Benton Farms is a 260-acre working farm located about 30 miles south of Xavier in the rolling hills of Kentucky. Each fall the farm grows patches and patches of pumpkins, which it offers to Halloween fans from around the region. Once Halloween is over, though, the remaining pumpkins need to be chopped up so they can be broken down into compost. It’s a messy and laborious chore.

Enter the Xavier Navigators—and their baseball bats. The Christian ministry club, which is part of a larger international organization, typically meets for Bible studies. But in November, the group took a little trip to Benton Farms and spent a good chunk of the day—and several hours into the night—smashing pumpkins. They left covered in pumpkin mush and joyously chocked up the entire experience to team building.
John “Papa” Benton appreciated the help, even though he may have been confused by the enthusiasm of the students to beat and batter pumpkins until they were covered with seeds and slime. If it helps the youth, he says, he’s glad to do whatever he can.