Competitive Gardening - Go Big or Go Home!

[hammerpamf]

Last year I read a book called Backyard Giants by Susan Warren, in which she chronicles the efforts of competitive pumpkin growers over the course of a season. This book I found interesting because I once lived in the pumpkin capital of the world and witnessed the annual giant pumpkin weigh-offs at the aptly-named pumpkin festival.

I really haven't seen much mention about the possibility of hydroponics for competitive growing, with the exception of Disney's Epcot - they hold two records that I know of: world's largest tomato plant (610.63 square ft) and most tomatoes harvested from one plant in one year (32,194: weighing 1,151.84 lbs)!

I've been thinking about going after the world's heaviest tomato or pepper this year; hottest chile would be pretty cool as well.

Has anyone here tried any competitive growing with hydroponics?