The Berkshire Trebuchet Project develops hands-on physics and engineering education programs using trebuchets as teaching tools. From desktop models to full-scale demonstrations, we make STEM accessible and exciting for all students.
A full-size trebuchet (reconstruction at Dover Castle). The Berkshire Trebuchet Project starts with desktop models and works up toward machines like this. Photo: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Where We Are (Fall 2026)
The Berkshire Trebuchet Project began as an idea in fall 2025 and has gone through several revisions to reach this plan. Our approach is to start small and build big: prove the program with desktop models first, then scale up one step at a time.
Now (fall 2026) Applying for grants, arranging fiscal sponsorship with a local nonprofit, reaching out to collaborators, and building prototype desktop models.
Next (winterโspring 2027) A proposed Adventures in Learning course (January), a repeat at Pine Cobble School (FebruaryโMarch), library workshops, and pumpkin planting.
Goal (fall 2027) A full-scale trebuchet launching the pumpkins our partners grew, at Harvest Fair demos and a November Pumpkin Smash.
Networks & Systems administrator in Williams College's Office for Information Technology (15+ years), with a B.S. in Computer Science from Antioch College. Experienced in making complex topics accessible and described as a "catalyst" for organizations. Long-time community volunteer and South Williamstown Community Association board member, passionate about grassroots education and empowering others through technology. Led several Adventures in Learning Minecraft courses at Williamstown Elementary before COVID.
Kaare Francis
Mechanical engineer (UNH 2015) with ocean engineering background and hands-on fabrication experience at Atlantis Equipment. Passionate about fixing and building things, Kaare brings real-world engineering expertise to educational projects. Has experience teaching robotics after-school at the Pine Cobble School. A lifelong Berkshire resident and South Williamstown Community Association board member, committed to strengthening his community through STEM initiatives.
๐ Faculty advisor:Steven J. Miller, Professor of Mathematics at Williams College, has agreed to advise and advocate for the Berkshire Trebuchet Project. He has extensive K-12 math outreach experience and has taught Adventures in Learning courses himself.
We're reaching out to schools, colleges, farms, and community organizations who might work with us. See
Potential Collaborators below.
Our Intended Audience
๐ฆ๐ง
Elementary Students
Desktop models & basic physics
๐
Middle/High School
Advanced projects & competitions
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐งโ๐ฆ
Families & Community
Public events & demonstrations
What: The Program
The Berkshire Trebuchet Project is an educational initiative that uses trebuchets, catapults, slingshots, and ballistae - medieval siege engines and projectile devices - as exciting teaching tools for physics, engineering, and mathematics.
Trebuchet Components
Ready to fire: when the trigger pin is pulled, the counterweight falls, the long arm swings up, and the sling whips the projectile forward.
Our Progressive Development Approach:
While trebuchets are our primary focus, we also explore catapults, slingshots, and ballistae to provide comprehensive siege engine education
From desktop to full-scale: the same machine, five sizes (illustration, not to scale).
1. Desktop
Jan 2027 ยท 6โ8 in tall
๐ grapes & ping-pong balls
๐6โ10 ft
2. Tabletop
Mar 2027 ยท 12โ18 in tall
๐ apples & tennis balls
๐15โ30 ft
3. Yard-scale
May 2027 ยท 3โ4 ft tall
๐ grapefruit & water balloons
๐30โ75 ft
4. 6-Footer
Jul 2027 ยท 6 ft tall
๐ basketballs & small melons
๐75โ150 ft
5. Full scale: GOAL!
Fall 2027 ยท 15โ20 ft tall
๐ pumpkins (8โ12 lb)
๐200โ400 ft
0 ft100 ft200 ft300 ft400 ftโ a football field is 300 ft
Every step uses the same distance scale, so you can see the range grow. Distances are planning estimates from Appendix B.
Why start small?
Each stage lets us show real results with minimal risk, build community support, and make stronger grant applications before taking on the next, bigger machine. Detailed specifications for each size are in Appendix B, and costs by phase are in Appendix C.
