BROOM-CORN TO CORN-BROOM: From Simple Seeds and a Stick to a Useful Tool
Brett Walker will be teaching class participants the correct and documented history of broomcorn (Sorghum bicolor), as well as its many uses in early America. He will also teach the growing process, the selection of materials, and the hands-on making of your very own, lovely corn-broom. Skills and information will be taught in the following areas:
- Shop safety
- Understanding types of broom materials and their different uses
- Understanding of the history and cultivation of broomcorn
- Selection of broom-stick materials from one’s own woodlot
- Basic knife-work skills (to shape and prepare the broomstick)
- The basic broom-making stitch
- Conditioning and care of your broom, for long use.
At the day’s end, you should take home a rather unique, handmade, historically-correct, and truly functional item (Brett’s wife, Wendy, says that her brooms are unparalleled for sweeping tight crevices!), and will also possess the very skills and knowledge to grow broomcorn in your garden and to make brooms for every room in your house. Additionally, these skills to make a very personal, unique, and full-of-character gift for an upcoming birthday, wedding, housewarming, holiday, thank-you gift, or for any other celebration!
For ages 14 and up, with parental or guardian supervision for minors. [Waiver required.] This is a wonderful class to take as a parent-child shared activity, which we strongly encourage.
This class is held at the Bannockburn Croft shoemaking shop and teaching studio (directions here).
Some comments from other class participants:
“The broom-making class provides a wealth of information, giving enough time to leave with a finished broom. It sounds dramatic to say that this broom has changed my life, but as a mother who is always sweeping, I love that a beautiful piece of art can outperform any of my store-brought brooms.”
~ Cassandra, class participant
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“My daughter is naturally gifted at and loves all manner of craft, so she and I took the broom-making and leatherworking classes together as a father-daughter experience. My daily work in the digital world convinces me that this kind of learning – creating something real, truly useful, and truly beautiful – is essential to human development. It is indeed a pure joy for its own sake.”
~ Ryan, class participant and father of a teen participant”
