Illinois man grows state's largest pumpkin at 1,673 pounds

BEASON, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois man has grown the state's largest pumpkin and has brought it to display at pumpkin patches across the state's central area.

The pumpkin is officially this year's largest, weighing at 1,673 pounds, according to The Pantagraph.

Henry Bartimus of DeWitt was established as the new Illinois State Giant Pumpkin Grand Champion for the pumpkin that took 105 days to grow.

It is fifth-largest pumpkin ever to be grown in Illinois. It sits on a trailer, but a forklift and a specially created crane are needed for transport.

The Illinois record for the largest pumpkin is currently 2,145 pounds. The world record is 2,624 pounds grown from a seed from Illinois.

Bartimus has been attempting to grow the state's biggest pumpkin every year since 2013 on his property in DeWitt, a small farming town of about 200 residents between Clinton and Farmer City in DeWitt County.

Along with the Illinois State Giant Pumpkin Grand Champion title, Bartimus also won $1,000 and gets his name on a traveling belt that rivals any WWE championship strap.

'œI get to hold onto that for one year,'ť he said proudly.