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MPR News Staff, Lisa Ryan and Ben Hovland

November 3, 2023 4:00 AM

Cottage Grove 'pumpkin chuck' — kid friendly, environmentally conscious

A pumpkin rolls off a jump — A pumpkin launches off a jump in Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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Wondering what to do with your pumpkins now that Halloween is over?

The life cycle of a pumpkin may end with it baked into a dessert, carved into artwork, or — in the case of some pumpkins in Cottage Grove, Minn., — rolled down a child’s slide and smashed at the bottom of a hill.

A pumpkin rolls down a slide as people watch — A child rolls a pumpkin down a makeshift slide in Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

Brad Muckenhirn, the recreation supervisor for the city of Cottage Grove is the creator of the “pumpkin chuck.”

“I put it together a few years back just for families to get out and enjoy these fun times,” he said.

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A child hurls a small gourd — Wesley, 10, whips a small gourd down a hill in Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

Ten-year-old Wesley and his friend, 11-year-old Graham enjoyed their first time at the event.

“I rolled the pumpkin down the slide here … it did not go very far,” Wesley said.

Close up of child hands pushing a pumpkin — A pumpkin is pushed from atop a makeshift slide at Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

Another plus of the event, it’s good for the environment.

“It's a great way to recycle pumpkins. Our local compost facility generously takes them and properly recycles the pumpkins,” said Muckenhirn. “And that compost gets turned into dirt —which could potentially be used to grow more pumpkins for next year’s pumpkin chuck.”

5 of 5

People wait as a child pushes a pumpkin down a slide — Dozens gather to launch pumpkins down a hill at Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

1 of 5

A pumpkin explodes after hitting the ground — A pumpkin explodes after being dropped from a firetruck’s crane 80 feet above at Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

2 of 5

A person carries a mangled pumpkin — A city worker gathers a demolished pumpkin in Peter Thompson Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., during the third annual pumpkin chuck on Thursday.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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