A horticulture teacher in Minnesota just set the record for the heaviest pumpkin grown in North America, weighing in at a gigantic 2,560 lbs.

And I know a few farmers in New York who are absolutely crushed to hear this news.

These folks in New York held a US record for one week before this Minnesotan came along and beat them by a mere 6 lbs.

From the AP:

A horticulture teacher from Minnesota set a new U.S. record Monday for the heaviest pumpkin after raising a giant gourd weighing 2,560 pounds.

Travis Gienger, of Anoka, Minnesota set the new record and won an annual pumpkin-weighing contest in Northern California.

"Minnesota has a great midyear, but our spring in our parts is really, really tough. So to do it in Minnesota, it just shouldn't happen," Gienger said. "It's like winning the Tour de France on a big wheel. You know, you can only hope, but it worked."

This is a huge accomplishment for the teacher.

I'm not a pumpkin-growing expert, but I believe him when he says this accomplishment is impressive for a Minnesota farmer to achieve.

Just getting the massive gourd from Minnesota to California for the contest is an achievement.

Gienger drove the gargantuan gourd for 35 hours to see his hard work pay off at the 49th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco.

"You think driving in a snowstorm is bad? Try driving one of these things," he said.

Still, even after breaking the week-old US record, an Italian farmer still holds the title of world champion for 2,702 lb monster.

That's the next goal American farmers! The United States NEEDS the world's biggest pumpkin.