Blake Ellis/The Independent

A redneck shindig converged on the Brown family farm last Sunday – that’s what the Brown family was calling it.

Vehicles began pulling onto the Brown farm on Oil Springs Line just off of Mandaumin Road at 4:30 pm, for what the farm’s owner Tim Brown dubbed Pumplosion 2026. It’s the second year for the event.

“A buddy dropped a 611 pound pumpkin off at the end of the road and I thought wouldn’t it be cool to blow it up,” said Brown. Last year, he put a Pumplosion 2025 sign at the end of the lane. He thought 20 people might show up, instead there were 85 people.

This year, Brown had the shed cleared out for a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Brown family farm.

“So I thought I might as well turn it up a notch,” said Brown, as he looked to hold the event again. Activities included paintball for the kids, a cow tongue toss with winners receiving ribbons, a band playing in the shed with food, marshmallows being roasted over a fire and the evening ended with fireworks.

The centrepiece of the event was the blowing up of pumpkins and squash. Competitive sharpshooter Chris Braet of Petrolia fired at the pumpkins, which were rigged with explosives, culminating in a loud bang and sending bits of pumpkin in the air.

Brown hosted this event to harken back to the days of the barn dance or a concession picnic.

“Communities and farms don’t do what they used to do,” said Brown. “I love people and I love to do something to bless our community.”

Brown estimates 300 people came this year.

The Brown farm has been in the family since 1876. In the building, it was just a little farm with a log cabin. “This is 150 years and I get to carry it on,” said Brown.