Thread: Haunted farm ideas?

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Hey guys, I finally decided on a theme (As you can tell on the title) but I need some ideas for a haunted farm.

I have one about a heckling scarecrow or farmer skeleton, but what about atmosphere? I have a pretty big yard and a good amount of it is open field (The land used to be a farm my family owned since the 1800's) and some parts are foresty.

Any and all suggestions are welcome. Before anyone asks, no I don't have a cornfield and I want to try something a bit new. I love corn mazes, but I'm not sure if it'll work in my case.

This is what I utilized as inspiration for my similar theme:




My results:


Most of those are sheeves of phragmites (reed grass) which a cursory google tells me are all around your area as well, as an invasive species. While they CAN seed, the most likely propagation is from the root, so there's a small amount of risk of getting some unwanted ones in your yard. Only some corn stalks.

The thing with phragmites, all farmers everywhere are more than happy to let you come and chop down for them.

Nice job. One thing, though, about the heckling scarecrow/farmer skeleton, should his phrases be prerecorded or on the fly? I'd prefer on the fly, but I'll try anything.

I absolutely love your idea. I think it evokes the traditional Halloween perfectly. Love what Unorthodox has done as well.

My girlfriend lives on an 8 acre piece of land surrounded by cornfields and she even has a small barn. She loves Halloween and I plan on moving in with her solely so that I can decorate the property. All I do is daydream.

I do have an old barn on my property, but it's very rusty and cluttered with junk. I think it kinda fits, actually, but just have some floodlights on it.

It would be best if you can write a background story mixed with local past events. Why the farm is haunted & who is haunting it. Doing so helps set the tone & the believability / creepy factor. Someone (past farm owner or hired hand) is out for revenge for they were wronged & want justice. They could have sought an local mystic or witch, to help them even the score.

Originally Posted by Haunty

It would be best if you can write a background story mixed with local past events. Why the farm is haunted & who is haunting it. Doing so helps set the tone & the believability / creepy factor. Someone (past farm owner or hired hand) is out for revenge for they were wronged & want justice. They could have sought an local mystic or witch, to help them even the score.

I do have an idea for a backstory. I know this might be an overused plotline with haunted farms, but something having to do with the Depression. Think about it, the stock market crashed two days before Halloween.

He might have gone insane and murdered his family and himself, and all of them forever haunt the grounds.

That or maybe a Civil War themed backstory. I'm not sure if that'd sit well with everyone, so I'm a bit hesitant with that one. It doesn't help I'm in Georgia either. As cliche as the other is, I might go with that.

I could probably photoshop some news clippings and use them as props (Well aged of course) plus I have plenty of old farm tools (Shovels, pitchforks, even an old, rusty tractor). The only problem is fitting them with the story, because the way I see it, either it could be abandoned but the residence be restored or have it to where a family recently destroyed the old farmhouse and built a new home over it, but have paranormal investigators search the grounds.

What do you guys think so far?

Have some evidence that life has gone on at the farm. Like bird feathers, horse shoes, and the like. As far as props go, just set them somewhere in sight and make them look old and rust, or let them collect a huge amount of dust then carefully move them to where you want them. Mice and rats are a thing with farms so if you don't have any props of them, consider getting some or suggesting they are in the area with sounds and raisens. And snakes, don't forget the snakes.
If the barn is stable so someone can walk around, let them. It's amazing how little noises can freak people out.

Originally Posted by GhostlyWhitePumpkins

Have some evidence that life has gone on at the farm. Like bird feathers, horse shoes, and the like. As far as props go, just set them somewhere in sight and make them look old and rust, or let them collect a huge amount of dust then carefully move them to where you want them. Mice and rats are a thing with farms so if you don't have any props of them, consider getting some or suggesting they are in the area with sounds and raisens. And snakes, don't forget the snakes.
If the barn is stable so someone can walk around, let them. It's amazing how little noises can freak people out.

Bird feathers are not a problem, they're fairly common. Horse shoes are another story. :/

Rats/mice and snakes are a good idea, but the barn, like I mentioned, is full of clutter and random old junk so I can't really do anything with it. I could probably drag a couple of chairs and such out of it.

I've always loved that old movie Motel Hell where Farmer Vincent had a garden of people buried up to their necks and burlap sacks over their heads. The heads sort of bobbed back and forth until he would put a rope tied to his tractor around them and "harvest" them for the sausage he was famous for