Image credits: Valerie Everett (CC-BY-SA)
Guest post by Sallie Ricks
The North Carolina Gourd Society and the JC Raulston Arboretu will be hosting: “Making a Gourd House for Backyard Birds.” The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, February 11, 2012 1:30-4:00pm at JC the Raulston Arboretum.
Mary Ann Rood and Paul Buescher, members of the the North Carolina Gourd Society, will demonstrate the cleaning of dried gourds and preparing them for craft in this workshop. They’ll discuss what birds live in gourd birdhouses in what environments, what birds are likely to live in your backyard, and how to make a bird family happy by placing your birdhouse at the correct height and location. Participants will make a cleaned, dried gourd into a house with a correctly sized and placed entry hole for likely residents, clean seeds and fiber from the inside, drill smaller holes to hang the birdhouse and for rain to drain out, attach a hanger for the birdhouse, and spray it with ultraviolet protective polyurethane varnish. They may use or experiment with supplies provided for decorating their finished birdhouses. Get a head start on the spring News & Observer Birdhouse Competition at the JC the Raulston Arboretum!
Instructors will provide all needed supplies and tools: cleaned dried gourds, rawhide for hanging, electric drills, bits, keyhole saws, safety glasses, cleaning tools, sandpaper, spray varnish, acrylic paint, brushes, gourd scraps, handout with directions, and tips for birdhouse placement.
Please wear appropriate clothing. Participants might get a bit dusty but don’t need protective equipment other than the safety glasses which will be supplied. The acrylic hobby paint used comes out of clothing if promptly washed or with rubbing alcohol if it has dried on clothing.
About the instructors
Mary Ann Rood has grown and crafted gourds since childhood, served as president of the NC Gourd Society for 20 years, started the newsletter of the NC Gourd Society and edited it for 16 years, and served as associate editor of the magazine of the American Gourd Society for 10 years. She has taught gourd craft at NC Gourd Society meetings, the NC Gourd Festival, garden clubs, the NC Museum of History, the NC Museum of Natural Science, the Pullen Art Center, and in the public schools. She has won awards for her crafted gourds at the NC Gourd Festival, the Florida and Georgia gourd festivals, and the North Carolina State Fair.
Paul Buescher has been a member of the NC Gourd Society since 2001 and currently serves as treasurer. He has grown gourds in his backyard and tried his hand at a few gourd crafts.
About the workshop
- Cost: $20.00 for JCRA and NCGS members, $25.00 for nonmembers.
- Registration: Contact Chris Glenn at (919) 513-7005 or [email protected] to register for this workshop. This workshop is limited to 30 participants. Registration is considered complete when payment is received. Cancellations can be made through February 3, 2012 (Friday) and will incur a $5.00 cancellation fee. A minimum registration of 10 participants is required for commencement of this workshop.
- Location: Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.
- Parking: Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
- Questions: Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this event.
Image credits: Valerie Everett (CC-BY-SA)