Have you ever played that game: what is your state (or town) famous for? I met someone recently from a small town in Colorado. He told me that where he lived grew more broom corn than anywhere else in the country. Now, I can’t verify if what he claimed is 100% true, but our conversation was interesting, and I learned a lot about broom corn.
Full disclosure, I never really thought about how people made brooms in olden days. I figured they used some kind of thin, hard plant stalk. I had no idea brooms were actually constructed by using the top part of a plant. And as it turns out, broom corn isn’t really corn at all. It’s a type of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), a plant with long fibrous seed heads. Once the seeds are (easily) removed, the remaining strands can be bound together to make great bristles for brooms.
In case you’re interested, here’s a video of a man making a broom from the broom corn seed heads. It’s kind of cool. Though sweeping with one of these old-fashioned brooms looks like hard work. I now have a new respect for people in centuries past.
Short Video on How to Make a Broom with Broom Corn
Seems brooms aren’t the only thing you can use broom corn seed heads for. The stalks make great decorative items like festive spring or fall wreaths, dried flower arrangements, and fun Halloween ornaments. After watching the video, I’m wondering if I couldn’t craft a witch’s broom for the front door.
Well, my research in to broom corn and its many uses inspired me. I thought it might be fun to have a giveaway. Who doesn’t want a genuine broom corn whisk broom? I decided to give away this little fellow along with a couple of my backlist books. I think it might look cute hanging on a laundry room wall or in the pantry.
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is comment below on how you use a whisk broom. I’ll start. Sweep crumbs off the counter (ha, ha). I’ll randomly choose one winner from everyone who comments.
P.S. – don’t forget to check out the Petticoats & Pistols FB Readers Group page at:
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Cathy McDavid has been penning Westerns for Harlequin since 2005. With over 55 titles in print and 1.6 million-plus books sold, Cathy is also a member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll. This “almost” Arizona native and mother of grown twins is married to her own real-life sweetheart. After leaving the corporate world seven years ago, she now spends her days penning stories about good looking cowboys riding the range, busting broncs, and sweeping gals off their feet — oops, no. Make that winning the hearts of feisty, independent women who give the cowboys a run for their money. It a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.
I wouldn’t use the broom in the giveaway but I do have a small broom that I use to clean my Guinea pigs cage
Hi Rhonda! Great suggestion 🙂
We have broom straw in the Southeast and parts of the Midwest that was used for homemade brooms, especially in remote or impoverished areas. In the grass family, it’s often a tiny bit thicker than broom corn but is related and works on the same principle.
Oh, wow. How interesting. Thanks for sharing, Janice.
I have used a whisk broom to get crumbs off the counter and kitchen table.
That’s what I use them for, too 🙂
I use ours when cleaning inside the car.
My husband does that 🙂
I would use it to get the hard to reach areas under my kitchen cabinets that my regular broom just won’t get.
Probably the best use 🙂
Fancy dining table used to have little whisk brooms of a finer material (maybe boars hair or what made hairbrushes) to brush crumbs off the table linens between meals.
Oh, really. That’s cool!
Sweeping my bathroom floor.
I love it!
I have a Christmas broom decoration that is the size of a whisk broom. I hang it on the wall when my Christmas decorations are out. Close to 30 years ago my mother and I were coming home from a vacation. We saw an advertisement about a Shaker Village, decided to stop, and toured the location. We watched a straw broom being made among other things.
Thanks for sharing your story. I imagine the broom making you saw was similar to the video I found.
I keep it in the car to sweep out the floor
Just the perfect size for that!
It was used to remove lint from clothing or from upholstery as on a sofa or chair.
Huh! I hadn’t thought of that. Good idea.
I use a whisk broom sometimes to clean out the floor in my car as a temporary fix instead of dragging a vacuum out to do it. I also use a regular corn broom to sweep off my deck outside, it works better than a soft broom for leaves and things.
Grreat ideas, Connie!
I use one for small areas or on top of a counter after doing crafts.
A perfect use!
Good morning Cathy! Ha! I use mine on my potting table. The table is almost chest high. I love potting my plants on it. The table was made by the Ag students for my retirement back in 2022. And I use the hand broom there. It’s perfect for that!
I enjoyed the video and article. I am like you, might make me a witches broom this fall!
Best wishes Cathy!
A potting table. What a great use 🙂
I’ve never used a whisk broom before, but I’ve seen them used to clean lint and such off of clothes before.
I think valets used them in the olden days 🙂
I’ve used one to sweep crumbs off the counter and kitchen table.
I always seem to see a vendor with the homemade brooms at the local arts fair. Very popular item.
And I remember passing an Amish farm on the way to my grandma’s with a sign “brooms for sale.” (No Sunday sales, of course. )
I think they would make cute decorations!
I think brooms are very popular items at craft fairs 🙂
clean up around the cockatiel’s cage for me!
Another great use. Getting all those seeds 🙂
Well, I always learn something new here.
Me, too, Minna 🙂
I use a whisk broom when I am cleaning out the window seals when I am cleaning windows. I use a whisk broom on a lot of cleaning things.
I like this idea a lot!
I use a whisk broom to clean up around the dog dish – she always seems to get kibble out of the bowl and onto the floor for some reason!
A long time ago I watched someone make a broom and found it fascinating, but I agree, it looks like hard work sweeping a large area with one!
