Comments on: Punkin' Chunkin'

Punkin' Chunkin'

jason's_planet — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:10:06 -0800

Here's the scenario. Halloween's over. The kids have their loot. But you, the grownups, are stuck with pumpkin upon pumpkin upon pumpkin . . . what are you to do? You could just leave them out for the garbage collection but that's not very inspired. A more creative option would be to head out to a field in rural Delaware, build a big-ass catapult or a big air cannon and let the fun begin. (A longer video can be found here.) The World Championship Punkin Chunkin contest has been hurling ripe holiday vegetables through the autumn air for two decades now and attracts a crowd in the tens of thousands. (Previously on MetaFilter).

By: banished

banished — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:14:28 -0800

Shouldn't it be the World Championship Pumpkin Chucking contest? Who named that thing? I get that they have the rhyming in there, but chunkin isn't even a word.

By: delmoi

delmoi — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:21:58 -0800

They don't fire cut up used pumpkins. In fact, they don't even shoot normal pumpkins but these hard, white pumpkins that can withstand a lot more force.

By: bob sarabia

bob sarabia — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 10:43:08 -0800

Anyone who watches "Little People, Big World" will remember that two people where injured while firing a pumpkin trebuchet. Tangibly related.

By: Tube

Tube — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:31:03 -0800

When will we see this technology used to launch pumpkins?

By: lekvar

lekvar — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:43:23 -0800

But you, the grownups, are stuck with pumpkin upon pumpkin upon pumpkin . . . what are you to do? Well, if you must know, we're carving Christmas pumpkins. Nothing is as cheery as a Christmas tree carved into a pumpkin, lit by candals, on the solstice. Everybody should have Christmas Pumpkins.

By: wfc123

wfc123 — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:02:47 -0800

I agree: what the hell is "chunkin'"? "Punkin' chuckin' makes sense. They're Americans, so I am wagering they are all afraid "chuckin'" sounds too much like "fuckin'".

By: FelliniBlank

FelliniBlank — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:17:13 -0800

"Chunk" = regional variant of "chuck."

By: The Deej

The Deej — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:44:50 -0800

"Chunk" = regional variant of "chuck." Hey! Don't interrupt a good argument about meaningless minutiae with your precious "logic"! This is MetaFilter!

By: zouhair

zouhair — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 13:12:58 -0800

Playing with FOOD SUX

By: jason's_planet

jason's_planet — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 15:19:16 -0800

They don't fire cut up used pumpkins. In fact, they don't even shoot normal pumpkins but these hard, white pumpkins that can withstand a lot more force. Huh! I didn't know that. It didn't seem to work very well in that one video; the damn thing disintegrated into a bazillion pieces. "Chunk" = regional variant of "chuck." posted by FelliniBlank at 3:17 PM EST on December 10 "Chunk" = regional variant of "chuck." Hey! Don't interrupt a good argument about meaningless minutiae with your precious "logic"! This is MetaFilter! posted by The Deej at 3:44 PM EST on December 10 Thank you, gentlemen.

By: dejah420

dejah420 — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:29:14 -0800

We took our pumpkins to the zoo. Elephants love pumpkins. If they're uncarved whole pumpkins, any zoo would be thrilled to take them off your hands, just FYI. If you take them on a slow day, you can often stick around to watch the keepers give them to the Ellies, and that's just kind of a cool feeling. (Although, granted, nothing blows up. One hopes.)

By: SmileyChewtrain

SmileyChewtrain — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:56:45 -0800

It is at once amazing and completely logical that Delaware will forever only be known for two things: 1.)Punkin Chunkin and 2.) Wayne's World I'm sorry Delaware, we have all failed you.

By: SmileyChewtrain

SmileyChewtrain — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 16:58:51 -0800

...catapulting pumkins is kind of cool, though.