Students grow giant pumpkins in honor of researchers late husband

12 minutes ago Violette VueHansen , Jason VanHorn ,

DULUTH, Minn. — Seniors at UMD grew giant pumpkins in honor of a researcher’s late husband.

The pumpkins were grown to honor University researcher, Val Brady’s husband, Danny Tanner, who died in February.

He loved growing pumpkins, so in his memory, Brady got her students together to grow pumpkins.

The student manager of the UMD land lab, Justin Cilenti, said they hope to get the campus involved in growing produce, and that growing the pumpkins isn’t easy.

“Pumpkins are not native to Northern MN. They’re native to Mexico and regions of the southwest. So it’s a different animal trying to grow a plant here that doesn’t grow here normally,” said Cilenti, “Val described instances where one of his pumpkins got scratched, a mouse