A sweet kid's millet toy broom, designed with a short handle so it's easy for children to use. Also great for use in the caravan or tent. Made by a company that has been in production since 1946 and family owned and run since the last 1970s. It is the last remaining millet broom factory in Australia.
The broom-making process
Millet is planted as a staggered 90 day crop over a 6 month period, grown at 3 different farms in the Tumut area. It is then harvested by hand and armfuls of stalks are bent over, using a small knife to remove the millet heads. Next, the millet is dried for a day in the field and then over racks inside for 3 weeks. Lastly, it's delivered to the factory where it is bound into the handle and machine stitched.
History
The factory opened in 1946 as a rural co-operative in Tumut, NSW. In 1978, it was taken over by the Wortes' and Richards' families who still own and run the company today.
Size 82cm long with a 19cm wide x 3cm high head.
Material Tasmanian oak handle and millet.
Origin Tumut, Australia.