Broom Corn In Illinois

Arcola, Illinois is a little town about 40 miles south of Champaign, Illinois and bills itself as the Broom Corn Capital of the world.  Arcola is located in the heart of Illinois Amish Country.  It is interesting that Broom Corn is no longer grown in large quantities in the Arcola area, but broom making is still big business.  It is also interesting that Broom Corn is not really corn (Maize); it is a member of the sorghum family and an old world species. 

Yesterday we attended the Broom Corn festival in Arcola.  It is one of the biggest small town festivals I have ever attended.  There were hundreds of vendors selling trinkets, arts, crafts and food.  We did not really find anything unusual to eat, but it was good chance to visit with our son and enjoy the small town ambiance.