ELKTON, Ky. (WTVF) — A form of art brings people from all over to one southern Kentucky county. You're going to have to take a drive to see why this has become such a favorite fall tradition.
It was the lunch time rush. An aroma was wafting through downtown Elkton, Kentucky over to Billy Goat Hill Farm to Table Kitchen. Someone had just ordered a local beef cheeseburger with piping hot crispy crinkle cut fries. Owner Melissa Weathers told us opening a place in downtown Elkton comes with a certain expectation.
"Well, it's a giant cheeseburger!" she said, standing next to an art piece made to look like a cheeseburger, standing nearly as tall as her.
"It's made of hay!"
Todd County has had this tradition for ten years now. Homes and businesses create art made from hay. It's called the Bale Trail. All around the county were hay creations made to look like the title character from Where's Waldo, a peacock, and video game icon, Mario.
Then, there's the creation by Emilie Gill.
"I thought if I could make it as accurate to a model as possible, even covered with hay, it would draw people," Emilie said. "Straw Trek!"
Boldly going where no man has gone before, the Strawship Enterprise was what Emilie made.
"I had a lot of people stop and ask what in the world I'm building!" Emilie said.
"We've gone end to end on one county to look at them all," added Melissa. "People are very creative, I have to say."
"It's brought in a lot of visitors that wouldn't have thought of coming here and always find that it's a wonderful community that they have stumbled on," Emilie continued. "I don't think we could have something better."
Live long and propser, Bale Trail.
The Bale Trail runs now through October 31st. For the 2023 Bale Trail map, visit here.
