FOOTHILL GOURDERS
El Dorado County Gourd Patch

Foothill Gourders is based in Placerville and serves El Dorado County and the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. Our members come from Placerville and communities nearby as well as from Sacramento, Amador, Calaveras, and San Joaquin Counties. At this time we have approximately 40 members.

Our patch provides gourd growing/harvesting and art/craft information through meetings, demonstrations, event participation, training sessions and workshops, field trips, and library displays. A ‘Foothill Gourders’ newsletter is published and mailed to members bi-monthly. In between printed newsletters, ‘The Gourd Vine’ is e-mailed to update members on events and information.

Foothill Gourders meets at least monthly. General meetings are held the first Thursday of every month and are scheduled from 9:30 am to 12 noon. Meetings may be held at the El Dorado Co. Agricultural Commissioners/Cooperative Extension Building located at 311 Fair Lane in Placerville, or monthly meetings may be held at a member’s house or studio, or during a field trip. Additional work sessions may be scheduled at the El Dorado Co. Senior Center or at member’s homes or studios.

At our meetings, we discuss business issues, have a demonstration or presentation, and share our work during "Gallery Time" (our show & tell). We also schedule field trips to studios, gourd farms and other places of interest to our members.

We usually participate in one or two public fairs and festivals during the year, such as the El Dorado County Harvest Fair held at our fairgrounds in September, and Leiser Farms Gourd Art Festival and Sale held in Knights Landing in May. At these events, Foothill Gourders has gourd art on exhibit and for sale, and we also raise funds through opportunity baskets and drawings. These are a great opportunities for us to educate the public about gourds and gourd art. We use this time to encourage others to try gourd crafting and to let them know that the best way to learn gourding and to meet great people is to join the Foothill Gourders!