From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Parker, Co

We just heard that Chris Andersen passed away yesterday. Chris was a great guy. Mild mannered and always ready to help other growers. He lived in Moraga, Ca and in 1997 grew a 969 lb pumpkin which was the biggest grown that year in the world. ( It was not a WR as the Zehrs had grown the 1061 the year before.) Chris was a part of the original California pumpkin group. RIP

7/8/2020 4:06:45 PM

Colorado

I remember him and that pumpkin. Didnt he have to give it up-
marrage issues? RIP

7/8/2020 4:32:20 PM

Syracuse, NY

i have been handling two of those seeds (although they may say 977) every of 15+ years as i go through my collection but always to get to others, afraid to have them not sprout until i had a method that was more certain. will try next year, to commemorate; very sorry to hear of our loss---eric gerry

7/8/2020 6:00:13 PM

Parker, Co

Eric, I like 977 better! I got my info from a news article and sometimes they make errors😂 it was massive at the time I can tell you that!

7/8/2020 6:09:49 PM

Parker, Co

Joe, pumpkins may have caused some trouble in the marriage. He had two young children at the time.

7/8/2020 6:12:33 PM

Colorado

It was grown on the 697 ciliberto or 2006 greer seed,cant remember which.

7/8/2020 6:22:22 PM

Bethlehem CT

I remember reading about him in How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins 2. I think he was the one using misters, if I remember properly.

7/8/2020 6:26:58 PM

Colorado

1006 greer

7/8/2020 6:31:36 PM

Parker, Co

Chris was really smart and always thinking of ways to grow bigger pumpkins. He may have been one of the first to use misters. Moraga gets warm and he was working full time.

7/8/2020 7:10:03 PM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

Very sorry to hear this. He was truly a great guy and mentored me via email when I first started. We crossed his 977 with the Lloyd 935 to produce our 815 seed. I remember him saying he had to mist so much his soil turned green! He always made time to help me.

7/8/2020 9:32:19 PM

Syracuse, NY

If i'd have known him, i'd have called him Mister Andersen. Not committing to it, but if memory serves, there may be a video/news article on a Joel Holland video about it. Guessing the '97/'98 edition, if any. eg

7/8/2020 11:16:49 PM

Monrovia, CA

I am so sorry to hear about Chris. I just checked in w/BP and saw this. I never had the pleasure of meeting him but I was very influenced and inspired by his growing pumpkins in such a hot climate. We are a similar situation. Condolences to his family...and thank you for the inspiration!

7/17/2020 3:40:53 PM

Long Island,New York

815andersen was pretty famous for producing nice sized squash that went very heavy.

7/22/2020 3:24:38 PM