Built as a project for a class at Newtown Middle School 14 years ago, a Medieval-style trebuchet continues to be trotted out every Halloween season for entertainment purposes at Castle Hill Farm.

Alex Michaud has spent most recent weekends at the farm, tirelessly setting up the machine that uses a leverage to propel a projectile — in this case, small pumpkins — while small groups would stand safely back and watch in awe. He has been assisted by his father Marc, co-builder of the machine, and/or stepmother Pammi on most days, depending on the family’s schedule.

As they approach, most people are curious and clearly have questions about the machine. Marc Michaud and his father Ray designed and built the trebuchet (“TREH-bew-shuht”) for a middle school project, Marc told The Newtown Bee in 2008. Marc and then-NMS technology education instructor Don Ramsey demonstrated for students and staff the ability of the medieval siege engine.

A trebuchet, often incorrectly referred to as a catapult, is essentially a large slingshot with a counterweight. It swings a large arm, propelling a projectile. Its design allows it to launch items of greater weights further distances than traditional catapults.

Since its debut at Newtown Middle School the Michaud trebuchet has been featured at Newtown Lions Club Great Pumpkin Race events and Castle Hill Farm Fall Festival weekends. It is set up to the west of the farm’s seven-acre corn maze, north of Sugar Street/Route 302.

As pumpkins flew last Sunday morning, applause and cheers were heard repeatedly not only from those near the machine but also from those within the corn maze. Others are often seen watching from the parking lot to the west of the field where the machine is staged.

More than once, interested parents asked whether the pumpkins could hit a truck parked at the far end of the field.

“Yeah, no,” Pammi Michaud told a few people Sunday morning. Smiling, she added, “The owner of the farm has asked us to not hit his truck.”

Instead, the trebuchet’s target is a tall tree stop west of the truck, approximately 140 yards south of the launch site. Chunks of pumpkin litter the ground around the base of the trunk. When asked about cleaning up the pumpkin carcasses, Pammi responded, “the critters take care of that.”

Pammi helped some of the morning’s customers select their pumpkins, which have been grown at the farm.

“The smaller ones will go farther, and the squishier ones will splash better,” she said. The ears of a few children picked up on the second half of that sentence.

The Michauds are careful with every step. Alex makes a point to use an air horn to indicate all clear, and then does a 3-2-1 countdown before each launch.

When one wayward group exited from the corn maze into the pumpkin field last Sunday morning, the Michauds immediately stopped launches. They waited for the group to safely clear before the next pumpkin went for its ride.

As Alex sets up the machine for each use, Pammi answers questions, collects money, and keeps viewers in a safe zone until it is time to launch the next pumpkin. Children are allowed to pull the chain that releases the counterweight, although they often found a parent or sibling stepping up to help — it takes a surprising amount of strength to pull the pin.

Then it’s a matter of moments before the machine springs into action, the pumpkin is released from its sling, and a collective “Whoa!” is heard.

The trebuchet will be in operation once again this weekend, 11 am-5 pm Saturday and Sunday, October 29-30, weather permitting. It does not operate in rain or high winds. Pumpkins are $5 each.

Castle Hill Farm’s Fall Festival is ongoing from 10 am to 5 pm weekends and offers a seven-acre corn maze ($13/person; free ages 3 and under), hayride adventures ($6/person; also free age 3 and under), a pumpkin patch, live music, and food trucks.

Visit castlehillfarm.net or find Castle Hill Farm on Facebook for updates including music and food truck schedules. The farm accepts cash or check only.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.