Why: The Educational Impact
๐ฏ Perfect Teaching Tool
Visible physics principles in action
Scalable complexity for all ages
Combines history with modern STEM
Encourages iterative design thinking
Safe when properly scaled
๐ก Skills Development
Problem-solving & critical thinking
Mathematical calculations
Team collaboration
Project management
Documentation & presentation
"The best way to learn physics is to launch something!"
- Making abstract concepts tangible through hands-on experience
Programs & Events
๐ซ Workshops & Courses
Adventures in Learning: a proposed four-session course at Williamstown Elementary (January 2027)
Pine Cobble School: a proposed repeat of the course (FebruaryโMarch 2027)
School break workshops: winter and spring vacation programs
Science fair support: help students build competition entries
Milne Public Library: makerspace workshops, plus tools borrowed from its Library of Things ("Thingdom")
Splat Target Challenge: aim at a paper-covered target with water balloons and washable paint (or biodegradable paintballs at larger scales)
College student volunteers: helping teach workshops (we hope)
Every November, farms are left with unsold pumpkins and porches are full of used jack-o'-lanterns. A Pumpkin Smash turns them into a free community physics event. Farms like Armstrong Farm in Pownal can donate their unsold pumpkins, and families can bring their jack-o'-lanterns to launch. It's an entertaining way to demonstrate physics while keeping pumpkins out of the trash.
A local tradition already exists. Since 2022, Second Chance Composting has hosted a free post-Halloween Pumpkin Smash: in Williamstown and North Adams in 2023, then with Whitney's Farm in Cheshire (the fourth annual event was November 8, 2025). Families bring their pumpkins, smash them, and the pieces are composted. Rather than start a competing event, we hope to team up with them in fall 2027 and bring a trebuchet to launch pumpkins into the compost pile.
Target: November 2027, the first weekend or two after Halloween
Potential partners: Second Chance Composting and Whitney's Farm (joining their annual Pumpkin Smash)
Potential venues: Whitney's Farm (Cheshire), Williamstown Historical Museum, neighboring Green River Farm, or Williamstown Rural Lands' Sheep Hill
Bring your jack-o'-lantern: community members drop off carved pumpkins to be launched
Unsold farm pumpkins: we hope to collect them after Halloween from farms like Armstrong Farm
Composting: smashed pumpkins collected by Second Chance Composting
Measure our impact: weigh and report the pounds of pumpkins kept out of the landfill
Public demonstrations showing projectile motion and energy transfer at full scale
Educational opportunity to discuss medieval engineering and modern physics
๐ Similar events we're learning from, like Green Beverly's trebuchet-powered Pumpkin Smash and Vermont's Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival, are in Appendix F.
๐ซ Educational Outreach
Mobile trebuchet visits to middle and high schools for physics class demonstrations, providing hands-on learning opportunities that make abstract concepts tangible.
Physics class demonstrations at local middle and high schools
Interactive sessions covering projectile motion, energy transfer, and mechanical engineering
Coordination with science teachers to align with curriculum objectives
๐ช Community Events
Participation in established community events to showcase medieval engineering and provide entertainment while educating the public.
Williamstown Historical Museum's Harvest Fair - Annual community celebration (our first target is the 2027 fair)
Summer camp visits - Educational demonstrations for youth programs
STEM festivals - Showcasing engineering principles to broader audiences
Renaissance fairs - Historical context and period demonstrations
โณ Golf Course Challenge
The ultimate test of physics and mathematics! Teams launch golf balls with trebuchets on a real golf course. They get each hole's distance and elevation in advance and use physics to choose their counterweight and sling settings.
