Thread: The Harvest: What have you sown? (Unorthodox's 2010 yard, and now 2011 as well)

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Very nice unorthodox! Your photos from last year inspired me to do something similar here this year. I've had to cut plans back a little bit, but I have 9 corn shocks and 8 to 9 scarecrows (depending on how many I get done). I just got a bunch of pumpkins too, but not nearly that many! I love the idea of the neighborhood carving party! I missed that in this thread last year.

How many pumpkins do you have there? Also did you have to stake down your reed grass? I'm keeping my corn shocks kind of thing because I'm actually putting a light under them that will be able to move to highlight the corn shocks, scare crows, or cast general light. By keeping them light they keep blowing over in just a light wind so I'm trying to figure out how to keep them upright.

I look forward to seeing your setup. Have you posted some pics?

Both the corn and the reed is held by a piece of bamboo in the center. A little later when I make a raven grass sheave or two, well, it stakes itself. We're only doing 1-2 scarecrows this year. Replaced with the chimera.

As for how many pumpkins, I lost count, but we're in the ballpark of 100. My Uncle planted them, so they were free. In fact, technically everything out there so far is free, as I sold a third chimera that essentially paid for the two that are here. In fact, the only money I've spent this year has been on lighting...I'm hoping it shows up in time.

I don't know that this theme will ever totally leave us as it's just too fun, but the kids have been bugging me to build a grave yard for 4 years now, so we're doing that next year...but more on that later. We'll probably only do half the yard as The Harvest theme next year as a result.

Looking good!!!

Cool, thanks for the info! I haven't really been taking or posting photos yet this year. I'm sort of fighting a lack of motivation to do much of anything (not just Halloween) this fall. I also just started setting up this morning.

I put three small stakes around the base of the corn shocks and tied one stalk of corn to each. That seems to be working so far but this much tight tieing is tearing up my hands already, and I'm not even half done... A piece of bamboo would be much easier, but with the moving light inside I can't.

That's a lot of Pumpkins! I'm jealous of that for sure. I'll be planting my own next year also. I only have 11 for this year. The harvest theme is nice and inexpensive, I do like that a lot.

I have a pretty large front yard so I'm keeping my cemetery area and adding the harvest next to it. Hopefully what I do will give you some ideas, or at least inspiration to see how the two play together. I think it will fit together well.

Deja vu...

Getting killed by wind again...

Preseason over, time to go for real.

We tore all that preseason stuff apart and begun the real thing on Friday. (all pics from Saturday morning, sorry, been at it from dawn till nightfall today.)

The bridge. Stealing the idea outright from TK421.



A little compare/contrast for you guys.

Common reed grass:


Fairly pretty, nice straw color. 6-7' tall, free, plentiful.

Raven grass:


Quite possibly the best decor out there, IMO. Tan, maroons, greens, reds. Just beautiful. 7-12' tall, thick enough to push into ground on it's own. I've been splitting mine for years, still can't grow enough. Maybe next year we can phase out the need to go get reed grass...

Very early work on my mask.



It's had a lot done to it since the pic. That's a life-cast of my head I'm working from.

Kyle's upgraded scarecrow mask.



Did the lifecast on him as well, much more comfortable mask than last year. Needs some paint, maybe a hat.



And that was before we picked our own garden...we're actually having to give some away now. I don't have enough lights for them all. Shocking what you can get for free...

Speaking of free, a donation from down the street.

These are 4, quarter moon pieces. That's smoked glass. Can you say specimen tanks? NOT for this year, but definitely in the 'future project" category. Figure I got 4 'doors', I can make fiberglass copies of them to get the additional pieces for the back/sides to make 4 complete tanks.





We're supposed to be getting some wind Teusday, so I'm doing a lot of cleanup and running the wires till after that blows through, then we'll get the corn back up. My vacation begins Wed.

The orchard is long gone, we've got something very special for the back yard. A few remnants of an old planned theme change that mostly got destroyed by weather a few years ago. I think it'll fit in here just fine.

The bridge looks good, did you go all the way around the house? That had to be a lot of work.

I saw rain on Wednesday, didn't think about the preceding wind on Tuesday, so looks like tomorrow is bungee cord day.

Wow, everything looks great. That bridge really works - fits right in. The scarecrow mask is very intimidating! Does he love it? And I can't wait to see what you eventually do with those "doors" - they're quite odd looking already, so I'm sure you'll be able to turn them into something really wild when you get there.

Looking good! I love the bridge! That had to be very time consuming.

Coming along nicely. Those smoked-glass doors are a great score. Can't wait to see it all lit up, full stop scary!!