> What: Pumpkin Smash.> When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1> Where: Crabtree Farms, 1000 E. 30th St.> Admission: Free with a donation of nonperishable food items for the Chattanooga Area Food Bank or $2 per person without food items> Phone: 423-493-9155.> Email: info@crabtreefarms.org
You've seen pumpkins fly through the air on Science Channel's "Punkin Chunkin." Now you can clock your own pumpkin's hang time on Saturday, Nov. 1, when Crabtree Farms hosts its Pumpkin Smash fall festival.
The folks at Crabtree Farms invite everyone to bring their leftover Halloween pumpkins to the urban farm where they'll be launched from a trebuchet by competitors in the pumpkin chunking.
Pumpkin chunking - or punkin chunkin, as it is more commonly rhymed - is the sport of launching large pumpkins into the air via trebuchets, those tall catapults that bring to mind medieval attacks on fortresses. Building a successful trebuchet requires a lot of science and engineering skill to create a shot strong enough to turn a unwieldy pumpkin into a projectile. Where the pumpkin lands, or smashes, is marked for distance. The pumpkin going the greatest distance wins.
This sport has become so popular there is a World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association. The group holds an annual competition in Delaware, which is taped for airing on The Science Channel.
Although this is the second year for the festival, last year's pumpkin chunking was just for fun and not a competition, says Andrea Jaeger, Crabtree Farms spokeswoman. However, it was such a smashing success, it's back this year as a contest with prizes.
"Three teams from Roper Engineering in LaFayette, Ga., will compete," she says. "Older engineers are challenging the interns."
Festivalgoers can watch their own pumpkins launched from the engineers' trebuchets. Each team gets three tries. The distance on each of the three launches will be averaged for a final number that is posted as the team's official distance. Winners will receive Il Primo restaurant gift certificates, a family membership to Crabtree Farms and T-shirt.
When not watching pumpkins, there will be fun-on-the-farm games for kids (cornhole, ladder ball and potato sack races), a tiny tots corner, bluegrass music from Just Us Gals, folk music from A Bit Off Beet and a variety of food vendors.
"Kids love seeing big farm equipment, so we are offering Touch-a-Tractor, too," says Jaeger. Children may climb on the machine and sit in the farmer's seat with adult supervision.
All proceeds from the festival will support Crabtree Farms' educational outreach, such as Farm-to-School programs, gardening education and community programs.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.