Vege pumps up volume

Yes, that is a dog standing on a pumpkin. And no, this picture has not been tampered with.

Admittedly, the dog is not exactly an Irish wolfhound. It is a 2-year-old chihuahua named Ali.

But the pumpkin is quite something. At 204kg, it is New Zealand's heaviest vegetable of 2008 (so far).

Harold Gloag, of Roxburgh in Central Otago, has been growing Atlantic Giant pumpkins for the past decade, and, although he fed it only water, this fine specimen is by far the biggest he and his wife Gwen have produced. MORE>>