Allotment Folk: National Trust Style

A member of Rufford Old Hall's scarecrow trail

As well as plenty of heritage apples to explore, Rufford Old Hall had a scarecrow trail when we visited. The volunteers on welcoming duty were anticipating hordes of visitors during half term and made sure we had a leaflet in addition to the estate walks one.

They sprang up in all kinds of places, including the Hall's vegetable garden, so naturally I grabbed this shot for my occasional Allotment Folk strand. The sign says 'A Lady Gardener'.

She wasn't the only woman toiling the soil in scarecrow form. The orchard area had a Land Army Girl too. She - and me as a bystander - was being bombarded by hundreds of ladybirds at the time. I wonder how many of them settled down for winter in her straw?

A land army girl scarecrow at Rufford Old Hall

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