By Mary Pannabecker Steiner

Like Santa and Mrs. Claus, Don and Jodi Brauen are busy in their workshop these days. The Brauens, though, aren't making toys. Instead, they're creating tiny white ghosts and snowmen, fat, round scarecrows, angels, and dark red apples hanging side by side on a string - all from the assorted varieties of gourds they raise in a field next to their farmhouse.

Click here to view photos of the gourds.

Inspired by a friend who grew gourds, the Brauens began with a small patch seven years ago. Since then that patch has grown to cover three acres, producing up to 8,000 gourds a year. Among the varieties are kettles, martins, bushels, penguins, apples, and canteens.

The Brauens are gearing up for their annual open house, which will feature fall and winter designs. It is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18 and 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19 at their home, 7140 Tom Fett Road. Each year they also take their wares on the road to gourd shows in South Bend, Ind., and Greenville.

Preparations for the gourd shows requires much work. Before they can begin designing the gourds, they wash the mold off by running them through a large tank filled with rainwater and/or water from the pond on Don's parents' farm.

"Some people grow gourds and then throw them out because they think they're moldy. You just have to wash off the mold," said Jodi, showing some unwashed, grungy-looking gourds.

In a workshop next to their house, there are work tables filled with works in progress, as well as tubs filled with gourds waiting their turns. Jodi, the designer/artist, uses a pencil to draw the design on each gourd. Don then does the burning and cutting before cleaning out each gourd.

Using what he calls "a little bit of farm ingenuity", he built a large fan into the wall of the shop. As he cleans out the gourds, the fan sucks the insides and sends them out into the woods. When he makes bases for the gourds to stand on, their dogs get new bedding (from the shavings) for their little house in the shop.

Once the designs have been burned and/or cut, Jodi sprays them with two or three coats - shiny or matte. Then she adds decorations, such as garlands, lights, small items of clothing or bits of fabric.

Next to the workshop is a pole barn, where large bags of gourds are piled up in the loft area. The poles are wrapped in aluminum to keep out any rodents who might have an interest in the gourds. Don said that when dried and wrapped, the gourds can keep forever. Those in the barn are from the 2008 and 2009 fields.

Each year, the gourds remain in the field for a few weeks after the first killing frost. That's when the elves come by for a visit. The Brauen's "elves" are the members of their church's youth group (Bluffton Presbyterian) and some adult church members. They use two tractors with wagons; each wagon can hold 750 gourds, which are then moved up to the barn to be washed and dried.

"We build a big fire, and roast hotdogs, and feed the workers," said Don. In exchange for the labor, he and Jodi make a monetary contribution to the youth group.

Sounds like a lot of work? For the Brauens - Don works at Tower Automotive, and Jodi works for the Bluffton schools - the gourd business has clearly become a passion and outlet for their creativity. Too, it keeps them busy now that their son, Ryan, and daughter, Jenny, are each married and living in Indianapolis and Columbus, respectively.