Monday, August 17, 2015

Birch Bark Container Making








Our world today is moving fast, much too fast for our family. We have been working hard for many years to live slowly and simply on this earth, and to deepen our connection and appreciation for the natural world. It is part of our mission as a family, and I like to think we are succeeding, at least from our perspective.

Part of living slowly and simply for us has been returning to many skills of the past that unfortunately have been lost in our modern world. Gathering food and herbs in the woods to eat and to make medicine, baking bread, growing our own food, putting food by for the winter ahead, raising chickens, making our own self care products from soap, to healing salves, to body butter, cooking from scratch, using friction to start a fire, making what we need instead of buying, and so on. We have returned to these practices for no other reason except that they make us happy, truly happy.

It is a way of being that fosters health and well being, for our family, it gives meaning to our day to day life, it gives us hope for the future, a future that my little man will walk towards with these skills as his foundation, and it makes us grateful for our connection to the past and these skills that were necessary for survival, and grateful for the present and the choice we have to live our life this way, to be engaged in a life full of meaning.

Our survival is not dependent on these skills, we do have the market and the grocery store if our gardens don't produce as we would like, if we don't put enough food by for the winter we still have access to fresh, healthy food just a short drive away, and if we don't get a coal to start a fire, there is a match nearby. We don't need these skills, but we still think they are important. Important because they connect us to another time, and to our ancestors. These skills, in essence, connect us to our roots. So we take time and make an effort to remember the old ways, to learn primitive skills, again not for survival, but to add a little something interesting to our lives, and to deepen our appreciation for the past.

On Saturday we took a drive to Little City Farm, our second visit to this lovely urban homestead and eco bed and breakfast. Our first visit was for the bee workshop back in June. This time we went for a birch bark container making workshop. We brought along the little one that homeschools with us, and enjoyed a lovely afternoon with like minded folk.

We learned how to properly harvest birch bark, how to prepare it to work with, we chatted about all the useful things that can be made with birch bark, we made birch bark rope, we made pegs out of branches to hold our containers together, and we made our own birch bark containers. The kids made two each, and I managed to quickly whip up a little one for myself before the workshop ended. It was a lovely afternoon of both fun and learning, in a beautiful garden.

We now have a new skill to add to our skill set, and while I don't need to make a birch bark container to cook my dinner over an open fire this evening, I am quite happy to have this skill, and even happier that we shared the afternoon learning this skill together, as a family.

48 comments:

  1. I love the picture of Reece cutting some of the bark! The look of concentration on his face is just adorable. Sounds like a great day learning something new!

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    1. I thought so too Anke. He was so focused on cutting that birch bark it made me smile.

      It was a great day, and so wonderful to learn a new skill.

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  2. So cool...I thought they were little boats until I read the post. X

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    1. Well, I guess they could be. Our First Nations and early settlers used birch bark canoes to travel across this province :) Birch bark is a pretty amazing material, and has so many uses.

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  3. how fun! and so great that the family did it together! xo

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    1. Yes, it was really great that it was set up as a family workshop. We had a great time!

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  4. I would LOVE to learn this skill, but sadly birch is a tree I don't have around here. I love learning new skills and I think any skill that is learned so you aren't dependent on a store is worth knowing. Have fun.

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    1. Well then Tracey, when you visit me here in Canada, we will have to put that on the list of things to do :)

      I totally agree with you on that.

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  5. Beautiful containers! Love them. I agree--it's kind of scary that kids growing up today will know how to program computers but not have any skills that are life-sustaining and connect them to the earth and nature.

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    1. Thanks Andrea! It is scary, and I don't want my little man to be one of those young adults who knows more about computers and technology, and nothing about nature. These are skills that will serve him well in the future, even as technology plays a larger role in our lives. You just can't connect to a computer the same way you can connect with nature.

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  6. Hello Kim... knowing the skills to survive is important for each person, especially children. When we don't consider the need for them, we are short-changing our lives.

    Enjoying seeing your son so focused :0)

    Thank you for sharing and also for your words...

    mari

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    1. Hello Mari, so nice to see you here. Yes, I totally agree with you on short changing our lives. These skills are important, and I wish more people realized that.

      Thank you, he was so focused on the task at hand :)

      Blessings to you my friend, I hope you are well. xo

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    2. Yes, today is a good day :0) mari

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    3. That is wonderful to hear. xo

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  7. I've never seen that done before but I bet it was fun to learn and you never know Kim you just might need that skill in the future!! The memories you are making are grand :)

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    1. It was a lot of fun Karen, and you are right, you never know when this skill might come in handy :)

      Thank you, I sure hope he remembers them fondly.

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  8. Kim, you are not only teaching Reece but all of us of all these near-forgotten skills. I really appreciate the time you put to blogging about the slow and simple movement...I keep learning something new from you.xoxo

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    1. Oh Erica, thank you for those very kind words, you just made me smile. xoxo

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  9. Very cool, it looks like amazing material to work with. It's funny, my girls have spent hours lately skinning sticks and using rocks to grind things into powder. When I ask them why they are doing it, they just answer, I don't know. It's almost meditative. So nice to see you connecting to that part - and I agree, the world is much to fast these days.

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    1. It is pretty amazing to work with. It requires a bit of prep work once you harvest it, but nothing too much. And then forming it into shape is pretty easy, once you get it hot :)

      How wonderful! It is very meditative, and calming in many ways. I am glad they are enjoying doing those things.

