Cortezian breaks state record with backyard pumpkin

The great pumpkin weighs in at 1,039 pounds, a new state record.

BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com

CORTEZ – What started out as a casual pastime for Cortez resident and backyard farmer Tim Caniff has turned into a serious statewide agriculture record.

At 1,039 pounds, Caniff’s great pumpkin - grown in his backyard – has blown the previous state record out of the water by more than 400 pounds. “This started off as a fun beer-drinking hobby,” Caniff said. “This pumpkin was golf ball-size a little over two months ago.”

It was a nearly two-hour long process on Saturday morning to get the pumpkin out of the garden and into the back of Caniff’s truck to get it weighed.

Fellow fisherman Tim Murphy, who helped with the pumpkin’s move, told Caniff, “Two kings are going to be crowned today. One in England and one in Cortez.”

Prior to Saturday morning’s weigh-in, Caniff, a commercial fisherman for Cortez Bait and Seafood, had fashioned a hoist from a bait net scoop, with rope and chains to lift the oversized fruit (a pumpkin is a fruit, not a vegetable).

Once lifted, a wooden pallet was pushed under go-to place for whatever is needed for a day on the water, as well as a cozy waterfront lunch or dinner spot. Annie’s sells bait and tackle, beer, ice, food and gas.

“Our motto is, ‘If we don’t have it, you don’t need it.’ When we started this place, I knew if I didn’t have everything I couldn’t stay in business,’’ Shearer said. “There really is nothing else like this. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Shearer, 70, said while he can retire comfortably, he hopes that won’t be the case.

“I really like working. I’m here every day,” he said. “I would miss the friendship. I have met a lot of nice people here.”

Shearer acknowledged that Annie’s ramshackle building just north of the Cortez Bridge may be off-putting to some tourists, but he said that locals and regular customers understand the value of Annie’s.