Good starting material is essential for producing a good end result. Gourds that are old and dry break easily. So do ones with thin shells. The best place to buy a gourd for instrument making purposes is from a local supplier like a farm or farmer’s market where you can get a close look at them. Not everyone has access to gourds that way though. Most people will have to order them and have them shipped in. Here are a few places that often will carry what you need. Many of them allow visitors as well.
Welbourne Gourd Farm – In Fallbrook, California, this farm has never let us down when it comes to providing good instrument–quality gourds. Not the cheapest, but the shells are thick.
Wuertz Gourd Farm – Many kinds of gourds out of Casa Grande, Arizona.
Amish Gourds – The Amish are hard to get on the phone, so these folks decided to partner up with them and help sell their gourds, grown in Lancaster County, PA.
Susan Watson Gourds – Located near Chiefland, Florida. Just came across this one, recently. Claims the climate is good for gourds and stock is at its peak when many northern operations are running low. Product not aways available. Check the website.
Quarry Farm Gourds – Started out in Ohio and now in Randolph, Wisconsin. Not sure about the shipping charges, but gourd prices look to be a good deal.
Sandlady’s Gourd Farm – Maybe they come with some sand on them? Don’t seem to have bottle gourds when we checked, but the prices are reasonable. Shipped from Tangier, Indiana.
Gourdaments – Some grown in New York, some in Pennsylvania, likely by the Amish. The unfinished gourd page is kind of hard to find, and they are sold out of a lot, but again, the prices are good. Lots of fine finished pieces.
Pumpkin Hollow Gourds – Maybe you can stop by if you are passing through Piggott, Arkansas. Five 11 in tall bottle gourds for $20?!
Bug’s Gourd Farm – You can pick them yourself in Keysville, Georgia or send a message to have them shipped.
Lakeview Farms – Guess what? They sell gourds in St. Peters, Missouri. Cash or check only!
Gunderson Gourds – Tacoma, Washington. An eight inch diameter bottle gourd will set you back nine bucks.
Ghost Creek Gourds – Somewhere between Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina.
Front Porch Gourds – Don’t put them on the back porch. They sell in lots for a decent price out of Munfordville, Kentucky.
Wisconsin Gourds – Larry Haas looks like a fun guy, but you can only buy his gourds at a local farmers market in Madison or at the farm in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin.
Northern Dipper Gourds – Up in Canada near Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. Currently closed, perhaps due to COVID-19, but maybe they’ll open again someday.
Amazon – Gee what a surprise, you can buy gourds at Amazon. Probably from some of the places listed above. We didn’t check em’ out in detail, but if all else fails…