corn

[Anonymous]

anyone have ideas on how to model realistic corn fields? HO scale
thanks -jacob

[2021]

In our club, we have an area that used that outdoor carpeting - the long bladed type, but I don't know if it's still around. Looks fairly realistic.
Ron K.

[bpickering]

QUOTE: Originally posted by backpackingnn

anyone have ideas on how to model realistic corn fields? HO scale

IIRC, there was an article in MR in the past year or so that suggested, for >planted< corn (that is, the furrows), basically you carefully pull one side from a piece of corrugated cardboard, glue it flat-side down, then a light covering of dirt. Get a tractor with plow, or maybe sprayer, running down the rows, and you've got nice early-season fields.

Brian Pickering

[jrbarney]

Jacob,
There are two products available, one from Alkem Scale Models:
http://www.alkemscalemodels.com
It's a bit pricey if you're doing a large field. The other product is available from:
http://www.musketminiatures.com
Unfortunately, Musket Miniatures hasn't yet posted a picture of this item.
Here's a link to a thread on this topic in October 2004:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=22583&REPLY_ID=227855#227855
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[CBQ_Guy]

Jacob,

I used to have a red cedar tree in my yard. The needles that fell off were about an inch or so long, and they looked a bit to me like they would pass as corn plants...just don't look TOO close! [:-^]

[scole100]

A couple of years ago Model Railroader did a article on how to make a corn field. They used some type of plastic plant that was readily available. the result looked very good for taller corn plants. Do a search for that article, it looked easy enough.
-Happy farming

[n2mopac]

I recommend using a few rows of the alkem product in the front of your field and put indoor/outdoor carpet behind it. The carpet looks terrible, but as filler behing the quite realistic alkem corn stalks it works well. I did this in N scale as was quite happy with the results. Of course, this *** presupposes that your corn field is toward the back of your layout, away from the from edge of viewing.

Ron

[nobullchitbids]

For highly realistic cornfields, you will need a few unusual items: Water, a genuine ear of ripe corn, some genuine dirt, a pair of powerful binocculars, and a pair of tweezers. Spread the dirt in the area where you wi***o have the cornfield, then take the binocculars and look at the ear of corn through the wrong end. While doing this, remove the corn kernals from the cob with the tweezers and promptly plant them in the dirt. Water thoroughly and wait a couple of weeks. You should have a perfect miniature cornfield in no time!

[sparkingbolt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nobullchitbids

For highly realistic cornfields, you will need a few unusual items: Water, a genuine ear of ripe corn, some genuine dirt, a pair of powerful binocculars, and a pair of tweezers. Spread the dirt in the area where you wi***o have the cornfield, then take the binocculars and look at the ear of corn through the wrong end. While doing this, remove the corn kernals from the cob with the tweezers and promptly plant them in the dirt. Water thoroughly and wait a couple of weeks. You should have a perfect miniature cornfield in no time!

Hey nobull...
I tried that, but got confused and looked throught the binoculars the way they're supposed to be, not backward... Well, I have a new roof on the house now, but still have to clean up after the logging crew. And I think an aphid ate my cat.

[Anonymous]

Jacob, I used a simple scrubbing brush which had light tan (yellow) fiberous bristles. The scrub brush handle needs to be hidden beneath your ground level. You may place as many brushes as needed for long long even furrows. Trim here and there for length of corn stalks. Personally, I used styrofoam (painted earth color) for surrounding surface to hide the "brush handle." You will probably think of a better way but this may be "food for thought." I'm pretty sure you won't find a cheaper or easier method.

[trainnut57]

In reply to scole100, I remeber the article they are talking about. The plastic plant is called "asparagus fern" and can be purchased at such places as MIchael's (if you have one in your area) or any other well stocked craft store. The only problem is tha alot of modification is necessary, i.e. flattening the leaves and bending them, and using only the top part of the fern. I tried it (notice I said "tried". After about three hours I had about 21 plants ready along with a sore hand from the pliers. After careful consideration, I found some small round, orange beads and planted a pumpkin patch instead.

Good Luck

[orsonroy]

I stick with "fake grass" outdoor carpeting for my cornfields. It doesn't necessarily look the best of any of the methods, but cinsidering I'll eventually need well over 20 square feet of cornfields for my layout, it's a good compromise. I save the Alkem stuff for small family plots next to the edge of the layout. Since I'm modeling late spring/early summer, my corn doesn't have to be all that tall nor look "corny", so the shorter mat carpeting works for me. And it's already John Deere green!

[JeffG]

Check page 83 of the May 1999 issue of "Railroad Model Craftsman" for the article "Green Acres" by Chris D'Amato. I have the issue and the results were fantastic. Good luck.

JG

[kansaspacific1]

Ken Patterson of St Louis describes a good method in Mainline Modeler, August 1999
Page 61 using branches from plastic Christmas Trees. The method was used on
Midwest Modelers display layout shown in another article from Model Railroader in 1996. Do a search for "corn" in the magazine index at trains.com and you will find other
methods as well. I've used Ken's method and prefer it.

[Anonymous]

thanks all for the help

[snowey]

also, Art Curren did an article in MODEL RAILROADER back around 1987 or so, describing how to use a door mat to model a cornfield. He was saying how it can easily be cut to shape to cover a smaller area. The article was reprinted in one of the Kalmbach scenery books, I think it was called "SCENERY TIPS AND TECHNICUES".

Do a search on this site under the "index of magazines" and you'll probably find it.

[Anonymous]

Yup, Alkem makes the best looking corn rows, but at $13 for 160 corn stalks (no corn on them), it may be a bit pricey for rows and rows. I'd use them in the front and fill in the back with something less expensive. I've seen some cast metal ones that looked thicker and not as nice (may be Musket Miniatures, but I'm not sure. I've seen them sold at the large train show/swap meets) but were probably cheaper and could serve as background filler, and then use the carpet threads for corn rows even further back.

[Anonymous]

i purchased a couple of minature cristmas trees from our local a.c. moore. then i took apart the branches and cut them to lenght. after that i used a heat gun to shrivel them up and a nice golden color to paint them. total cost around 3.00 for a nice fall corn look. good luck.[:)][:)][:)]

[snowey]

also, ther was an article in MODEL RAILROADER years ago (unfortunately, I don't know the year, but the pictures they showed were in black-and-white, if that's any help) telling how to model reasonable-looking corn in HO, using some plastic, articial plant from a craft store. Unfortunately, though, each plant took a lot of modification, so it couldn't be used to model, say, an Iowa corn field.

The article was reprinted in one of Kalmbachs scenery books about 1989 or 90.
I think the book's called "SCENERY TIPS AND TECNICES"