TURKEY TAIL BROOM
Brooms are objects we all have in our homes, but we don’t typically think about how they are made, nor do we consider the hands that craft them. One reason is because most brooms are mass-produced. We don’t know the maker, much less what our brooms are made of. Yet, there are a small number of people devoted to handcrafting them around the world.
Brooms might also not strike you as a particularly beautiful utilitarian object, in the same way as pottery, or a wooden cutting board, for instance. This workshop may change your perception as we come together to fashion something useful for our homes from the materials of nature.
We are excited to invite you into the art of this particular style of broom making. You will appreciate what you take home!
In this workshop, we will learn how to make a Turkey Tail Broom. You might be asking “What do you use for making a handmade broom?” That is a great question! The plant material is called broomcorn (Sorghum bicolor) and the plant is closely related to sweet sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), which is the plant used to produce sorghum molasses. Broomcorn is an annual plant and some people might compare it to field corn, but the difference is that there are no cobs on the broomcorn. Only a tassel at the top. There are other materials that can be used for the sweeper of a broom, but we will be focusing on traditional brooms for this particular workshop.
Come ready to used your hands and learn from my friend, neighbor, and artisan, Miriam Bradford.
Cost of the workshop is $60. Workshop will include some tasty treats, including cheese from BoxCarr Farm and cured meats from Bell Farm, along with a summer beverage. You will also have the option to pick your own flower bouquet and most importantly, you will be taking home a broom!
This is a wonderful workshop to do with your children. You could consider it a parent and child date. Please note that if you do decide to do this, you would pay for one person and make the broom together (unless, of course you want to take home 2 brooms).
About your Teacher:
My name is Miriam Bradford. I’m 12 years old and I’ve spent the majority of my days working with my hands creatively. Whether I am weaving, sewing, baking, or potting I enjoy making things that are practical, beautiful and edible! I live on Kerley Road in Durham with my family, a flock of chickens, 2 kittens, a garden and a forest to explore. I hope you are able to join my broom making workshop!