Gourd Processing: From plants to preparation as an art medium

I planted several varieties of gourds from saved seeds, given to me from 2009 gourds.  Fertilized with manure from the horses at Spirit Horse Ranch, the plants grew organically and quickly.

The lovely lacy blossoms were pollinated by a neighbor's bees.

Here's a dipper gourd growing.  My dippers and bowls were made from this variety.

When the gourds were mature, I harvested.  Here the frozen, dead vines tell the story of a bountiful harvest.

Using 10% bleach water, I scrubbed the gourds to stop mold growth, and dried them in the winter sun.

Curing on a wood pallet, the gourds became nature's art in a snow storm.

Cleaning and scraping came next, leaving the natural characteristics of each gourd as formed by insects, molds, and nature's whims.

I marked the gourds with pencil for a cutting line, and then started the cut with an X-acto knife.

Using an electric jigsaw, I inserted the blade in the pre-cut hole and made a smooth cut all the way around.

Next step:  Cleaning the interior and saving seeds for 2011's planting!

A bowl in progress

Dippers and bowls in progress

I sanded the cut edges with a dremel sanding attachment.