THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE: Lords of the Gourd

• October 20, 2008

Thursday, October 23 at 9 p.m.

Buy the Video

Giant pumpkin readied for the trip to the Cooperstown competition.

The extreme gardeners who compete at the annual Cooperstown Pumpkin Fest Weigh-off have one obsessive goal — to raise the biggest giant pumpkin in the world. These gurus of the gourd nurture their fruits through harsh weather, floods, animal attacks, and even sabotage to produce glorious pumpkins of gigantic proportion. This program follows Joe Pukos and his fellow competitors through the final harrowing days of harvest and the journey across New York State with the bulging behemoths strapped into the beds of their pickups. Pukos is a contender — at least until last-minute rumors circulate that another grower may be set to smash the world record.

Mark Lewis’ THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, a series of four one-hour films, celebrates the ambition, determination, and passion of those who pursue distinction in slightly unconventional fields. Each film showcases the training and preparation required to be competitive and reveals the surprising, and sometimes heartbreaking, results of that dedication.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!