Saturday marked the final fall event for Jonamac Orchard, 19412 Shabbona Road, with a pumpkin demolition day.

Patrons were encouraged to bring their hollowed jack-o’-lanterns to the farm for a beating. Rather than having jack-o’-lanterns decay on the stoop, orchard manager Jenna Spychal and the rest of the family thought to give rotting pumpkins a proper exit. The pumpkin remains will be used as compost for the farm.

The demolition featured more than a half dozen methods of destruction, including a pumpkin howitzer, guillotine, driving range, mallets and a monster truck with 5-foot-6-inch tires.

“It’s a fun way to get people excited and come out to destroy their jack-o’-lanterns,” Spychal said.

The demolition was the first at the orchard. Spychal said the event may be held next year as Saturday’s event was a “test year.” The truck used — a Ford F-150 equipped with monster tires — is owned by Ryan Wehmeyer of Wehmeyer Motorsports. Called Massive Machine, the truck is built to give rides, but Wehmeyer could not turn down his first chance to demolish the 10-acre pumpkin patch.

“It’s awesome,” Wehmeyer said of the popping pumpkins underneath his tires. “It’s a new experience…. If they’ll have us, we’ll be back.”

The event was $5, which bought attendees a token that included either a ride on the apple train or ammunition of pumpkins, as well as a last chance to go through the orchard’s corn maze and enter into the barnyard.

“People really loved those mallets,” Spychal said. “I don’t know who was smiling more, the kids or dad.”

Elgin resident Steve Elk, an annual apple picker at the orchard, arrived with his wife and children to take part in the festivities after seeing the event on Facebook.

“It’s good, it’s always fun,” Elk said. “Anytime I can destroy stuff I’m having a good time.”