Sunday, July 8, 2012

HOMEMADE KENTUCKY SCARECROWS

Usually at this time of year I am out looking for scarecrows. It is a nostalgic trip as it reminds me of my father constructing a scarecrow in our basement for our family vegetable garden. I was a tag-along with him when he hoed and planted. He encouraged gardening in my psyche by giving me a very small patch to plant. I remember hoeing my patch but results have long been forgotten. 

So, in light of the horrid heat I have not been out riding the roads. I decided instead to compile the few that I have accumulated over the last couple years and display them altogether as a post. I say few as homemade Kentucky scarecrows are becoming a rare breed. Most of those below have been featured in previous posts. 

I find folks who design their own scarecrows very artistic with a deep sense of humor. Perhaps you'll get a sense of this as you scroll through these fun characters.








20 comments:

  1. Fantastic! SOme great sculptures that have purpose in life! Thanks!

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    1. Barbara -- Great purpose but little used anymore. Unfortunately, as it added a great folk tradition to gardens. thanks -- barbara

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  2. Wonderful scarecrows. I'll bet the one in the top picture once wore indigo, or only somewhat faded indigo, overalls and shirt and they've bleached quite white from the sun. At approximately 5:15 a.m. I always wish there were a great many scarecrows around. The little birds have sung their pre-dawn songs and then the crows gather in tree tops and croak - nothing musical about their repeated and repeated caw-caw-caw..caw-caw. And various other sentences. I don't mind being awakened by the little birds but as I'm trying to get another hour of sleep the crows chime in.

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    1. June, I'm sure that scarecrows in general looked pretty weather worn after a season in the rain and blistering sun. But what fun to see the different types that used to appear with our growing veggies. -- barbara

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  3. OMG...these are just too much fun! I haven't seen any real scarecrows in years. Thanks for sharing...

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    1. turquoisemoon -- When I first moved here I was happily surprised that so many folks grew gardens in both the country side and within towns. I thought that there would be lots of scarecrows but sadly the tradition is waning. I really had to look hard to find the few that I have in this post. thanks for the comment -- barbara

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  4. How wonderful! I love the lady scarecrow with the flowerpot head!

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    1. Mamabug -- Yes, the flowerpot head scarecrow is fun to look at. Did you notice her skirt is made out of (I think) climbing bean leaves. thanks for the comment -- barbara

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    1. Jayne -- Yes, scarecrows are lots of laughs -- glad you enjoyed -- barbara

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  6. There's quite a history behind these simple deterrents.

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    1. Birdman -- Would be nice to have a book on the history of these scarecrows! thanks for the comment -- barbara

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  7. In our area, scarecrows have gotten to be a Halloween novelty, more than to serve their original purpose of scaring off the crows. The crows nowadays have more food available to them in parking lots and garbage cans, so they don't necessarily have to bother only the gardens. The photos you share are examples of their designer's whimsy....the cans for hands, the flower pot head, the hole in the sleeve of the last picture, the one wearing glasses and a handkerchief hanging out of his pocket. Such a fun blog to have awaiting us. Thanks, Barbara.

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    1. Nature Weaver -- Birdman (above comment) mentioned the history behind the scarecrows. I would like to have a book on that, if there is such a thing out there. I do know that the Japanese use them. Native American women stood on elevated structures in their gardens and acted like scarecrows as their duty was literally to scare the crows away. Wish the scarecrows were still as popular as when I was a kid -- they always made me smile. -- thanks --barbara

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  8. I love scarecrows and often take rambling trips through farms to catch a glimpse of them. I especially like the ones that flap in the breeze. Thanks for showing us some Kentucky ones.

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    1. NCmountainwoman -- Sounds like you have more in your area than we have here in Central Kentucky. Gardens abound here but not scarecrows -- they're like needles in a haystack to find. thanks -- barbara

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  9. These are great examples of folk art and nice perches for the crows!

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    1. Hattie -- I don't know about the birds frightening off the crows once they get used to the "funny looking character" in the garden. I believe you are right -- they just become perches for the crows. But building a scarecrow creates a joyful garden for all viewers. thanks -- barbara

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  10. Delightful! And we do need to have a history of scarecrows and related "implants." Just learned more here--native American women serving as human ones struck me...I could take that information in many directions and wonder about performance as crop-saving, like rain dancing?

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    1. naomi dagen bloom -- I have read that mostly the younger native women would sit or stand on a raised platform in the vegetable garden and shoo the crows away. Young native men would saunter by and flirt with the maidens. There is quite a bit wrote about this tradition. thanks for stopping by -- barbara.

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