It’s amazing what you can do with a gourd – from creating a drum to a doll. You’ll see it all at the fifth annual Gourd Festival, September 25-26, 1999 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The place is Zittel Farms at the corner of Oak and Auburn-Folsom Road in Folsom. More than 50 artists and crafts people will show off their wares. In keeping with fall, there will also be Indian corn and dried flowers.

Gourds are easy to grow. You care for them like you would a muskmelon or watermelon. They require a long, warm growing season to develop their fruit to maturity and they won’t withstand frost. A sunny, well-drained location is the best area for planting. The gourds are cured when they are thoroughly dry and have hard shells.

Gourds have been around since the beginning of time. Large gourds were a sign of wealth in primitive cultures. They were the main feature of a woman’s dowry. Gourd art provides big clues to anthropologists and historians.

If you have comments or questions about this story, please E-mail Producer/Reporter Pat McConahay at pmcconah@kvie.org.