Hay bales or hay rounds can be used in your decorating.
Because the outside of your home is the first thing guests see, it is important to take your time decorating it. Give your yard a natural look in the fall with hay bales. These can be purchased at many farms, or home goods and gardening stores during autumn. Make a plan for your outdoor space to best utilize the hay bales.
Seats
Take advantage of the cooler fall weather and plan a party outdoors. Picnics, pumpkin decorating or Halloween parties are wonderful outside. Instead of using lawn chairs or folding chairs, use hay bales for seating. You can even stack a few on top of one another for a large table; simply cover it with a thick tablecloth or blanket to keep the hay from getting into the food. Hay bale seating can easily be moved, are durable for both adults and children, and make your fall decorations do double duty.
Pumpkins and Gourds
Set up a small display on your front porch or lawn. Place three hay bales side by side, stack two more, then one more at the very top; a pyramid like this is perfect to display other fall decorations.
Stick a seasonal flag in a hay bale to flutter above the display. Place different pumpkins, gourds and squash on the bales. When Halloween rolls around, carve the pumpkins and place them back on the hay bales. Make sure you use electric candles instead of real flames.
Scarecrows
Hay bales also can be used as a backdrop or weight for scarecrows. Place the hay bale on the ground where you want your scarecrow to stand. Hammer the scarecrow's post into the bale of hay to keep it secure; this is perfect if you don't want to make holes in your lawn. You can set several in one hay bale, or group the scarecrows around the bales themselves.
Structures
Large farms or gathering places can use hay bales in a larger way. Create a fort, castle or maze out of hay bales. This takes some advance planning to know your pattern and how many bales you want to use. Invite friends over to help you set it up. Children, teens and adults will love going inside the castle or trying to find their way through a maze. Keep it up throughout the fall so that many people can experience it.
