Build a Scarecrow Day

Build a Scarecrow Day

Build a Scarecrow Day is the first Sunday in July

While scarecrows are typically spotted decorated in neighborhoods, pumpkin patches, and farms during the fall, it turns out that these mysterious creations will prove to be much more useful during the summer months when crops are growing the fastest. Traditionally their presence is used as a scare tactic to keep birds and crows away from feasting on fresh seeds and crops and while the origin of this holiday is unknown, scarecrows come with a rich history that has helped humans for thousands of years.

Birds devour at least 30 million dollars in cherries every year in Washington state alone, which explains why farmers will try just about anything to save their crops. Egyptians used the first scarecrows recorded in history to protect their wheat fields along the Nile River from flocks of quails which contributed to German and Japanese farmers following suit with their own version of the scarecrow custom. In Germany, scarecrows looked like witches to help accelerate the arrival of spring while in Japan farmers adorned their scarecrows with bows and arrows to make them look more threatening. “Kojiki, the oldest surviving book in the year 712, features a scarecrow known as Kuebiko who appears as deity who can’t walk yet knows everything about the world”.

How Build a Scarecrow Day Unites People

There are several scarecrow festivals around the U.S that are a great way to get together with friends and family to create a scarecrow that can be taken home and put on display. Throw a scarecrow themed party, split people up in groups, give each group a box of supplies, and have a contest for who can create the most frightening scarecrow. Winner gets a badge and is deemed the defender of crows.