MOUNT PLEASANT, Ia. — Marty Schnicker is a little disgusted with the size of his veggies this year.

The southeast Iowa farmer's watermelons probably will only reach about 100 pounds, nearly 110 pounds shy of his Iowa State Fair record.

"That pumpkin is probably 100 pounds when it should be a 1,000 pounds," said Schnicker, 57.

It's a tough year for Schnicker and about 100 other giant veggie growers: High heat and too little rain cooked many of the best fair contenders this year.

"I'll be surprised if many of the entries aren't much smaller this year," says Ronda Magnusson, superintendent of the State Fair's agriculture and horticulture crops.

Growers like Schnicker battle weather, insects, groundhogs and other "varmits" to bring oversized veggies and fruits to the fair, Magnusson said.

Read the full article on the Des Moines Register website.