Another great suggestion, Karin!
The video was quite interesting. It sure looks like one’s hands would get tired and sore after making a broom for a while. I use a whisk broom to clean small messes and in small spaces my regular broom won’t reach.
I agree, making brooms is hard work 🙂
A whisk broom is so practical and helpful. I use it for closet corners, the trunk of the car and in between areas in the sunroom.
It’s good for getting into those deep corners!
I actually have a broom that my maternal grandmother made many, many years ago!! I’d probably not use the pretty broom you’re giving away, I’d keep it as a decoration. However, you could use them for places like the track of my sliding glass doors, where it’s hard to get things in there to clean!!
I don’t have a sliding glass door now, but I have in the past and your post reminded me I used to sweep it out with a small broom 🙂
This is so interesting. I would use your pretty broom on my wall as a decoration. Whisk brooms come in handy getting behind small areas of under some furniture.
I would use it as a decoration, too, Barbara 🙂
Wow that is interesting! I love learning new things, I think they would make great decorations but I’d probably use it to clean the counters too 🙂
Why not both, right Laura? 🙂
Years ago we had a whisk broom which was well used. Under the sink and behind and beside the fridge. Hard to reach areas as well as cleanup in the garage.
My mom used to keep one under the sink, too. Mine is in the laundry room 🙂
I use a whisk broom in my car to sweep out crumbs and dirt until I can vacuum it out.
A car seems to be a frequent, and good, use 🙂
My husband’s family grew broom corn when he was growing up and his dad made brooms. Also, the School for the Blind, near us used to make brooms and sell them. They were the best brooms you could buy and would last for years. We always used a whisk broom to sweep out the car. My dad was a rural letter carrier and we would sweep his car out for him on weekends so it would be clean to use on Sundays for church. We only had one vehicle. Our daughter now collects “old” whisk brooms. lol Never thought I would see the day when they became collectibles. Very interesting video. I also watched another one from a man in Virginia making a whisk broom. Thank you
What a wonderful story, Sarah. Thanks for sharing 🙂
I would use it sweep up all the litter my cat gets all over the floor when digging to China in her litter box.
Ha, ha, ha, Audrey.
Sweep snow off the windshield. Fun Fact: I used to make brooms at Berea College, we made all kinds, I mainly braided the handles but it was a fun and interesting job. The manager and her husband would come to Indiana somewhere and get broom corn for the brooms.
Good idea – snow off windshields!
I use a whisk broom to get at small places where a regular broom would be unwieldy.
As a painter, I use the tips of the brush to dip in paint and lightly drag it over my panting. It gives a bit of texture to my painting.
It also removers crummy like -things from under the sofa cushions.
For painting! I love it 🙂
Hmmm… Maybe to dust off cloth bound book? 🙂
I love anything to do with books 🙂
I have never used a whisk broom before, but I also think it would be great for sweeping crumbs off places like tables and counters.
It is great for that 🙂
We keep ours in the garage and I tend to use it when particulate matter gets spilled (laundry detergent is often the culprit). Receiving a couple of your backlist books would be fantabulous! The broom would become a decor item and not put to use for its intended purpose.
I agree, for me a broom like this would be hung on a wall 🙂
Whisks were so popular when I was growing up. A very helpful home cleaning idea which everyone used. I helped out in the house and used it for the furniture when the cat sat on the couch and chairs.
Maybe shelves in the garage.
The viseo was so interesting. I guess I didn’t think about brooms “back in the day” either. lol
A whisk broom like that I would use as a decoration on my wall by my door to symbolize that I’ve “swept all the bad things outside”.
The video was interesting. By the door is a great place for a broom 🙂
I am another one who uses a whisk broom in the car. Great for all those tight corners and around the pedals.
I have never kept a whisk broom in the car but am now thinking I should!
this is such a cool article about brooms. I have used a small broom like this for what seems like ever. I keep one in the garage, one in the laundry room, one in the shed. I love this corn and this little broom. I would love to hang this on my laundry room wall that has all kinds of old things.
Thanks for the kind words, Lori. I think hanging in the laundry is a great place 🙂
This would make a lovely decoration on the wall!
Maybe use it on steps/stairs.
Oh, Iike that idea, Joannie 🙂
I used to have a whisk broom but don’t remember what happened to it. I used it to whisk off tablecloths and tables. It worked well for sweeping up crumbs the dog left after chewing up a dog biscuit or chew toy. It is just the right size to use when trying to get up just a bit of stuff on the floor into a dustpan. Sometimes the angle is easier to maneuver than the little brushes that come with them.
I love the lavender arrangement shown above. I can’t remember if I have seem the multicolored brooms or not. Thanks for the interesting post and video.
sweep dirt
I’d use the whisk broom for either decoration on one of my walls or sweep hair off your neck after a hair cut or sweep food crumbs away or just sweep little things up
I useit to clean out the debris from my luggage. Especially the cosmetic one.
I would use it to clean inside the car.
That is so cool! I like those little brooms for cleaning up work tables after doing crafts.
Didn’t know a broom could be so pretty. I’d use that one to sweep crumbs off the tablecloth.
I love these history lessons. I’d use it to sweep around the cat litter box when litter gets kicked out. Thanks for the chance to win a prize.