Station Challenge - Machines sit at fixed spots 50โ80 yards from the pin; each team gets three launches per station, and the closest to the pin wins
Predict Your Shot - Teams write down their predicted distance before each launch, with a medal for the best mathematician
Trebuchet Stroke Play (later) - Play a short par 3 like golf and count your launches to the hole
Shared Machines - The Berkshire Trebuchet Project provides identical trebuchets so it's all about the math, not the budget; an "Open Division" for team-built machines may come later
Turf-Friendly - Machines ride on wide golf-cart tires, weigh less than a loaded golf cart, and stay off greens and tees
Why not one big throw? - A golf ball is so light that even a 20-foot trebuchet would only throw it about 115โ165 yards, so short throws and smart math win
Possible Venues - Waubeeka Golf Links and Taconic Golf Club (not yet approached)
When - Test launches in 2027; first challenge as early as spring 2028
"May the best math win!" - Where medieval engineering meets modern precision
Where: Locations
๐ซ Workshop & classroom sites
Williamstown Elementary School (proposed)
Pine Cobble School (proposed)
Milne Public Library makerspace
Community centers and after-school sites
๐ช Launch & event sites
Whitney's Farm, Cheshire (annual Pumpkin Smash)
Williamstown Historical Museum (Harvest Fair)
Green River Farm and Williamstown Rural Lands' Sheep Hill
Waubeeka Golf Links and Taconic Golf Club (Golf Challenge)
School athletic fields and community parks
All are possibilities. We're reaching out now, and none are confirmed yet (see Potential Collaborators).
When: 2026-2027 Timeline
September-November 2026
Planning & Funding
Apply to the Williamstown Community Chest (October 3), and to the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire and Berkshire Taconic (October 15)
Arrange fiscal sponsorship with a local nonprofit
Submitted our Adventures in Learning course proposal for January 2027 (selections are finalized in December)
Build and test prototype desktop models
Propose the course to Pine Cobble School for FebruaryโMarch 2027
Reach out to potential collaborators; arrange library workshop dates and recruit Pumpkin Providing Partners
December 2026-March 2027
Winter Programs
Proposed "Adventures in Learning" course at Williamstown Elementary (January 2027)
Repeat the course at Pine Cobble School (FebruaryโMarch 2027, proposed)
Winter break workshops at local libraries
Test and refine desktop kits; train volunteer facilitators
Spring break library workshops; build tabletop and yard-scale models
Planter box build days and grow-kit pickup for Pumpkin Providing Partners
Plant pumpkins after the last frost (late May to early June)
Explore student volunteer help through Williams College's Center for Learning in Action
July-August 2027
Growing Season & Community Build
Growth check-ins: partners log vine length, flowers, and fruit size
Summer library and camp programs
Build the 6-foot and larger demonstration trebuchets
Safety testing and adjustments
September-November 2027
Launch Season!
Pumpkin harvest and weigh-in celebration for our growing partners
Williamstown Historical Museum Harvest Fair demonstrations
November Pumpkin Smash: launching unsold farm pumpkins and community jack-o'-lanterns, ideally at Second Chance Composting's annual Pumpkin Smash
School physics class visits; document results and plan the next year
Sustainability
๐ฅ Volunteer Training & Sustainability
To ensure long-term success and community ownership, we'll develop a comprehensive training program for volunteers to operate and maintain the trebuchet safely.
Operation Training - Safe loading, aiming, and firing procedures
Maintenance Program - Regular inspection, repair, and upkeep protocols
Safety Certification - Standardized training ensuring consistent safe operation
Community Ownership - Building a team of local volunteers to sustain the program
Knowledge Transfer - Documenting procedures and training new volunteers
Financial home - We are arranging fiscal sponsorship with a local 501(c)(3). If the Berkshire Trebuchet Project grows into a lasting program, we plan to form our own nonprofit. Once the larger trebuchet and its trailer are built, ongoing costs are mainly insurance and maintenance.
๐ก Long-term Vision
Our goal is to create a self-sustaining community resource that continues to educate and inspire long after the initial construction phase, with trained volunteers ensuring its ongoing impact on STEM education in Berkshire County.
๐ค Potential Collaborators
Please note: Except where marked โ , the Berkshire Trebuchet Project does not yet have formal partnerships with the organizations below. These are groups we hope to work with, and we're reaching out to them now. Being listed here does not mean an organization endorses or has agreed to support the Berkshire Trebuchet Project.
