The Broom and the Threshold

That tradition holds tight with me still. When I move to a new place, the first thing I do is buy a new broom. I do not bring the old one — I leave it behind for whoever comes next. My new broom has to like the new residence, so I stand it up in the middle of the room by itself, and it stays there until I am ready to put it away. Gramps would do the same, then take the old broom out and burn it in the wood pile. Grandma would retrieve the new one and set it by the front door, bristles up. I know why now — she was the master over the broom. Gramps built it, but it belonged to her.

Now I go through them a good bit faster. I pick one up at the dollar store, let it work, and when it has done its job pulling the negative energy out of the house, I carry it away from the property and let it go.

Strict Rules of the Broom

Sweeping was never just a chore in the hollers. It was a ritual for controlling the energy of a home, and granny witches and mountain families followed firm rules about when, where, and how it was done — rules meant to keep death, poverty, and bad luck out the door.

• Never sweep after dark — doing so was believed to sweep away the household's financial wealth, or to invite wandering spirits inside.
• Do not sweep across the threshold — carrying dirt directly over the front doorstep after nightfall meant sweeping out a family member's life.
• Keep the dirt inside till morning — nighttime dust was piled quietly in a corner and only burned or carried out after sunrise.
• Step over, do not sweep over — passing the broom across someone's feet was said to curse them to poverty, or to a life alone.

Moving and New Beginnings

• Leave the old broom behind — carrying it into a new house meant carrying the old home's troubles along with it.
• Burn the old broom — set to the wood pile or left in the woods, it took whatever it had gathered with it.
• The new broom ritual — a new broom and a loaf of bread were carried through the door first, to promise the house cleanliness and plenty.

Removing Unwanted Guests

• Sweeping them out — the moment a toxic or unwelcome visitor left, the floor was swept immediately behind them, to be sure they never returned.
• Salt and sweep — for a truly negative presence, salt was scattered on the floor behind them first, then swept straight out the door to neutralize what they left.

Building a Besom by Hand

Before the dollar store, a broom was raised from the yard and the woodlot, bound tight by hand and by tension. Making a traditional Appalachian besom takes simple materials and a good deal of physical patience.

Materials Needed

• A four-foot branch of straight hardwood, such as oak, ash, or hazel, for the handle
• A large bundle of dried broomcorn or birch twigs for the bristles
• Strong hemp twine, tarred nylon cord, or flexible willow switches for binding
• A heavy stick or foot spindle to wrap the cord around for pulling tight
• A sharp knife, heavy scissors, and a bucket of hot water

Step One — Prep the Materials

Submerge the stalk ends of the broomcorn or twigs in hot water for thirty to sixty minutes. This keeps them from snapping and lets them cinch down tight around the handle. While they soak, shave the bark from the bottom six inches of the handle and taper the tip to a slight point.

Step Two — Tie and Anchor the Cord

Drill a small hole near the tapered base of the handle, thread the twine through, and knot it fast. Tie the other end to the foot spindle, drop it to the floor, and step on it. The handle is rolled with the hands while the cord is kept taut with the full weight of the body.

Step Three — Layer the Bristles

Place small handfuls of the damp broomcorn around the base of the handle, stalk ends up and brush ends pointing down. Keeping heavy tension on the twine, roll the handle away to wrap the cord tightly over the stalks. A second layer goes on to cover the bare spots, overlapping the first, and the coils are pressed close together as the wrapping continues down the handle.

Step Four — Finish and Trim

A separate loop of string is used to pull the tail of the binding twine back under the wrapped coils, then pulled tight and trimmed. The uneven stalk ends above the twine are sliced away, and heavy shears level the bottom bristles into a clean, even edge.

Keeping the Broom

Where a broom was kept in the home depended entirely on what it needed to do. According to old Appalachian belief, a malicious entity trying to enter a home would be compelled to stop and count every bristle on the broomcorn before crossing the threshold — and with thousands of fibers to count, it would be trapped there until sunrise forced it to flee.

Traditional utility and hearth brooms were almost always hung flat against the wall, never left resting on their bristles. Leaning a broom on its fibers bends and ruins the dried broomcorn over time, which is why early makers — the Shakers among them — drilled holes or fitted pegs into the handles so families could hang them properly. Hung upside down by the front door, bristles toward the ceiling, the broom was believed to actively catch flying negative energy and keep it from settling into the room.

And when the broom was finally set out on the front porch, bristles pointing down — that was the sign. Time for a new one.