Most people think growing vegetables is simple work.
Jay Richard proves that’s not always the case.
And Wyoming’s Pumpkin King created one unthinkable growing setup that puts most farmers to shame.
When pumpkins get better treatment than people
Jay Richard doesn’t mess around when it comes to growing giant pumpkins at his home in Worland, Wyoming.
The man they call Wyoming’s "Pumpkin King" has turned pumpkin growing into an absolute science.
Richard built a custom greenhouse that’s got air conditioning — something his own house doesn’t even have.
"I don’t even have air conditioning in my house," Richard told Cowboy State Daily. "Some people say it’s excessive. I say it’s necessary."¹
That’s dedication right there.
Richard’s massive 30-by-70-foot greenhouse is home to only two pumpkin plants, with each one getting about as much room as a two-car garage.
Most people would think that’s crazy, but Richard knows what he’s doing.
His biggest pumpkin ever, a massive orange beast he named "Marion," weighed in at 1,784 pounds in 2023.
That’s heavier than most cars and made it the second-largest pumpkin ever grown in Wyoming.
The pampering process that’ll blow your mind
Richard’s current pumpkins, named "Jill" and "Kelly" after characters from Charlie’s Angels, are getting the royal treatment.
He’s feeding them nearly 500 gallons of water per day between the two of them.
That’s more water than most people use in a week.
The guy sends his soil samples to Western Laboratories in Idaho for testing to make sure everything’s perfect.
He’s installed a drip system with an injection device to give his pumpkins direct hits of phosphorus.
Richard even monitors one of his pumpkins’ growth daily using a borrowed scale from a fellow grower.
"I’m borrowing his scale, so I’ve got one of my pumpkins sitting on a scale so I can monitor its growth every day," he explained.²
But here’s the thing that’s got Richard frustrated — despite all this pampering, his pumpkins are only gaining 27 to 29 pounds per day.
That might sound impressive to regular folks, but for professional pumpkin growers, it’s considered slow.
"I can tell you they’re gaining about 27 to 29 pounds a day," Richard said. "If you don’t grow giant pumpkins, that seems like a lot, but I would like to see them gaining 40 pounds a day, easy."³
The quest for the ultimate pumpkin
Richard’s got his sights set on growing a 2,000-pound pumpkin this year.
He calls his project "P2K" — short for "Pumpkin 2,000."
The current world record belongs to Travis Gienger of Minnesota, who grew a massive 2,749-pound pumpkin in 2023.
That beast won him $30,000 at the Half Moon Bay World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off.
Richard’s been getting advice from some of the best pumpkin growers in the world, but even they’re stumped about why his pumpkins are growing so slowly.
"I talk with my friends like Ralph and Brad Bledsoe in Colorado," Richard said. "They’re heavy-hitter growers, some of the best in the world, and they’re just as stymied as I am."⁴
The most likely explanation is genetics — sometimes you just get slow seeds.
What makes a pumpkin champion
Growing giant pumpkins isn’t just about throwing some seeds in the ground and hoping for the best.
These are Atlantic Giant pumpkins, a specific variety bred for massive size.
"The giant pumpkins, they’re a specific kind of seed and plant, called an Atlantic Giant," Richard explained in a previous interview. "Everything about them is big, from the seed to the pumpkin. The plants are big, the leaves are big, the vines are big. The pumpkins have the genetic potential to grow very, very large."⁵
It can take up to five years for soil to develop the right nutrient balance to support these monsters.
Richard’s been at this since 2002, when he first got into pumpkin growing after losing a local competition.
"Not even going to lie, I had a little pumpkin envy," he admitted. "And I kind of said to myself, game on brother."⁶
From greenhouse to glory
Richard’s greenhouse approach is paying off.
In 2023, he became the first person to win pumpkin championships in three different states during the same season.
His pumpkins "Marion," "Joanie," and "Leather Tuscadero" had a combined weight of 4,869 pounds.
That’s more than two cars worth of pumpkin.
The guy’s got his system down to a science, but he’s also got the heart of an entertainer.
Every year at the Wyoming State Pumpkin Championship Weigh-Off in Worland, Richard hosts the famous "pumpkin drop."
He uses a 200-foot crane to hoist his smaller pumpkins into the air, then drops them onto targets like RVs or wooden cutouts.
"It’s beginning to look a lot like pumpkins!!" Richard wrote on his Facebook page.⁷
The community that supports the dream
Richard’s part of a tight-knit community of giant pumpkin growers worldwide.
The Great Pumpkin Commonwealth sanctions official weigh-offs at over 70 locations around the globe.
These aren’t just hobbyists — they’re serious competitors who share seeds, techniques, and encouragement.
Richard recently attended the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth International Grower’s Convention in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
"I’ve learned more in the last three days than I have in the last 15 years of figuring it out," he said after the convention.⁸
Why Wyoming’s Pumpkin King keeps pushing
Despite his current frustrations with slow-growing pumpkins, Richard isn’t giving up.
He’s got the biggest, healthiest plants he’s ever grown, and his pumpkins are perfectly shaped.
"I’ll say this for sure: these are the biggest, healthiest plants and the best-shaped pumpkins I’ve ever had," Richard said. "They’re even orange, believe it or not."⁹
The larger of his two current pumpkins, "Jill," is expected to hit 600 pounds this week.
"Kelly" is hovering around 500 pounds.
Even his "red-headed stepchild" pumpkin growing in the old patch has potential.
Richard’s planning to keep pushing his pumpkins right up until the October weigh-off.
"We’re going to push them all the way to the end," he said. "I’m not confident, but I’m comfortable with what they’re doing."¹⁰
Whether he hits his 2,000-pound goal or not, Richard’s already proven that with enough dedication, air conditioning, and about 500 gallons of water a day, you can grow pumpkins that put most farmers to shame.
¹ Andrew Rossi, "Pumpkin King Is So Serious His Greenhouse Has Air Conditioning — His Home Doesn’t," Cowboy State Daily, July 15, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Andrew Rossi, "The Quest For 2000: Worland Man Tries — Yet Again — To Grow One Ton Pumpkin," Cowboy State Daily, May 8, 2023.
⁶ KTVQ, "Extreme gardening: Wyoming man growing giant, winning pumpkins," October 6, 2023.
⁷ Andrew Rossi, "Wyoming ‘Pumpkin King’ Jay Richard Already Planting Pumpkin Seeds To Break State Record," Cowboy State Daily, April 6, 2023.
⁸ Andrew Rossi, "Wyoming Pumpkin Kings Geek Out With World’s Biggest Growers At Lambeau Field," Cowboy State Daily, March 16, 2025.
⁹ Andrew Rossi, "Pumpkin King Is So Serious His Greenhouse Has Air Conditioning — His Home Doesn’t," Cowboy State Daily, July 15, 2025.
¹⁰ Ibid.
