Rebecca Whiffen and staff stand by, recording the first test run of a newly finished trebuchet, a type of catapult that uses weight rather than spring action, that they built for the first annual Big Spruce Brewing pumpkin launch.
“It’s been a neighbourhood initiative, a West Pictou initiative. People are so willing to help here,” Rebecca said.
When the Lyons Brook brewery owners and staff haven’t been making and bottling beer in the past two weeks, they’ve been readying for the competition in Port Hawkesbury this weekend that will see breweries and others launch pumpkins into the Canso Strait, enlisting help from locals Benoit Claveau, Colin Russell, Trevor Tracey, and George and Liv MacLellan.
Lyons Brook Piping and Welding was happy to help, too, donating materials as well as the use of their trailer for the transportation.
“It’s been a fun, group effort,” Rebecca said, adding that they had been challenged by Big Spruce and were more than willing to join the list of competitors.
“When Jeremy (White, owner of Big Spruce,) asked us, Karl’s eyes lit up. (I said,) ‘You’re going to do that, aren’t you?’”
Indeed, they have, and even received a donation of pumpkins from Bob Parker.
“I hope it works,” Karl laughs as they prepared to try it out on Wednesday.
Karl and his son, Patrick, count to five and pull the rope away, sending the wooden arm and pumpkin into the air, only for it to remain in its rope basket and break open on the bottom of the structure – not the big send-off for which they hoped.
Alas, the first try wasn’t the last. A second send-off sent the taped-up pumpkin into their field, proving their work hadn’t been in vain.
They’ll continue to perfect it, in it for the win.
On Twitter: @NGNewsAmanda
Rebecca Whiffen and staff stand by, recording the first test run of a newly finished trebuchet, a type of catapult that uses weight rather than spring action, that they built for the first annual Big Spruce Brewing pumpkin launch.
“It’s been a neighbourhood initiative, a West Pictou initiative. People are so willing to help here,” Rebecca said.
When the Lyons Brook brewery owners and staff haven’t been making and bottling beer in the past two weeks, they’ve been readying for the competition in Port Hawkesbury this weekend that will see breweries and others launch pumpkins into the Canso Strait, enlisting help from locals Benoit Claveau, Colin Russell, Trevor Tracey, and George and Liv MacLellan.
Lyons Brook Piping and Welding was happy to help, too, donating materials as well as the use of their trailer for the transportation.
“It’s been a fun, group effort,” Rebecca said, adding that they had been challenged by Big Spruce and were more than willing to join the list of competitors.
“When Jeremy (White, owner of Big Spruce,) asked us, Karl’s eyes lit up. (I said,) ‘You’re going to do that, aren’t you?’”
Indeed, they have, and even received a donation of pumpkins from Bob Parker.
“I hope it works,” Karl laughs as they prepared to try it out on Wednesday.
Karl and his son, Patrick, count to five and pull the rope away, sending the wooden arm and pumpkin into the air, only for it to remain in its rope basket and break open on the bottom of the structure – not the big send-off for which they hoped.
Alas, the first try wasn’t the last. A second send-off sent the taped-up pumpkin into their field, proving their work hadn’t been in vain.
They’ll continue to perfect it, in it for the win.
On Twitter: @NGNewsAmanda
