The Crop Keeper was the Scarecrow King! He had gnarled vines for arms that ended in pointed curling tendrils. He wore a ragged, torn shirt from the last kid he caught!

I never saw the point of most of the scarecrows I saw in the gardens around our small town. They were “cutesy.” Rosy cheeked. A silly grin slapped on their stuffed faces. What proper crow would allow themselves to be scared by such a silly clown?

The crows were too smart for that and used those scarecrows like we do a park bench on a sunny day. I thought their cawing was just their way at laughing at us!

But while a garden seems like a bird’s cheerful eatery, the rows and rows of corn seemed like a better feast. Although I still love corn on the cob, you couldn’t pay me enough to venture into those cornfields, esp. once the stalks had dried in the fall and all the corn was gone. The stalks would rustle and creek in the wind. I just knew that all sorts of horrible creatures could be found within…all guarded by the Crop Keeper!

The Crop Keeper was the Scarecrow King! He had gnarled vines for arms that ended in pointed curling tendrils. He wore a ragged, torn shirt from the last kid he caught! His hat was all the last farmer left behind on the day he “disappeared.” The Crop Keeper would float through the rows of corn, moving with the wind rustling in the leaves so you couldn’t hear him coming before it’s too late. Now that’s the kind of scarecrow that would keep the crows away! And everyone else, too!

Pro Tips: Want to up the creep factor of this pattern?

1. The Crop Keeper’s shirt should look torn and ragged. Feel free to add a few more cuts along the edges to make it look more worn.

2. There are three pumpkins sitting on the ground. Make them look like little minions by giving them slanted, angry eyes and a wicked grin to match their master!