Longtime Bonners Ferry resident Rick Maggi has been competitively growing giant pumpkins on and off for more than 15 years, and this season proved to be one of his most successful yet. 

After taking a five-year break, Maggi returned to the patch with a goal of surpassing his personal biggest pumpkin which weighed 1,268 pounds. Assisted by his 12-year-old neighbor Paislee Perkins, the pair grew three pumpkins this year weighing approximately 800, 1,250 and 1,482.5 pounds. 

The 1,250-pound pumpkin earned Maggi seventh place and a $500 cash prize at a weigh-off held three weeks ago in Kent, Washington, where the winning pumpkin tipped the scales at 2,088 pounds. The largest of Maggi’s pumpkins was later entered in the Gervais, Oregon, weigh-off, where he competed against some of the world’s top, most elite pumpkin growers. Weighing in at 1,482.5 pounds, the pumpkin placed sixth and brought home a $1,000 prize. 

Maggi said the competition can be intense and the hobby, addictive.  

“You have to be somewhat obsessive to do well,” he joked, recalling that his late wife once told people, ‘My daughter and I could fall off the edge of the earth and Rick wouldn’t even notice unless we took one of his giant pumpkins with us.’” 

In a good year, Maggi said, his pumpkins can gain between 25 and 30 pounds per day. This season, the largest grew by roughly 800 pounds in August alone. 

In addition to pumpkins, Maggi and Perkins also grew a 19-foot, 6-inch sunflower, their first attempt at the giant flower variety. 

All three pumpkins are currently on display in Bonners Ferry. The 800- and 1,250-pound pumpkins can be seen at Boundary County Tractor, while the 1,482.5-pound pumpkin is on display at Safeway.