There are two times of the year where farmers are busier than all the other seasons – spring and fall. This spring we were flooded with rain. This fall is shaping up to be similar. We have even seen corn already sprouting in it’s husk before it can dry enough to be combined.
For us – it seems like the busy season hasn’t ended all year! We hit the ground running in the spring planting the garden. June 30 we planted broom corn. We’ve lost plants, planted more, fought bugs and attack caterpillars, moles and standing water. Dad got chickens, we lost a few, but started getting flooded with eggs and I’m secretly considering getting a few meat birds next year (my humane animal treatment policy is starting to get too frustrated with mass-produced birds). This year has been a learning curve for sure!
One Saturday my mom and I were driving through the tiny town of Sheffield, IL, and noticed some pumpkins. We turned around and visited a cute shop called Scattered Seeds Farm, complete with unusual pumpkins and antiques/crafts. We made a few purchases, got in the car, and I wondered if she would be interested in some of our broom corn. After talking with Shari, the owner, she said she was having a “Fall Bazaar” the following weekend and if I wanted to join them I could. SOLD!
We scrambled some broom corn and fall crafts together, I contacted our awesome neighbors to bring some honey (which sold out – this stuff is amazing!), corn stalks and sunflowers, and off we were!
We had so much fun at Scattered Seeds we signed up for “First Friday” in Princeton – The Art District has held a First Friday for several months over the summer, offering customers the chance to shop and mingle from 4-8pm. Local artisans without a store front set up “shop” in a parking lot for demonstrations and sales. We were so lucky to be introduced to this event and are excited to take more broom corn to show the Art District!
And after First Friday – we’re tentatively headed to our towns Civil War re-enactment called “Shadows of the Blue and Gray“, October 12-13! Period attire is a requirement, and the weather is always volatile (especially this year), but what a great place to promote broom corn, sorghum and all it’s uses. Who knows – maybe we’ll need to start making brooms!? After all – this era and region would have been ones to use brooms of all shapes and sizes made out of broom corn!
We want to know – what’s your favorite broom corn color?? Tell us in the comments below or on our Facebook Page!
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