๐ Colleges
Williams College: โ Steven J. Miller, Professor of Mathematics, has agreed to serve as an advisor and advocate. We're also reaching out to Physics, the Science Center shop and Makerspace, and the Center for Learning in Action
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA): Physics and Science Education; Berkshire STEM Network
Berkshire Community College: Engineering
๐ซ Schools & Programs
Williamstown Elementary: Adventures in Learning (proposed January 2027 course)
Pine Cobble School: proposed FebruaryโMarch 2027 course
McCann Technical School: engineering and CAD
Milne Public Library (Williamstown): makerspace, "Thingdom" Library of Things tool lending, workshop space, and grow-kit pickup; plus other local libraries
๐๏ธ Potential Nonprofit Sponsors
South Williamstown Community Association: Matthew and Kaare both serve on the SWCA board
Williamstown Rural Lands: nature programs, land for pumpkins, and Sheep Hill as an event venue
๐ Farms & Composting
Armstrong Farm (Pownal, VT): unsold pumpkins after Halloween
Green River Farm: neighboring farm and possible event venue
Ioka Valley Farm and small farms at the Williamstown Farmers Market
Second Chance Composting and Whitney's Farm (Cheshire): hosts of the annual post-Halloween Pumpkin Smash
๐ช Venues & Events
Williamstown Historical Museum: Harvest Fair and possible Pumpkin Smash venue
Waubeeka and Taconic Golf Clubs: Golf Course Challenge
๐จ Local Businesses
Hardware and garden stores: in-kind donations of soil and planter box supplies for Pumpkin Providing Partners
Local builders and contractors: surplus building supplies and construction know-how for the larger trebuchets
Interested in collaborating?
We're not asking for money or a big time commitment. We'd value your advice and your support in the community.
Note: Our program can also explore catapults, slingshots, and ballistae as complementary siege engines, allowing students to compare different mechanical principles and historical applications.
๐จ Leonardo da Vinci's Trebuchet Studies
Leonardo da Vinci's detailed study of the trebuchet sling release mechanism demonstrates the intersection of art, engineering, and physics. His sketches clearly illustrate the trebuchet sling, angled release pin, release angle, and beam mechanics - providing students with a historical perspective on engineering analysis and the evolution of siege engine design.
Appendix B: Technical Specifications
13th Century Medieval Illustration
Original trebuchet design by Villard de Honnecourt (c. 1225-1250)
Each size below shows an example machine, its specifications, and links to free (or low-cost) building plans and 3D-printing files. The plans belong to their creators; we link to them for reference. Photos are freely licensed and credited.
How every trebuchet works, at any size Diagram: Onno / ะ.ะะปัะธะฝ, CC0 (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
A homemade lumber A-frame trebuchet (~4 ft) Photo: Nathan Kit Kennedy, CC0 (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
3. Yard-Scale Models (3โ4 feet)
Materials: 2x4 lumber, plywood, hardware, rope
Projectile: grapefruit, water balloons
Splat Target idea (to test): biodegradable paintballs against a paper-covered target board. Paintballs may bounce at slower launch speeds, so this may only work at yard-scale and larger. Water balloons with washable paint work at any size. Safety glasses required
โ ๏ธ There are no free, engineered plans at this size. Competition teams design their own. We'll treat this as a design project using the simulators, and have an engineer review the build before any public launch.
Total: $550-900 (could be offset by donated supplies)
Full Project Estimate: $8,750-15,050
All programs will be free for participants through grants and donations
Potential Funding Sources
Grants (2026โ27)
Williamstown Community Chest โ Flynt Grant / Fund for Williamstown (due Oct 3, 2026)
Mass Cultural Council โ Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire (due Oct 15, 2026)
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation โ Education Enrichment funds (due Oct 15, 2026)
IEEE TryEngineering STEM Grants (Nov 30, 2026; needs an IEEE member applicant)
Society for Science STEM Action Grants and AAPT Bauder Fund (2026โ27)
Mass Cultural Council โ Creative Experiences (spring 2027, with a school or nonprofit partner)
Local Support
Local bank and credit-union giving (e.g. Greylock Federal Credit Union, MountainOne, Adams Community Bank)
Rotary and Lions clubs
In-kind donations: hardware and garden stores, local builders and contractors
Business sponsorships
Individual donations (tax-deductible once fiscal sponsorship with a local nonprofit is in place)
Fundraising Goal (fall 2026): Apply to the Williamstown Community Chest (October 3) and the Cultural Council of Northern Berkshire and Berkshire Taconic (October 15) to fund winter/spring 2027 workshops and the Pumpkin Providing Partners program, building toward fall 2027 launch events. We are arranging fiscal sponsorship with a local 501(c)(3).
