ONE of the Royal Bathurst Show’s longest supporters could have another prize-winning pumpkin on his hands at the big event which kicks off this Friday.
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Merv Parlett is a life member of the show society and has been growing large and unusual vegetables for display at the annual show for 60 years.
In recent months the 84-year-old, who lives at The Whiddon Group’s residential aged care home in Kelso, has been busy growing an Atlantic giant pumpkin.
“I started growing it around November,” he said.
“I’m predicting it will weight between 70 and 80 kilograms, but we won’t weigh it ’til we take it to the show.”
Mr Parlett said while the pumpkin was smaller than the 150 kilogram pumpkin his late wife grew back in 2007, it was still a good size.
“That was the biggest we ever grew,” he said. “But considering I planted this one so late in the season, it has gone very good.”
Mr Parlett said that growing the pumpkin was a labour of love and said that he had always enjoyed growing and tending to vegetables.
“Every night I cover up the pumpkin with a hessian sack and a blanket to stop the frosts getting it,” he said.
“I make sure it gets plenty of water and the recent rain has been really good,” he said. “The women here have also helped me grow it.”
Mr Parlett said the show had always been one of the highlights of his year and he was looking forward to seeing what everyone else had grown.
Mr Parlett used to take part in the wood chopping, and he has passed on his love of a good show to his grandson.
“My grandson Dylan Smith is quite a good wood chopper,” he said. “He just came fourth in the 275 millimetre underhand handicap at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.”
Deputy director of care services Michelle Sharwood said Mr Parlett’s magnificent pumpkin was the talk of the residential care home.
“I don’t know how many times people have seen it and asked if it is actually real, because it is so big,” she said.
She said giving Mr Parlett the chance to grow a pumpkin on the premises was part of The Whiddon Group’s client first policy.
She said it was wonderful to see the joy that working on the pumpkin brought Mr Parlett, and said that residents and staff had watched its progress with interest.
Ms Sharwood added that a number of other residents would also be entering works in the tapestry, cross stitching and painting categories at the show.
