ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — A whopping 199-pound watermelon is the winner of the Orangeburg County Fair.
Brandon Huber is a small farmer from St. Matthews. He won first and second place with his watermelons at this year's fair.
Huber has been growing watermelons for more than five years, and this year, he broke his own record.
"It's really great to have a watermelon reach that 200-pound barrier there," Huber said. "That has been a goal for me. It's a personal best for me. It's just amazing for it to be that large."
Huber plans to use the seed from his winning watermelon with hopes of recreating and possibly outgrowing the current melon.
Every year, the Orangeburg County Fair puts on the field crop exhibit to showcase the diversity of agriculture throughout the county and inspire others to participate in future agricultural competitions.
Farmers and growers of all skill levels can enter their crops into grain, fruit, stalks and seeds categories.
Phillip Carnley from Clemson Extension was one of this year's field crop judges. He made the final decision when it came to the winning watermelon.
Carnley says that although the watermelon in second place had better features, the weight of the winning watermelon was the kicker.
"The 160-pounder was so much better, it was more symmetrical," Carnley said. "But it didn't have the sheer shock and awe factor of the 200-pound size."
Prizes for winners in each category follow: First place, $6; second place, $3; third place, $2.
The Orangeburg County Fair ends on Sunday.