Perhaps the most oft-asked question visitors to the Blaze have is "Who in the heck did all of this carving?!?" Well, in the spirit of explaining just who in the heck, we are launching an all-new Meet the Carvers series for Blaze '08. Our inaugural interviewee: Tom Hunt.

BB: Tell us something non-pumpkin related about yourself.

TH: I'm an interpreter and blacksmith for Historic Hudson Valley.

BB: What kind of carvings are you working on for Blaze 2008?
TH: Dinosaurs, pirates, and rocks.

BB: Can you sum up Blaze in three words?
TH: Whole...Lotta...Fun!

BB: Can you offer some advice for the casual carver?
TH: Just enjoy it and have fun with the carving experience.

BB: What's the best music to listen to while carving?
TH: I like to listen to nature, sounds of the birds singing and the river running.

BB: Very zen. Got a pumpkin haiku to share?
TH: Heck no!
BB: Oh come now Tom Hunt
Surely you can share just one
A few pumpkin words?
TH: Heck no!

BB: Fair enough. What's your favorite thing about Halloween?
TH: Blaze! Is there anything else?

BB: Absolutely not. Well, one thing: Pumpkin pie...a la mode, no a la mode, or no way?
TH: A la mode with enough to cover the whole slice.

BB: If pumpkins could talk, what would they say?
TH: Leave me alone!

BB: I hope that's the pumpkins talking hypothetical...ok, ok, just one more question: If you weren't spending October carving pumpkins, what would you be doing?
TH: Hibernating.

BB: Thank you, Tom!