Sarah Whitty, the Maine grower known as Pumpkinista on TikTok, has broken a North American record with a giant zucchini she named Secretariat. The vegetable weighed in at 170 pounds on October 1, and the news sent her followers into a frenzy of celebration.
Whitty has spent more than a decade growing oversized produce, including pumpkins, tomatoes, gourds, and marrows. Her videos document each crop from planting to harvest, and she names them along the way. Secretariat was the standout this year, and the result is now a new North American record for a giant marrow, a type of squash often called zucchini in American kitchens.
The Weigh-In That Set the Record
On October 1, Whitty posted the results of the official weigh-off. “Secretariat is the new North American record marrow (zucchini)!!!” she wrote alongside the footage. The video shows Whitty standing beside the enormous dark green vegetable as the scale displays the official weight of 170 pounds. The board in the clip also features the New Hampshire Giant Pumpkin Growers Association logo.
The achievement went viral fast. Within roughly 13 hours, the video had amassed more than 254,000 likes, nearly 6,000 comments, and over 14,000 shares.
Fans Screamed and Stressed
Whitty’s followers had been tracking Secretariat’s progress all season. They knew what was at stake. One viewer wrote, “I just screamed to my husband ‘OMG SHE GOT THE RECORD, SHE DID IT!!'” Another said, “This is EXACTLY the news I needed to wake up to,” while a third added, “Yessssss this zucchini had me stressed.”
The reactions show how invested the audience became in the plant’s journey. Whitty’s documentation turned a farm experiment into a communal event, with viewers checking in on the zucchini’s growth week after week.
Other Crops Are Still Coming
The excitement is not over yet. Whitty has other giant pumpkins still awaiting their weigh-ins, including War Admiral and Seabiscuit. Those two are expected to add to her already impressive record of oversized produce.
Whitty’s work extends beyond her personal garden. She serves as president of the Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization and shares educational content about growing giant vegetables alongside updates on her own crops. Her Pumpkinista YouTube channel has grown to more than 130,000 subscribers.
A Long Record of Success
Whitty is no stranger to breaking records. In 2023, she set a Maine state record with a 60.5-pound marrow. Her work has also earned recognition within the competitive giant vegetable growing community.
| Record | Weight |
|---|---|
| Maine state marrow record | 60.5 pounds |
| North American marrow (zucchini) record | 170 pounds |
“Secretariat is the new North American record marrow (zucchini)!!!”
The record-breaking zucchini is a reminder of how far a single plant can go when treated with care and attention. Whitty’s dedication to her craft, combined with her ability to share it online, has turned a simple gardening hobby into a global spectacle.
The record stands now, and the pumpkin grower has added a North American title to her growing list of giant vegetable achievements. For anyone who screamed at the news, the wait was worth it.
See the video the story is built around at Dexerto.
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