Yes, that is a dog standing on a pumpkin. And no, this picture has not been digitally manipulated.
Admittedly, the dog is not exactly an Irish wolfhound. It is in fact, a 2-year-old Chihuahua named Ali.
But the pumpkin . . . ah, well now, the pumpkin is quite something.
It's not your ordinary creeping cucurbitaceous plant.
At 204kg, it is New Zealand's heaviest vegetable of 2008 (so far).
Harold Gloag, of Roxburgh has been growing Atlantic Giant pumpkins for the past decade and this fine specimen is by far the biggest he and his wife Gwen have produced in their front garden vege patch.
It was cut yesterday morning and about 20 people helped move the pumpkin from its patch to a truck, where it rested on a 25kg crate in order to be weighed.
A justice of the peace attended the official weigh-in at the Turners and Growers Ettrick site yesterday, because it was initially expected the pumpkin could break the national record. A Kaiapoi pumpkin was claimed to have weighed 334.2kg when it was cut in 2005.
Mr Gloag said his pumpkin had been growing most of this year after it seeded in early January. Since then, its expanse had increased visibly, day by day.
There is no secret to success however. Mr Gloag said he fed it only water.
The pumpkin will not be eaten, but instead act as a drawcard to the Pumpkin Place a store at Millers Flat. Mr Gloag saw potential for a challenge next season.
‘‘We'll have one half as big again next year,'' he said.
