sorghum brooms

Brooms have been used forcenturies to sweep caves, cabins and castles. Before 1797, brooms in Americawerehome and hand-made. Tree branches and brush were often used tosweep the floorand clean the ashes from the fireplaces. Sometimes acrude brooms werefashioned by tying something on a stick or handle:straw, hay, fine twigs orcorn husks. These crude brooms did not sweepwell and fell apart after a shorttime, even though strong linen twinewas often used.Cooking at this time was much different than it istoday. Stoves did not exist.They had not yet been invented. Cooking wasdone outside, over an open fire, orin a huge fireplace in the kitchen.Reflector ovens, and pots hanging fromchains, were used to prepare themeals. Wood had to be carried in for the fire,and the ashes had to becarried out. In between, the fire had to be tended toprovide just theright flame, coals and heat. A big and messy job. So, a broomwas animportant tool in keeping the hearth area clean. Unfortunately,goodbrooms did not exist, and dust and ashes were a part of life.

In contrast to other crafts, broom making is not learned in schools. The craft has been passed down from father to son.