Gourds are a natural product (technically a hard-shelled vegetable akin to pumpkins and squash), so each one grows into a one-of-a-kind piece with its own character and charm. Our local farm grows about 30 acres of gourds each year, and it takes almost a full year for each crop of gourds to be grown and harvested. After harvest, the gourds are washed and thoroughly dried to heirloom quality, meaning that they are made to last indefinitely. Creative craftsmen then carve, dye, paint, and decorate the gourds by hand, transforming them into whimsical works of art that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

If you think that gourds are only for Autumn, then you have not visited Gallery 30 in Gettysburg! Of course we have plenty of Fall and Halloween gourds, but we also have snowmen and Santas for winter, bunnies and chicks for spring, butterflies and garden cottages for summer, as well as pet, patriotic, farm animal, and silhouette gourds that are great for displaying all year long!

Our indoor/outdoor gourd birdhouses are the perfect place for your feathered friends to nest. Studies have shown that birds prefer a natural home. For this reason, our birdhouses are crafted with the dried insides of the gourds intact to mimic the natural cavities in trees. We offer three different styles of birdhouses, and when hung outdoors, each style will attract different types of birds. The Homestead Birdhouse attracts purple martins and woodpeckers, the Bungalow Birdhouse attracts bluebirds and finches, and the Wren Birdhouse attracts house wrens.

Our gourd birdhouses are very durable. With proper maintenance they will last for years to come. When selecting a spot to hang your birdhouse, choose a semi-shady place for dark colored gourds and a sunny place for light colored gourds. Some birds do not like their home to sway, so it’s best to try to make the birdhouse as stationary as possible. If possible, hang your birdhouse with the opening facing south or southeast. If desired, apply a coat of polyurethane or shellac to the exterior of your birdhouse each Spring and Fall to help protect it from the elements.