Pre-Season Pumpkin Chuckin' Notes

Here are some short notes as we get ready for Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' 2012

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1. Earlier Start

The 4th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin trebuchet competition will start at 12 noon, on Sunday, October 7th, 2012.

Please note that this year's 12 noon starting time for the pumpkin hurling is an hour earlier than last year. The first round of pumpkin hurling will begin immediately after Miss Vermont, Chelsea Ingram, sings our national anthem at 12 noon. The gates are open to spectators at 11 am.

Competitors may start setting up their machines anytime after 8 am on the day of the competition at Boyden Family Farms. There is no mandatory time, just give yourself enough time to get checked-in, and get your machine setup so you are ready to hurl at 12 noon. Thank you.

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2. Fine Tuning the Trebs

Planning for this year's Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival is getting serious. Here is a behind the scenes photo of a trebuchet design and 'optimization' meeting down in East Haddam, Connecticut on August 19th. Sorry no pictures allowed of the new trebuchet -- it is still top secret!

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3. Makin' Fun

Jérôme Cann, who is the Program Director for Vermont's first annual Champlain Maker Faire has extended an open invitation to any and all Vermont Pumpkin Chuckers. You are invited to exhibit your machines (catapults, trebuchets, canon, etc.) and skills at their Champlain Maker Faire on Saturday, September 29, 2012. It will be held at Shelburne Farms, VT. This is on the weekend before our 4th Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival.

Maker Faire is not a crafts-for-sale fair, but is an event where Makers bring, share and teach what they make to other Makers and to the general public.  Participation in the event is free for those Makers that simply want to share their love of making things with other Makers and the public. There is a nominal fee for those makers wishing to sell what they make during the event.

Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' organizer and competitor Dave Jordan is planning to take his new 10' trebuchet over to the Maker Faire and exhibit/demo it. If you are interesting in joining him at the faire with our own hurling machine please give Dave a call or email him. You will also need to fill out an online Maker Faire application. If you are visiting the Faire please stop by and say hi to Dave.

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4. Some Huring History:
Knights standing in front of trebuchet, nervously trying to figure out where the rock will fall, from the Siege of Acre, 1189-1191, Third Crusade:

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5. Punkin Chunkin Catapult 2012 Election Prediction

Roman Revenge, a 7 ton Punkin Chunkin catapult competitor lets chance take a stab at predicting the winner of the 2012 presidential election. One side of the 10 lb bowling ball was labeled "Romney 12," and the other side was labeled "Obama 12." The winner will have their name face up of course...

Roman Revenge does not endorse any presidential candidate.

Chelsea Ingram, Miss Vermont 2012, will Sing Anthem at Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

 Chelsea Ingram, Miss Vermont 2012, will sing the anthem at Fourth Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival

Exciting news to announce: Chelsea Ingram, Miss Vermont 2012, will be visiting the Fourth Annual Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival on Sunday, October 7th.

Chelsea Ingram, who is also the weekend meteorologist for Fox44 and ABC22 News in Burlington, VT, will sing the national anthem at the start of the Pumpkin Chuckin' competition. Chelsea will also sign some autographs, perhaps sing a few other songs, and talk about her platform issue of heart health.

During her year as Miss Vermont, Chelsea Ingram will travel throughout Vermont advocating her platform issue. "Raising a new generation of heart healthy adults has been a passion of mine ever since my dad was diagnosed with heart disease. It’s time for my generation, Miss Vermont and Miss America to lead a new generation; a generation where heart health is a priority, a generation where Vermonters are accountable for their health and the health of our children,” said Ingram. She will talk to various government representatives, business leaders, community groups and citizens-at-large, urging them to get involved in fostering heart health programs.

If she is crowned Miss America in January, the on-air forecaster and trained opera singer will become the first Miss Vermont to wear the national crown.

There are 139 days until Chelsea competes at the Miss America 2013 pageant in Las Vegas on January 12, 2013. She was crowned Miss Vermont on July 1st.

We are all very excited to have Chelsea visit the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival. Her goal of helping to raising a new generation of heart health adults fits very nicely with the VTPC goal of giving people a healthy and fun outdoor activity that promotes a healthy mind and body.

There are now only 41 days until the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival.