An army of homemade scarecrows is set to take over Jersey’s fields this summer as schoolchildren are recruited to help defend fruit and vegetable crops from hungry birds.
Running until 14 July, the School Scarecrow Challenge invites pupils to design and build their own scarecrows using recycled, repurposed or natural materials.
Once completed, the scarecrows will be displayed in Grow Jersey’s fields, where they will help deter birds such as magpies and crows from fruit trees and squash patches.
Organisers hope the initiative will give young people a hands-on opportunity to learn about sustainability, food security and local wildlife, while playing a direct role in supporting community food growing.
Grow Jersey co-founder Sheena Brockie said the challenge offered a meaningful and creative activity for pupils in the final weeks of the school year.
She said: “Not only will they have fun building their scarecrows, but they’ll also be directly helping to protect crops that support our community – including fresh produce for food banks.”
What would you name a scarecrow?
Schools taking part are being encouraged to give their creations a name and a short backstory before delivering them to Grow Jersey.
Pupils attending visits or sessions at the site will also be able to bring their entries with them.
All of the scarecrows will be placed throughout the growing areas, transforming the fields into what organisers describe as a collection of “friendly guardians” watching over the harvest.
As a thank you for taking part, every participating school will receive a free bird box for their grounds, as well as a certificate of participation.
The challenge has been designed with a quick turnaround in mind, making it suitable for the closing weeks of the academic year.
The initiative also shines a light on the role community growing plays in supporting Islanders.
Produce grown at Grow Jersey helps supply local food banks and is also used by the schools and community groups that regularly visit the site.
Ms Brockie said she hoped as many schools as possible would get involved.
“We’d love to see as many schools as possible take part and help us fill the fields with scarecrows,” she added.
“Together, we can grow something good for the community.”
GET INVOLVED…
Schools interested in taking part have until 14 July to submit their scarecrows.
For more information or to take part, you can email hello@growjersey.co.uk