SUMMER SCARE TACTICS
Several local gardeners resorted to an ancient custom over this year’s summer. Spotted round town – a couple of colourful scarecrows and a very realistic ‘genuine (scare)crow’ disguised as a magpie.
Scarecrows have been used as a hopeful solution to the bird [and sometimes wolf] problem for over 3000 years, with the first in recorded history seen in the wheat fields of Egypt. These were net-covered wooden frames with a double function – they were designed to catch quail which were then taken home for dinner. The Greeks went upmarket with carved wooden Priapus look-alikes in their vineyards. Maybe an idea for Martinborough?
Not such a great solution for us would be the Japanese version which were old rags, meat or fish strung up on bamboo poles and set on fire. They were called kakashi – so it wasn’t the smoke but the stink that scared the birds.
Traditionally, scarecrows are stuffed human effigies, but live ones were used throughout medieval Europe and America, though without the advantage of a quad bike to do the garden circuit. German farmers must have had a soft spot for their bootzamon [bogeyman] because sometimes they made a bootzafrau wife to keep him company!
The owners of the two Martinborough chaps enjoyed creating their scarecrows. Wharekaka’s portly fellow in the home’s strawberry patch was a combined project designed and made by several of the residents. The other colourful gentleman started life as a Santa, then sprouted an Afro wig and a summer outfit.
And the answer to the important question? NO. They ‘didn’t really work.’ Maybe that’s not an issue because they’re still a delightful addition to our town’s local scenery. We’ll wish them luck coping with winter.
Maree Roy
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