Modeling corn and bean fields in HO

[Anonymous]

Are there any products out there that can be modified or are for making corn and bean fileds in HO? If not, what materials have you used or seen used that will replicate a field fairly well?

Thanks,
Christopher M.

[Noah Hofrichter]

Chris,

Depends on how big of a corn field you want. For a small corn feild against a backdrop, I recall seeing an article in MR a few years ago about using brass corn castings for the 3d stuff, and rubber stamps for the stuff on the backdrop to continue the look of the feild This stuff was expensive though, not good for a large field. hopefuly somebody else can fill in on that.

Noah

[Anonymous]

You might try here... they're for military figure/army layouts... and made of pewter... but, no pictures

http://www.fpcc.net/cgi-bin/cgiwrap/musketmin1/details.cgi?next=HSA1435

[egmurphy]

Chris

I've heard of using the plastic 'Astroturf' type carpet as cornfield material. Not real detailed, but I think it would work. Here's a link to a couple of shots I saw recently of it being used for this (this particular layout is in N scale):





Just an idea.

Regards

Ed

[Anonymous]

Ed, you're idea seems the best--the thought of having to literally plant a large field full of miniature corn stalks is enough to make my wrists (and eyes) hurt!!

[n2mopac]

I have tried the turf thing, but was never truly happy with the result. Then I found Bernie Kempinski's solution. Check out the link below, I think you'll be impressed.

http://www.geocities.com/bkempins/ASMMain/Main.html

Enjoy,
Ron

[Noah Hofrichter]

That the stuff! That's what I meant. It mentions the artcile I was talking about, from 2002. To bad there isn't a plastic version of the stuff though it's rather expensive in Brass.

Noah

[orsonroy]

Chris, what time of year do you want to model? I wimped out and am modeling June/July, when the corn's not more than waist high. I found a type of artificial turf at Lowe's (like the N scale stuff above) that does the trick nicely. For later corn (August to harvest) I've seen real-live Astro-Turf used for large fields. (it looks OK, so long as you don't starte at it too long).

Alkem's stuff is beautiful, but at $24 per sheet, is way too expensive to use in quantity. I've got two sheets that I'll use as forground scenery in garden plots. Musket Miniatures has cast white metal cornstalks, but they're too expensive to use in bulk too. I've seen an article in MR about using grass seed heads for ripe corn, but that will take forever to plant, and will be WAY to fragile to handle.

Beans are easy. Just add a few lines of white glue to a field, and add ground foam. If you want to get fancy, find some corrugated cardboard (box material), soak it apart so you've got the flexible inner ribbed material, and use that for the field, adding white glue and foam to the tops of the ridges.

[cwclark]

i have used strips of shag carpeting in rows dipped in glue to stiffen it up and painted green before, it was ok but if you look at it long enough eventually you can tell it's shag carpeting...Chuck[:D]

[n2mopac]

o

QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy


Alkem's stuff is beautiful, but at $24 per sheet, is way too expensive to use in quantity. I've got two sheets that I'll use as forground scenery in garden plots. Musket Miniatures has cast white metal cornstalks, but they're too expensive to use in bulk too. I've seen an article in MR about using grass seed heads for ripe corn, but that will take forever to plant, and will be WAY to fragile to handle.

I failed to mention (sorry) that this is what I did as well. I "planted" four rows of Alkem's corn and used indoor/outdoor carpet behind it. You cannot really see the carpet, so its limited visual quality is not a problem, but it fills in the area and gives the field a look of real depth.

Ron

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

I failed to mention (sorry) that this is what I did as well. I "planted" four rows of Alkem's corn and used indoor/outdoor carpet behind it. You cannot really see the carpet, so its limited visual quality is not a problem, but it fills in the area and gives the field a look of real depth.

Ron

This reminds me of some people that owned an old farm near mine, back in the 1980's. They planted about 4 rows of corn around the edge of a field and hundreds of pot plants inside the corn perimeter.

What they didn't plan for was state police helicopters. Don't be so sure nobody will see the carpet. [:)]

Wayne

[n2mopac]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Muddy Creek

QUOTE: Originally posted by n2mopac

I failed to mention (sorry) that this is what I did as well. I "planted" four rows of Alkem's corn and used indoor/outdoor carpet behind it. You cannot really see the carpet, so its limited visual quality is not a problem, but it fills in the area and gives the field a look of real depth.

Ron

This reminds me of some people that owned an old farm near mine, back in the 1980's. They planted about 4 rows of corn around the edge of a field and hundreds of pot plants inside the corn perimeter.

What they didn't plan for was state police helicopters. Don't be so sure nobody will see the carpet. [:)]

Wayne

Well, Wayne, that is quite possible I suppose, though the consequences for me will certainly not be as severe as those for these people. [(-D] Anyway, I don't expect many choppers overhead in the old layout room. [8D]

Ron

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Noah Hofrichter

That the stuff! That's what I meant. It mentions the artcile I was talking about, from 2002. To bad there isn't a plastic version of the stuff though it's rather expensive in Brass.

Noah

That's the article by Bill Darnaby as used on his layout.

I saw a clinic recently on making bean fields where the clinician used a sheet of cardboard with the corrugations exposed on the top side. He painted this an earth color. Then he took these green things that looked like fat pipe cleaners he had bought at a craft store/in the craft section of a department store, dipped them in some watered down white glue, sprinked them with Woodland Scenics fine green foam, then glued them with a thin line of full strength white glue onto the top of the cardboard corrugations.

Didn't look too bad...

[Anonymous]

Here's what I tried for mine, worked well. Take some corrugated cardboard like this, apply glue to the high sides:

Roll piece to flock or apply by hand:

Fill in low spots with earth material, should look like this

[Anonymous]

Thanks to the folks who mentioned our etched corn plants. Please note that the price quoted was wrong. Each sheet is $13.99 and a 3 pack is available for $29.95.

If you have a large corn field planned, we offer a bulk discount for orders of 12 or more sheets. Please contact us at [e-mail] for more info.

We also offer sumac and cattail plants for HO modelers.

Take care,
BCK
Bernard Kempinski
Alkem Scale Models
http://www.alkemscalemodels.com

[Anonymous]

Alkem Scale Models' corn looks great, but kind of picky and fragile; Jamison1's idea for a bean field is definently one I'll try, though.

But to add on Jamison1's idea:

You might first fill in the low spots between the "rows" with some kind of earth material, then plant the "beans" so you don't get any dirt on your beans.

I'm thinking of modeling June-July, too, Ray. But if I don't model those months I'll model September-October (which might be even easier since by the end of October almost all of the fileds have been combined).

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bkempins

Thanks to the folks who mentioned our etched corn plants. Please note that the price quoted was wrong. Each sheet is $13.99 and a 3 pack is available for $29.95.

If you have a large corn field planned, we offer a bulk discount for orders of 12 or more sheets. Please contact us at [e-mail] for more info.

We also offer sumac and cattail plants for HO modelers.

Take care,
BCK
Bernard Kempinski
Alkem Scale Models
http://www.alkemscalemodels.com

Hi Bernie,

Good to see you're "still around". I've got the three-pak of the corn plant etched brass I ordered from you a few years back. Haven't had the opportunity to use it yet, but at least I've got it when I do get to that point.

I noticed the sumac at your site and this reminded me that a a few years back, someone, I believe maybe Dave Frary, was selling something called Sumac Tips, which you would use as "raw material" for making tree forms. I recall seeing a sample at the time and it had a nice branchy and conical shape I liked. So now I'm wondering, do you have or would you be able to offer something like this in the future?

Best,