Farmer's pumpkin cannon launches jack-o-lanterns almost a mile through the air

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Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Washington farmer creates pumpkin cannon
John Thompson's pumpkin cannon uses pressurized air to launch pumpkins up to a mile away.

A farmer in Washington state thinks the best thing to do with a pumpkin, carved or not, is shoot it out of a cannon.

John Thompson can fire a gourd as far as a mile with his homemade cannon. Hundreds of people come by every October to see Thompson launch a few jack-o-lanterns into the next county.

"It's my pride and joy, it's very unique, there's only one of those in the world," Thompson said of his cannon.

Thompson's cannon is powered by pressurized air, and like most of his farm creations, is built mainly from spare parts.