01/09/2026
🌿 UPCOMING CLASSES — WEAVING FROM THE GARDEN 🌿
I’m putting together a new series of hands-on classes at Four Acre Garden, exploring the beautiful things we can weave and make from materials grown in our gardens.
One of the materials I’d love to include is corn husks — but I need your help!
🌽 CORN HUSKS WANTED 🌽
Unfortunately, the shop where I buy my corn removes all the husks before it reaches the shelf.
If you grow corn, or buy it somewhere that still has its husks, would you please save the outer leaves/husks and the corn silk for me rather than putting them in the compost?
If you’re bringing them to me fresh:
Keep the husks as whole as possible when peeling them from the cob.
Don’t wash them unless they’re muddy.
Shake off any insects.
Put them loosely into a paper bag, cardboard box or open basket.
Please don’t seal fresh husks in a plastic bag, as they can quickly become mouldy.
Drop them to me as soon as you reasonably can, either in Yass or at the Old Bus Depot Markets.
If you’d like to dry them for me:
Separate the husks into individual leaves.
Spread them out in a single layer somewhere dry, airy and out of direct weather.
Turn them occasionally until they are completely dry and papery.
Dry the silk separately in a thin, loose layer.
Once everything is thoroughly dry, store it in a paper bag or cardboard box.
Please label the bag CORN HUSKS and, if possible, add the date they were collected.
Green, pale and slightly marked husks are all useful — they don’t have to look perfect.
I’m especially interested in teaching traditional, practical ways of using garden and farm materials that might otherwise be thrown away: weaving, tying, coiling and making useful and decorative objects from what we can grow and gather.
More details about the Weaving From the Garden classes coming soon.
Thank you — and please share this with any corn growers you know! 🌽🌿
