A 290-pound pumpkin named Buster drew plenty of attention on Anarchist Mountain this October. But getting him to the weigh-in was part of a much longer story, one that brought neighbours together over seeds, growing advice, hungry wildlife and the occasional pumpkin emergency.
The idea began in October 2025, when local organizers spotted a news story about the Whonnock Giant Pumpkin Contest. Could something similar take root on Anarchist Mountain? They hoped a shared growing challenge would encourage neighbours to get involved, including families with children and people new to the community.
With support from a Neighbourhood Small Grant, they set about finding out.
From little seeds to big ambitions
Organizers reached out to Whonnock growers Trevor and Joanne, who generously shared advice and seeds from three prizewinning pumpkins. Trevor stayed in touch throughout the season, checking on progress and helping answer growing questions.
In May, organizers carefully sanded the seed edges and germinated them in an oven with the heat off and the light on for warmth. A local nursery then helped care for the seedlings until they were ready for their new homes.
Of 40 seeds, 37 sprouted. Twenty-nine families picked up plants, along with starter supplies and growing instructions.
A new Facebook group became a place to share progress photos, ask questions and cheer one another on. Alongside growing tips came poetry, animated pumpkins and even a request for male blossoms to pollinate a vine producing only female flowers.
Soon, pumpkins were finding their way into conversations at other mountain gatherings, too.
A little help from the neighbours
Growing giant pumpkins on the mountain came with challenges. Some cracked or rotted. Others became meals for local wildlife.
As temperatures dropped in September, growers brought out blankets and hoop houses to protect their vines. When freezing weather arrived over Thanksgiving weekend, some neighbours worked together to move pumpkins into garages or other sheltered spaces.
Not every plant made it to the finish line, but there was still plenty to celebrate.
On October 17, more than 70 community members gathered for the big reveal, with 17 pumpkins ready for the scales. There were hot dogs, pumpkin decorating and plenty of time to admire the entries while anticipating the weigh-in.
Meet Buster, Princess and Charlotte
The smallest pumpkin weighed in at 13 pounds. From there, the numbers climbed, along with the excitement.
Charlotte reached 149 pounds and earned the People’s Choice award for Best Naked Pumpkin. Princess, dressed for the occasion, weighed 227 pounds and also won the adult decorating category.
Then came Buster.
At a whopping 290 pounds, he claimed the top spot.
For the organizers, another welcome result was meeting neighbours they hadn’t connected with before. Around them, conversations were already turning to another growing season.
“We should do this again next year.”
“Next year I might have to do this.”
The rain passed them by, the sun came out, and a year-old idea had grown into a gathering worth repeating.
The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen is pleased to support resident-led ideas like this through Neighbourhood Small Grants. Have an idea to bring your neighbours together? We welcome applications from Anarchist Mountain and communities across our region each spring.
