GOURDS: AN EXCELLENT ""FUN AND PROFIT"" CROP

(Page 3 of 3)

March/April 1978
 
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At this point. Judy begins to paint her design(s) onto the gourd carcass using acrylic paint. When the acrylic is dry, we cover the gourd with a coat of low-gloss varnish to bring out the paint's colors and the gourd's texture. And— finally — we sell it.

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The selling of art objects -as we've learned so well -is an art unto Itself ... unpredictable, frustrating, and (occasionally) lucrative. Judy sells her gourds by several routes: to individuals (for $10 to $15). to gift shops outright (for $7.50 to $10), or on consignment (for $17.50 to $25, minus a commission to the store of 40 %).

There's money to be made from gourds, all right. It's not a regular source of income by any means, but we aren't choosy. . income's income as far as we're concerned. And gourd-dealing is one of the more pleasant ways of making a part-time buck that I can think of.

So how 'bout it? Why not put a little extra fun in your gardening (and extra money in your pocket) this summer? You can, if you grow gourds! *

GOURD GROWERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!

Every gourd grower should know about the American Gourd Society, Box 274, Mount Gilead, Ohio 43338. The Society publishes a quarterly newsletter called (that's right) The Gourd, which tells of the experiences of gourd raisers, discusses gourd shows, and lists sources of seed. The subscription price is $2.50 per year.

The Society also puts out a number of lowcost bulletins on the finer points of gourd raising: hand pollination, the training of vines, etc. One of the publications that the AGS sells—Pear-son's Gourdcraft Manual—is a real goodie. If you're thinking of making and selling gourd objects, you should definitely look through this 54-page booklet. In it, you'll find more than 1,000 photographs of handmade gourd artifacts-lamps, match holders, hats, purses, drums, masks, nut containers, violins, you name It-plus a lifetime supply of ideas from a man who raised gourds by the millions during the 1950's.?GS.

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