Mail Call: November-December 2009

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Tri and Hope sit with a rooster that is clearly undeterred by their scarecrow. courtesy Tri Robinson

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Scarecrow in the Pumpkin Patch

Recently my wife, Nancy, and I were flying back from a family wedding in Boulder, Colorado, with our granddaughter, Hope. I had taken the May/June copy of GRIT magazine for reading material during the flight and happened across a short article on the history and folklore of scarecrows by Ruth Ditchfield (“Homemade Garden Guard”). It was a fun article and after reading it, I informed Nancy and Hope that we would make a scarecrow to guard the pumpkin patch when we got back to Timber Butte (our ranch in Idaho). We had planted several hills of giant pumpkin seeds in the spring with the idea that Hope might carve jack-o’-lanterns in the fall. The pumpkins had been rapidly gaining weight and size with nearly two months of the growing season yet to go. We all have high expectations of a personal Timber Butte record.

As planned, we spent the next afternoon constructing our garden’s very first scarecrow. I built a basic structure out of pine poles, while Hope and Nancy designed and constructed the head, hair and face. We wrapped the body with empty feed bags, to give it shape, and dressed it with Nancy’s bib-overalls and a worn-out pair of boots. 

For our first attempt at such a task, the final product came out remarkably well except for the fact that it wasn’t very scary. Our mystery chicken, previously named Ladyhawk (who recently turned out to be Theodore the Rooster – see entry No. 91 on www.TimberButteHomestead.com), was not the least bit intimidated. He, in fact, found this new garden ornament a wonderful vantage point from which to survey the grasshopper-seeking activity of the Barred Rock hens (see entry No. 104).

All in all, the project was a success, with much thanks to GRIT magazine for the idea.

Tri Robinson
Timber Butte Ranch, Idaho

Tri, from the “Adapted Bread Oven” last issue to your garden guardian, we love it when our readers leaf through with such a creative, resourceful eye. You make our jobs so rewarding! – Editors

Young’uns, Please Don’t

I read your Betsy McCall paper doll article (“Gift Opened New Worlds,” September/October) with a smile on my face. Many years ago I was traveling with my folks, and paper dolls were easily packed so mine came with us. One morning when the folks slept in and I didn't, they woke up to find my paper dolls had real hair (mine) cut from (where else) the very front of my forehead. I'm guessing every little girl does it eventually.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print