Imagine being greeted by scary pumpkins of epic proportions. While it sounds like the plot of a scary movie, it is a reality at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
Connecticut native Scott Cully spent October 28 and 29, 2011 at Foxwoods, the third time in 10 years, to showcase his talent for carving extraordinarily large pumpkins.
Thousands of customers snapped photos with digital cameras and cell phones while asking Cully questions about his creations.
Cully has won five Guinness Book of World Records for jack-o’-lanterns weighing up to 1,800 pounds. He is recognized worldwide for his skillful carving and has won multiple championships for pumpkin growing and carving.
On October 28, 2011, Cully carved two 300 pound pumpkins which were grown by a Rhode Island farmer. The pumpkins were brought in by forklift and it is estimated that the carvings caused each pumpkin to lose about 50 pounds.
It takes Cully between 45 minutes to an hour to carve every 100 pounds.
One pumpkin is on display next to the California Pizza Kitchen while the other is in the Grand Pequot Tower Rotunda. Both were carved on October 28, 2011.
A gigantic 1,568-lb. pumpkin was carved in the Rainmaker Square on October 29 which took him more than 12 hours.
Cully explains that this pumpkin features three faces including “one with boots that looked like it was eating someone.” All three faces have a Halloween theme which could be dubbed as the “Great Pumpkin.”
When asked what he likes most about pumpkin carving, Cully said, “I like the opportunity to inspire children and adults and to travel to cool places like Foxwoods.”
His hobby allows him to visit locations as far away as Germany and allows him to be featured on The Food Network television shows.
Cully has some regular clients he visits annually in addition to new ones.
Over the course of a year, Cully carves between 10 and 12 pumpkins that weigh over 1,000 pounds.
Cully excitedly explains that his love for pumpkin carving started 23 years ago over New England Hard Cider when he and his wife grew 400 pound pumpkins. They decided to carve them jack o’ lantern three-dimensional style and brought them to a Halloween party where the attendees loved it.
“Like my daughter says, ‘Go big or go home,’” Cully said with a smile.
To encourage new generations to take on this labor of love, Cully explains that the pumpkins are carved with simple accessible kitchen tools that an older child could easily work with.
“I mostly use a three inch pruning knife with a thick wooden handle which makes it easy to twist and turn,” Cully explained, showing several of his tools.
In terms of growing large pumpkins, Cully summed it up with three factors, “genetics, good cultural care, and luck of the weather.”
As the interview went on, passersby stopped and listened equally as impressed with the pumpkins as the story behind them. One of the most popular questions asked was how guests could grow their own pumpkins.
Before answering the question, Cully gave each customer large pumpkin seeds.
“The last frost free date is when you plant the seeds,” Cully said, adding that pumpkins take about 140 days to grow.
He was recently featured in “The Neighborhood Files” on the Ledyard Patch.
Cully’s three pumpkins are on display at Foxwoods so be sure to stop by to pay them a visit and don’t forget your camera!