Appendix D: Adventures in Learning Application
Program Overview
Adventures in Learning is an existing Williams College (Center for Learning in Action) enrichment program held each January at Williamstown Elementary School for students in grades 2โ6. We are planning to offer our desktop siege engine course in the January 2027 session. It's meant to be fun, not academic: no tests, no grades, just building, launching, and discovering.
Schedule: once a week after school, 3:00โ4:30 (occasionally to 4:45), for four consecutive weeks in January
Instructors: team teaching (two instructors) is required. All instructors complete a CORI background check, and WES coordinators supervise
Duration: All 4 weeks in January 2027
Materials: All supplies provided by instructors
Status: Course proposal submitted September 2026; course selections are finalized in December
Our Proposed Course
Course Title: "Medieval Siege Engines - Hands-on Learning Building Small Safe Trebuchets and Catapults"
Course Description:
"Build your own desktop trebuchet and catapult, then launch ping-pong balls and bean bags down the hallway, the only things we'll ever launch. We'll explore levers, stored energy, and slings, tune our machines one change at a time, and finish with a friendly Launch Day competition. Everyone takes their machines home. No castles will be harmed during this workshop!"
Logistics:
Preferred Class Size: 12-15 students
Age Range: Grades 5โ6, possibly 4th (ages 9โ12)
Preferred Day: Tuesday or Thursday
Space Needed: Classroom with tables, plus gym or hallway access for launching ping-pong balls and bean bags
Team Teachers:
Matthew Baya - Technology Education
Kaare Francis - Mechanical Engineering
Michael Richardson (Puzzled Antique) - 3D Printing Expert
Potential additional teachers: Williams College Physics Students
Programs and events we're learning from. The Berkshire Trebuchet Project is not affiliated with these organizations, except where noted as a potential partner. Information is current as of September 2026. Logos and photos belong to their respective organizations.
Local & regional pumpkin events
SC
Second Chance Composting
Cheshire, MA
A local composting service that has hosted a free post-Halloween Pumpkin Smash every year since 2022: in Williamstown and North Adams in 2023, then at Whitney's Farm. Families bring their pumpkins, smash them, and the pieces are composted.
For us: Potential fall 2027 partner: we'd love to bring a trebuchet to their smash.
A farm market with fall attractions (corn maze, giant slide). It co-hosted the Pumpkin Smash with Second Chance Composting in 2024 and 2025; the fourth annual event was November 8, 2025.
Running since 2009, with home-built trebuchets competing in weight classes. About 2,500 spectators came in 2025, and the festival raised $40,557 for a local nonprofit. A Vermont State University student team competed in 2025.
For us: The big trebuchet event near us: a field trip, and maybe someday a Berkshire Trebuchet Project entry.
Held the Sunday after Halloween at a local farm, where jack-o'-lanterns are launched by trebuchet into a big compost pile. About 30,000 lb of pumpkins were diverted in 2022, with 2,000+ attendees. Run by a volunteer environmental nonprofit.
For us: The closest match to our Pumpkin Smash idea.
A farm-hosted contest for regional high schools, held since 2005. Wood-only trebuchets, with prizes for distance and for hitting a castle target 150 ft away.
For us: A model for farm-sponsored student competitions.
School teams build human-powered catapults and trebuchets to launch 2โ5 lb pumpkins. Part of Picatinny's STEM outreach, supported by volunteer scientists and engineers.
An environmental education nonprofit that coordinates a network of 100+ community pumpkin-collection sites, run by local host organizations, so pumpkins get composted.
For us: A model for pumpkin drop-off sites with our Pumpkin Providing Partners.
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