15 pounds per day, he said.
“That’s nothing to sneeze at,” he said.
On Friday, the pumpkin stopped growing, Tim Iwen said. He cut it and put it on display.
The key is finding seeds that can become super-sized pumpkins, Tim Iwen said. He bought a seed for $80, he said, adding it came from a pumpkin that weighed 2,200 pounds.
“If you do anything else, you’re not going to get any size whatsoever,” he said.
David Samson / The Forum
The Hunter pumpkin isn’t quite in the running for the champion title.
Travis Gienger, of Anoka, Minnesota,
nabbed the Guinness World Record last year when he grew a pumpkin that weighed 2,749 pounds.
That broke the previous record of 2,702 pounds held by Stefano Cutrupi from Italy.
Tim Iwen acknowledged he has a long way to go before he grows a pumpkin over 2,700 pounds, but he wants to keep trying.
“I’m behind some of those guys in Minnesota,” he said. “We do live in an area conducive to growing large pumpkins.”
David Samson / The Forum
This was his second year trying to grow a giant pumpkin. Last year, the bottom of his pumpkin cracked and fell out.
There are cracks on his pumpkin this year, but it is solid.
“I thought it was a little ugly, but it gives it character,” he said.
He had another pumpkin that weighed 1,100 pounds, but he sold it.
Tim Iwen said he is unsure what he’ll do with the giant gourd. For now, it sits on a pallet waiting for customers to admire it.
David Samson / The Forum
What: Tim’s U-Pick Pumpkin Patch
When: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
Where: 1750 155th Ave. SE, Hunter, N.D.
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.
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