From The Press of Atlantic City — Mullica farm to host first-ever New Jersey Punkin Hurling Championship this weekend. The time has come to chuck some pumpkins.

This time, in addition to traveling three hours to Bridgeville, Del., for the annual three-day World Championship Punkin Chunkin festival, Glenn Battschinger is organizing his own “chunkin” contest in Atlantic County. The first-ever New Jersey Punkin Hurling Championship – notice the subtle difference in the name – will be held Saturday and Sunday at Butterhof’s Shady Brook Farm in Mullica Township.

Battschinger took his “Pineland Punkin Chunkers” – the Boy Scouts of Troop 634 – to the Punkin Chunkin for the first time last year.

Amazed by the variety of pumpkin-launching ma-chines and the levels of competition, he decided to try to organize a smaller version of the contest in southern New Jersey.

So far, nine teams, or about 100 people, are registered to compete, including teams from northern New Jersey and Maryland, fellow organizer Nancy Maslowas said.

Maslowas said Battschinger has been in touch with the organizer behind the big Punkin Chunkin, and he has their blessing for a similar event here. Shady Brook Farm was happy to provide space for the event, she said.

“They’re just a very good supporter,” Maslowas said. “Glenn went in there and talked to the guy, and he said, ‘Sure, bring them over.’”

Maslowas said there will be food and T-shirts available at the event. The $5 admission will also include entry to Butterhof’s corn maze, she said.

Any profit that comes out of the event will be donated to the Boy Scouts and to other charities, Maslowas said.

“This is our first year, so it’s really hard,” Maslowas said. “We’re getting a feel for it. We have no idea what to expect.”

The annual Delaware festival, which attracts people from all over the country and even internationally to Wheatly Farm, makes for an intriguing scene.

Alongside the backdrop of massive pumpkin-hurling machines, officials ride around the field on all-terrain vehicles to gauge pumpkin distance, while live country bands play music heard over the many loudspeakers. People who are not even participating bring trailers and tents to camp out, grill and tailgate for the event.

Maslowas said she and Battschinger hope to someday have an annual tradition here that comes close to that level.

“Everything starts somewhere,” Maslowas said. “We’re trying to get (the word) out there. A lot of people I talked to are really into it. They’ve been really supportive.”

For more information about the pumpkin hurling Saturday and Sunday at Butterhof’s Shady Brook Farm in Mullica Township, including an event schedule, see http://www.njhurl.com