      Yes, we are trying our best to slow it down, and to surround ourselves with people who are living life in the slow lane as well :)

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  10. What an interesting workshop. The containers came out really nicely. I'm sure you'll enjoy using them at home. I really agree and identify with your mission, I'm glad there are people out there who want the same things for their family that I want for mine. I hope you have a good week, Kim.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer. The kiddos were pretty pleased with their containers. It is nice to know we are out there all working on the same mission for our families. Even if we can't connect in person, it is comforting to know that their are others out there on the same path.

      Thank you, I wish the same for you my friend. xo

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  11. These are so neat! What great gifts they would make. :)

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    1. Thanks KC!! Already thinking about that :) I think it has the be the right person though.

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  12. What a lovely day and a wonderful new skill. xo

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    1. Yes, we can't wait to harvest some of our own birch bark and make more :)

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  13. What a great idea. I can only imagine how happy Reece was with his containers. They look very sweet and ready to hold some berries, or perhaps some veggies for a snack. :) I love your words about why you live the way you live. It resonates with us in the same way. Wishing you a wonderful week with more adventures and peace. xo

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    1. He loves them Alexa, and at the moment are on his windowsill in his bedroom. There are some rocks in one, and the other one is waiting for something special to put in it...so I am told :)

      Thank you. xo

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  14. We love doing all of these things as well. Our favorite is to open our pantry in the winter months and use what we canned from our own garden. The rewards far outweigh the work. You are so right in saying that it is work to make the effort to live this way, but it is worth every effort. Thanks for the wonderful post.

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    1. Oh yes, isn't that wonderful! We love that too! Indeed, so worth the effort. You are most welcome, glad you enjoyed it :)

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  15. So many of my thoughts echo in your words. I need to start looking around here if there are similar workshops. I know that 2 different people have told me of this retired nurse and holistic practitioner that offers "free" time spent in her home, learning how to make medicine from plants and traditional foods in exchange for help. :-) What a system for the passing along of knowledge.

    Will you teach me how to start a fire by friction?

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    1. I think it is so important for our children to have elders who are willing to share their experience and knowledge with them. To learn from the older generation, to form a relationship, and carry from that relationship not only a skill, but a friendship, is a wonderful thing.

      Of course! My bow drill will be ready and waiting. We can even make you up a bow drill kit to take home with you. We just need to find the perfect branch :)

      Travel safe my friend, see you soon. xo

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  16. What beautiful birch bark containers! The kids must have had great fun making these. My girls always love to make things from natural materials. And birch bark is suc ha wonderful material to work with.I remember Emmy making one of these with scouts a few years back. Ray Mears does a great tutorial too.

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    1. Thank you! They had a great time, and Reece is keen to find more birch bark to make more containers :)

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  17. Very cool. I love that there are so many resources and learning opportunities everywhere for us to explore.

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    1. Thank you! And yes, so much available to us, sometimes it can be a little overwhelming at time.

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  18. I agree. I know I've felt this way, that when you learn an ancient skill (like building a fire for the first time, or making a basket out of birch bark) you feel more satisfied and fulfilled deep down.

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    1. Oh yes, indeed! It is a deep satisfaction, and connection unlike any other. To feel the connection to another time, to gain an understanding of what life was like for them, it is all pretty awesome!

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  19. This looks like SO much fun! There is nothing quite like moving purposefully away from the store-bought, easily-and-cheaply acquired goods that swamp our lives to make our own things, painstakingly and joyfully. Love this and looks like you had such a great experience with it.

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    1. It was fun! Yes, I completely agree, it feels so good to make things for ourselves, to move through the process to a finished product and know we made it with our own hands.

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  20. How great is that?! Love!! It's amazing how many skills we have lost in all these years. We strive to learn more self-sufficiency too. It's empowering and fun when you can do these kinds of things on your own. So near that Reece will know how to do these practical things and then teach them to the next generation when he's older.

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    1. It was pretty great Summer :) It truly is, it seems convenience always wins out for most of our population, and most seem to feel that these skills aren't important. I think it is sad actually, they are important, and connect us to our past.

      So empowering, for both us as mom and dad, and for Reece. I sure hope he carries all this knowledge and experience with him and shares it with others. Nothing would make me happier.

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  21. I think it's beautiful what you and your family are doing. We follow a similar path, but so many things are still hampering us. It is my dream to one day move to where we can keep chickens and don't have so many ordinances keeping us from becoming more self-sufficient.

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    1. Thank you my friend. It is a path we have enjoyed traveling, and are so happy we chose it. Don't discouraged, you will hit road blocks, it is part of life, just keep moving forward in the direction of your dreams, you will get there.

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  22. I continue to discover your blog ... your words echo in me. I really like the way you are feeling the beauty of life, I'm sharing it !

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    1. Thanks for looking around Chantall, it is nice to have you here. It is nice to find a kindred spirit, so happy my space is feeling comfortable to you.

      Thank you, life is beautiful, and it inspires me every day :)

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  23. They are amazing, birch bark is just such an incredible thing, and I think I might just have had to cook my dinner using them in your shoes! I'm sure you're putting them to good use.

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    1. Thanks Sally. Yes, so many amazing uses for birch bark. I have been spying it all over the place lately and can't wait to get out to harvest some :)

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