Scarecrows have been used for around 3,000 years. The Egyptians used them to protect their wheat from quail and put tunics on reeds close to the Nile to look like men. In Greece, wooden statues of their Gods were placed in fields and Romans copied this idea with Roman Gods. It’s interesting that Japanese farmers also dressed structures with coats and hats to protect their rice fields. This proves that a good idea is hard to keep quiet.

Children were used in the fields of Europe to scare the birds. They would run, scream and throw rocks to deter the hungry predators. Romans brought the idea of scarecrows to Europe and children were replaced with men made of straw and gourd heads. The use of scarecrows continued until pesticides became popular after WWII. Today they are mostly decorative, but some still use them. It’s fun to read how smart the birds were in getting used to tin pans and blowing cloth that was attached to the scarecrows. Apparently, it didn’t take long before the birds were eating again. Kind of like my deer deterrents. They get used to the smell of the spray and come back for a nibble!

Ohio loves the scarecrows so much they have a Scarecrow Festival in Washington Court House and a Trail of Scarecrows throughout Fairfield County. There are 300 scarecrows scattered through 14 communities in the county. It would take time to find all of them, but driving in that beautiful area would be fun for an hour or two. Of course a stop for lunch would be necessary!

I have a couple scarecrows, and I love their silly faces. They make me smile! So, if you need to smile, buy a scarecrow!