A colossal cucumber has been grown by 72-year-old, Knoxville, MD native, Butch Taulton, whose 43-inch monstrosity has just broken the Guinness World Record for longest cucumber.
Much to the chagrin of professional growers across the world, the record-breaking retiree grew the cuke right on his three-acre home garden with seeds he bought at his local Home Depot. Taulton’s 43-inch triumph has unseated former holder of the longest cuke title, Ian Neale of Wales in the United Kingdom, who presented his veg in September of 2011, according to The World Record Academy.
“I just kept watering it and it kept growing,” Taulton told the Record Academy. “The packet of seeds from Home Depot said they would grow between 32 to 36 inches long—they weren’t supposed to get this big.”
It looks like Taulton won’t exactly be enjoying the fruits of his labor, however. Taulton says although the “exotic cucumber” variety is “sweet, tender, and tasty,” he doesn’t have the time it would take to consume the entire giant. The grower spends much of his time since retiring from road construction just growing his garden and tending to his goats.