Holy Harvest, Batman

After I was asked to be the decorating committee (I did not leave out the word "on," I was asked to be the entire committee) for a women's conference at our church, I decided since it was in October, and I didn't really have a budget, that I'd plan ahead and plant some stuff. So plant some stuff, I did. Mom and Dad and Dan were gracious enough to let me use some space on the farm, and Mom and I planted gourds, mini pumpkins, giant pumpkins, sorgum (probably spelled wrong, don't care) and Indian corn. It got sprayed, nearly died, but survived to produce a whopping harvest. Except the corn, but oh well.

Mom and I planted in May and harvested in September. It was like a treasure hunt...digging through all the vines to find the little gourds within. We had a lot of fun. (Thanks for all your help, Mom.) I left the giant pumpkins and picked those a few weeks later (thanks, Dad, for carrying those behemoths to the truck!!)

When it was all said and done, the back of Scott's truck was stuffed with our harvest...tons of sorgum and five rubbermaid tubs full of gourds.

After I got home and unloaded, the kids help me wash all of the gourds and then we moved them all into the living room. (I have a very understanding husband, by the way...it was days before we could walk in the living room other than through the little pathway winding around the gourds...) The kids had fun playing with them - created gourd families and gourd towers...very entertaining.




While I was waiting for all of the gourds to grow, I shopped garage sales and second-hand stores for baskets (about 60 total) which I spray-painted chocolate brown (2 coats) and then filled those with gourds and sorgum. I also had about 20 vases and 20 mason jars that I filled with weeds (beautiful weeds, but weeds, nonetheless...they were VERY cheap...I cut them out of a ditch). And of course, I forgot to take pictures of the event. But, I hauled some of it home after I sold a bunch of it at the event, so you get the idea.





Dad also let me whack down some of his field corn to make corn shocks (although, being the Iowa boy that he is, I had to go into the field, not cut on the edges, so it wouldn't show...) I added a little foof that Mom and I found at Crafts Direct. Great store, in St. Cloud - it's like my mother ship, calling me home. Come visit sometime, I'll take you there. And give you some gourds to take home!