This story is sponsored by Independence Bank.
Danny Collins has been growing gourds for more than two decades and crafting them into birdhouses, snowmen, and Halloween decorations for nearly as long.
Collins operates Kissing Tree Gourds and More, a small farm on five acres just outside of Yelvington along U.S. 60. These days, he brings his selection of produce and handmade gourd crafts to the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market.
“I’ve been growing gourds for probably 25 years,” Collins said. “The last 8 or 9 years, I’ve also been doing produce. Before that, I would go to festivals in places like Taylorsville and Grand Rivers. Now I just come here.”
In addition to his popular hard-shell gourds, which he grows, dries, cleans, paints, and crafts into décor, Collins offers a wide range of vegetables.
“I’ve got tomatoes, jalapeños, sweet peppers, corn, cabbage, onions, and three kinds of potatoes — Kennebec, red potatoes, and Yukon gold,” he said. “The candy onions are a favorite. They’re really mild and grow really well out here.”
The birdhouses are one of Collins’ most popular gourd creations. He customizes them with different-sized holes to attract specific types of birds and includes drainage holes and leather straps for hanging.
“Whatever you can do with wood, you can do with a gourd,” Collins said. “These are hard-shell gourds. I’ve got martin house gourds, ones for finches and wrens, and mini gourds I use for Halloween crafts and ornaments.”
Farming runs deep in Collins’ blood. His father’s family farmed corn and soybeans in Illinois, and his mother’s family, the Greers, were longtime farmers in Ohio County. He’s carried on that legacy in Daviess County and earned a degree in agriculture along the way.
“I started out with just gourds, but it’s really evolved from there,” Collins said.
His booth at the market includes bins of vegetables, crates of colorful gourds, and rows of painted creations, each handmade and homegrown.
Collins encourages anyone looking for unique seasonal décor or fresh local produce to stop by the market and say hello.
“I love talking to people and sharing what I grow and make,” he said. “It’s just something I enjoy doing.”
