Corn Broom
I recently searched the internet and Etsy looking for a kitchen broom that checked the boxes for both form and function. I enjoy sweeping with a broom perhaps because sweeping evokes images of simpler times for me. Using a broom also means I don’t have to drag out a heavy vacuum for a quick clean up. Knowing that my broom would not be tucked away in a broom closet, but rather hung in plain sight for easy and quick access I desired a vintage-looking broom that swept well.
While searching for a broom, I remembered that a friend from church actually makes corn brooms! How on earth could I forget that? Chris is a master craftsman at making corn brooms. He does beautiful work and I’m happy to support him and his small business.
Since I would be using the broom mostly for sweeping my kitchen floor, I was looking for an “A” style.
When I walked into Chris’s broom filled storage unit to choose a broom I totally expected to walk away with a simple, plain wood handle. What I actually purchased was totally different. I couldn’t resist the look and feel of this broom handle made from a vintage, reclaimed stair baluster.
Chris offers all types of handles on his brooms including basic wood, natural wood sticks, carved wood, vintage wood spools, cast-iron rods, even trombone parts, and antique curling irons for whisks. The options are endless. He also does some beautiful weaves on the brooms.
There were so many different broom styles and designs to choose from. Whisks, kitchen brooms, kid-size, parlor size, and even round cobweb brooms, which is long and lightweight for swishing under furniture and near ceilings and can also be used as a fly-swatter! The cobweb broom will be my next broom purchase.
He also makes these cute corn broom pot scrubbers that work nicely for cleaning cast iron.
Corn Broom Trivia
It’s called a corn broom, but it’s actually made with a variety of sorghum. The stalks grow 12 to 16 feet tall and resemble sweet corn, but they don’t produce ears of corn. Instead, they shoot tassels out the top and those are the part used for broom bristles.
Maybe next summer I’ll plant some broom corn just for fun.
The broom handles have a hole and loop for hanging, which is the proper way to preserve a natural corn broom. Never rest a broom on its brush or it will bend and distort the sweep. I bet you’ve seen some bent brooms!
To clean and hydrate a corn broom occasionally sweep your dewy lawn. Or if you live in the north, you can sweep clean snow – then hang to dry.
Giveaway! Ended
I’m giving away three pot scrubbers! To be entered to win one, follow the guidelines below.
Here on the blog:
Subscribe to my newsletter and leave me a comment letting me know what broom you would choose. If you have previously subscribed leave a comment saying you have already subscribed.
On Instagram:
- Follow me on Instagram @mycottagelife
- Like a post — or a few
- Leave a comment.
- Tag up to 3 friends, each in separate comments, who would also enjoy some happy mail pot scrubbers. Each tagged friend = one additional entry.
The pot scrubber giveaway starts today, Thursday, June 11, and will close Tuesday, June 16 at 11:59 pm CST. Winners will be drawn at random and announced on Wednesday, June 17th.
ALSO … the first 5 people who order a broom from Chris will receive 10% off. When you contact him to order tell him you will be using the This Cottage Life 10% coupon. Chris lives in Rochester MN, so if you are local or traveling through, you could make arrangements to choose your broom in person.