Gourd to Know

Baby bird inside a handmade gourd birdhouse with round entrance hole
What Birds Use Gourd Birdhouses? (And What Hole Size Attracts Them)
Discover which birds use gourd birdhouses, the best entrance hole size for wrens and chickadees, and tips for placing birdhouses safely in your yard. Read more...
The Wonderful World of Gourd Shapes
The Wonderful World of Gourd Shapes
Gourds come in an amazing variety of shapes, from birdhouse gourds and bottle gourds to curly dipper gourds and tiny egg gourds. Discover the history of gourds, how different cultures... Read more...
Consider a Gourd Birdhouse this Spring...
Consider a Gourd Birdhouse this Spring...
The birds are all atwitter in Circleville, NY.  After almost 25 springtime birdhouse hangings,  I think about all the generations of wrens and chickadees born in my gourd birdhouses.  For... Read more...
Gourd Birdhouse : Care and Maintenance
Gourd Birdhouse : Care and Maintenance
The two questions I get asked the most at shows are:  how long will my birdhouse last?  And, how do I clean out the old nest?   Thanks customer feedback, online... Read more...
Gourd Life in Springtime 2018
Springtime is a gourd time.  Not only do gourd farmers, like my 17 year old son, start plotting gourd sites, picking out gourd seeds and raising trellises, but it is the time to start collecting last year’s harvest from the fields.  Through winter’s snow, sleet and freezing rain, these stoic vegetables remain strong (or at least most of them do!), and then, the great Springtime gourd reveal begins.  Who made it?  Who didn’t?  Sometimes only a good scrub will decide.     Springtime is also 2018 show planning time.  Shows... Read more...
Gourd Birdhouses for Mother’s Day – Unique Handmade Birdhouse Gift Ideas
Gourd Birdhouses for Mother’s Day – Unique Handmade Birdhouse Gift Ideas
If you're looking for a unique Mother's Day gift for a nature lover, a handmade gourd birdhouse is both beautiful and functional. These natural birdhouses attract small nesting birds while... Read more...
Gourd Types and Shapes
Gourd Types and Shapes
Just as the edible squashes come in many different varieties, so too do the hard-shelled, ornament gourds. Here is a short list of the most common hard-shell gourd shapes by... Read more...
What is a gourd? curly dipper gourds grown in PA
What Is A Gourd?
Gourds are climbing or trailing plants that produce large fruit, and they include our favorite Halloween decoration: the pumpkin! Read our overview for more information. Read more...