Where to Find Gourds for Crafting

Maybe you have been crafting with gourds for a while or perhaps you are just getting started crafting with gourds. Regardless of your gourd crafting experience, all gourd artists have to find gourds to work with. While some gourd artists grow their own gourds, gourd growing takes up a lot of space and even the most experienced grower can sometimes have an off season. So where do gourd growers turn to find gourds for crafting. This guide will give you all the answers you need to find gourds galore ready for your artwork.

Where to find gourds for crafting: Local Farmers' Market. A great starting point for finding gourds for crafting is your local farmers' market. Peruse the farmers' market in the fall months when gourds are in season. Look for booths that have gourds and/or pumpkins. Now instead of actually purchasing your gourds at the market, talk to the farmers. Find out what sorts of gourds they grow and let them know your interest in drying gourds for crafting. Many farmers end up throwing away perfectly good gourds at the end of the season, or have an abundance of dried gourds that they have no plans for. Talk to the farmers at your local farmers' market and you may find a great deal on gourds for crafting.

Where to find gourds for crafting: Pumpkin Farms. All across the country, October brings about an abundance of operating pumpkin farms. These farms lure families to come "pick your own" pumpkin, participate in a hayride, or even find your way through a corn maze. Many of these pumpkin patches also have gourds growing. Visit a pumpkin farm in late fall, just before Halloween, and ask the farmers about their gourd crop. Not only may you find gourds for crafting, but you may also get a great deal and save some money on your gourds too.

Where to find gourds for crafting: Ask Around. When you first get started with gourd crafting spread the word! Tell everyone you know that you are getting started working with gourds. You may be pleasantly surprised by the number of people who say something like "oh I've had gourds in my garage for years---do you want them?" or "my uncle grows gourds and has tons of them, would you like for me to check with him on some for you?" Many people find growing gourds to be a fun hobby but often never put the product to good use. Spread the word about your new found hobby and you might not have to find gourds for crafting, they might find you!

Where to find gourds for crafting: State Gourd Society. Visit the American Gourd Society for a listing of gourd societies in your area. Most states have a gourd society. The individual gourd society websites offer information about local growers as well as annual gourd shows. The annual gourd shows put on by these societies are a great place to buy already dried gourds ready for crafting. You will find dried gourds in all shapes and sizes and be able to purchase gourds in bulk quantities. Also, you may attend workshops or get ideas for your own gourd crafts.

Where NOT to find gourds for crafting: Online. There are many large gourd farms who sell their gourds online. While you can certainly find unique, quality gourds online, you will pay a pretty penny for them. Not only are the gourds themselves often very pricey, but you will have to pay for shipping. Gourds are large and fragile and can often even be heavy to ship, so shipping costs are quite high. If you don't want to spend a fortune on gourds for crafting, skip online gourd shopping.

Gourd art is a wonderful hobby. Gourds are so unique and lend themselves to a huge variety of arts and crafts. If you want to try your hand at gourd crafting, start with these great places to find gourds for crafting.