M.J. Abell Farm

Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps. —Psalm 85:11-13

It’s finally seed-starting time in Zone 6B! After patiently waiting longer than I thought I could, it is finally time to take out my seed trays and get to work. I’ve got 2 flats started–one for my family and one for B’s market day at school later this month. After last year’s failed edible garden (critters ate all of it), I planted a dipper gourd seed at our house (literally one seed)…and it took over 3 cattle panels and part of our shed. That single vine gave us 14 excellent fruits which have been drying since October. The results have been favorable, so I’ve chosen and started my Weird Crop for 2024: Walking Stick Kale. Like gourds, the kale stalks can be dried & cured, then made into useful things (like walking sticks, ha!). They’ve been getting their outdoor time this week, so hopefully can go in the ground soon. Unlike the gourds, though, I’m unsure how to go about the curing process. But, like with the gourds, I’ll figure it out as I go.

The gourds actually led me down a little rabbit hole, and Mike went, too. In looking at the results of my “gourd crafts” search, I discovered many other types…and, of course, ordered seeds for some other varieties. The return on investment with this crop is quite astounding. Hear me out.

I know a lot of people are searching for income sources on and around their properties. Gourds for crafts are a decent source of income from a very small investment, financially speaking.

If I recall, I spent $5 for 5 dipper gourd seeds. I only used one seed, so initial investment on this example is $1. From $1, I grew 14 healthy, good-to-harvest fruits (out of about 35 total fruits). From each of those harvested fruits, I’ve gotten an average of 100 seeds. 14 x 100 = 1400. I sell my seeds in packs of 10 for $1. Not near as much profit as selling them for $1 each, but still not bad. If I sell 1390 seeds (keeping 10 for myself), that’s $139 earned over that $1 investment. All I had to do was put it in the dirt, water it, then plant it when it was ready for the great outdoors.

Once harvested, I sat them in various environments in and around the house to see which offered the most ideal conditions for drying. Indoors, they stay green. In the elements, they dry but they also can become very weak. Turns out, a covered porch is best. Anyway, dried dipper gourds can be found for sale online, cleaned, for about $18 each. $18 x 14 = $252 + $139 = $391. You literally pick them, find a place to dry them, and leave them alone for months on end while you go do other things.

Decorated gourds–birdhouses, ladles, bowls, etc–can sell for a range of prices–let’s go with $35 average price. If I were to decorate all 14 and sell each at $35, I’d bring in $490. Add to that the $139 earned from selling the seeds (assuming all seeds are sold), and I’ve got a cool $629 from a $1 initial investment that required remarkably little effort. While it isn’t exactly the fastest return on your investment, it is a good return on investment.

The kale promises a return, as well, but seeds are only harvested when/if the kale bolts. We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, though, I did receive the other gourd seeds I ordered and will start those indoors in the next few weeks. Y’all should Google “gourd crafts” and see what comes up. Some of them are truly amazing! What else I find to be truly amazing is how our God takes care of us in such a simple, uncomplicated manner. He gives us resources for us to steward, and blesses us for our obedience.

What are you planting or starting right now? Anything unusual, or just the usual garden fare?