Meadowbrooke Gourds Tours

Have you ever wondered how we started crafting gourds and exactly how we do it?  Well, we have the answers, and you can too!

Many years ago, we started to host tours at our farm both publicly and privately.  Of course, when COVID hit, we had to put those tours on hold but they are back and in full swing. We hold a free public tour every Tuesday starting at 2:00pm. The tour begins in the gift shop and no reservations are needed. Just show up and let the person who is working the store know so when the tour guide comes out to gather everyone together, you aren’t forgotten. This is a great experience for those just visiting the area, locals who have out of town guests or for anyone who wants to know the answers.

For groups of 15 or more people, we can do a private tour. We hold private tours during the week. This is a great option for field trips, church groups, garden groups or just a group of friends who want to come and spend some time at the farm. The tour is free for groups of 20 or under but there is a small fee once you hit over 20 people. We also can do a private gourd project while you are here for the tour if you are interested for an additional fee of either $10.00 or $15.00 per person. This gives everyone a chance to make their own unique gourd to take home and remember their trip to Meadowbrooke Gourds.

The tour is an all walking, inside tour which lasts approximately 45 minutes. For the first 10-15 minutes, you will get a little history about how we got started doing this crazy little business and also some gourd planting and growing tips. From there, you will move into the three main sections of our production area, washing, crafting, and finishing. In these areas, you will be able to see all our crafters working at what they do every day. You will be able to ask questions and get answers directly from the crafters.   

I always love to hear the comments after the tour comes back because most have no idea the amount of work that goes into and how many hands touch each gourd that goes through these areas. We have about 15 full time employees in our production area and on average, we craft anywhere from 2,000-3,000 gourds each week. Each gourd is touched by approximately 5-6 different hands depending on the design. I think it is safe to say that customers have a new appreciation for the gourds they choose to take home with them or to give as a gift.

If you are interested in getting answers to your never asked questions about Meadowbrooke, I highly recommend going on a public tour or scheduling a private tour for your group. You can get more information on our website or you can call me at 717-776-6029. The link to the website is Visit Us – Meadowbrooke Gourds (mbgourds.com).  Look forward to seeing you soon.

Dori