Rain doesn’t diminish relay races, pumpkin contest

Pounding rain didn’t stop teams from having a good time Saturday during the Harvest Fest Relay Races.

Pounding rain didn’t stop teams from having a good time Saturday during the Harvest Fest Relay Races.

The teams collectively raised nearly $29,000 for Gifts From the Heart food bank and put on a good show.

Relay activities included egg tossing, finding radishes in a pile of hay, turnip tossing, corn shucking and wheelbarrow running.

The top two teams for collecting the most money were the Coupeville High School’s drama troupe and the team from Rose Hip Farm and Garden.

The drama troupe team got a big boost in fundraising by local anonymous donors who stepped up with matching donations.

Teams were also rewarded for people’s choice award and fastest time with a variety of local gift certificates.

The Giant Pumpkin Contest also brought in not only big gourds, but big winners.

The winner of the biggest zucchini was Randy Thiesfeld, of Coupeville, who brought in two zucchini with the same winning weight of 11 pounds, 12 ounces.

Kohl Baker of Freeland won the junior pumpkin division with a big 244-pound pumpkin, which he claimed was not the biggest one in his patch.

The ugliest pumpkin was won by newcomer John Boling, of Coupeville.

The top three pumpkins were from Neal Amtmann, of Coupeville, with 391 pounds, newcomer Mike Radach, of Oak Harbor, with 452 pounds and Lee Roof, of Coupeville, with 1,005 pounds.

Roof’s pumpkin, which also won the prettiest pumpkin award, will be on display for the month of October at Three Sisters Grocery in San de Fuca.

Plans are already underway for the 20th annual contest for next year, and anyone wishing to receive free seeds may contact the contest at whidbeypumpkins@gmail.com

Free seeds will be sent out early next spring.

Harvest Fest also marked the final Coupeville Farmers Market of the season. It will be back in April 2015.

 

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