11-6-24 Hearthstone Gardens Scarecrow Festival

Gateway Art Gallery wins scarecrow contest at Hearthstone Gardens

Vincent Van Crow by Gateway Art Gallery won first place in the Business & Organization category at Hearthstone Gardens Scarecrow Festival last Saturday. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson

By Tami Stevenson

Hearthstone Gardens in Wellborn held their sixth annual Scarecrow Festival last Saturday, drawing well over 300 people. The scarecrow contest drew some very creative, out-of-the-box scarecrow designs this year.

They had two categories, Businesses and Organizations and Family and Friends. But scarecrows weren’t the only draw to the festival. Vendor booths, face painting, pony rides, kids’ games and hayrides were also popular along with the scenery from their beautiful gardens.

Their volunteers are so helpful and friendly to visitors. Volunteer Mo McCourt made sure visitors knew the best place to park and was ready with a wealth of information for anyone that wanted to know more about the gardens and about the event.

Mystic Jungle was there with a variety of animals. They couldn’t bring the lions and tigers, but they did bring some exotic wildlife.

Mystic Jungle’s Jungle Jamie with JJ the Vervet monkey. -SVT Photo

Jungle Jamie, Mystic Jungle volunteer and head keeper, was walking around with a friendly Vervet monkey on her shoulders (and sometimes, comically, on her head). The pair drew a lot of attention from visitors.

Vervet monkeys are native to Africa. She said they eat fruit salad, romaine lettuce, kayle, cooked chicken, grapes, carrots and celery. “In the wild he would eat bugs,” she said.

Owner Mark Chaples said Mystic Jungle, a non-profit organization, has been in Live Oak for 10 years now. They are located on S. US 129. Visit mysticjungle.org for more information.

Vendor Sam Bass of Live Oak, with his intricate wood creations. -SVT Photo

A unique vendor booth selling excellently crafted collectable wooden trains, planes and automobiles, made by Sam Bass, was there. Bass said his goal is to work with terminally ill children, creating for them a collectable toy of their choice.

Blacksmith Luke Harlow from Lake Butler, creating a butterfly bookmark. -SVT Photo

Blacksmith Luke Harlow from Lake Butler was also among the vendors. He said he creates bookmarks and other things out of low carbon steel because it’s easier to work with. He said if he was making a knife, for instance, he would be using high quality steel, but would need a much hotter fire. Harlow said he’s been doing blacksmithing as a hobby for about six years.

Judy Mundy, Hearthstone Gardens owner of the 501c3 non-profit organization, said they had to reschedule the event from October because of the hurricanes. They lost some vendors and their live music due to events beyond their control.
Mundy purchased the property in 2016.

“Then in 2018 after we had gotten the structural plantings in, we opened. Because if we waited until everything was perfect we would still not be open,” she added.
They had eleven entrants for the scarecrow contest.

“This is way down, but I put that on the fact that people just had a hurricane and are exhausted,” said Mundy. All in all, Mundy was happy with the turn-out and was glad to be able to have the festival at all this year.
The scarecrow contest is decided by visitor vote.

Here are the winners:
Businesses and Organizations Category:
First Place: Vincent Van Crow by Gateway Art Gallery #75
Second Place: Scuba Diver, Master Gardeners in Lake City #78
Third Place: God Bless Our Farmers, the Garden Club in Live Oak #77

Family & Friends Category:
First Place: Daisy by Sit N Sew Group #40
Second Place: Gnome by Live Oak Garden Club #42
Third Place: Flamingo by Marjorie Stoeker #41

First Place winner from the Family & Friends category. Daisy Sit N Sew has a spot for her friends to sit with her.
By the Sit N Sew group. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson

The Scuba Diver scarecrow created by the Master Gardeners in Lake City won second place in the business category in the scarecrow contest. -SVT Photos by Tami Stevenson