Willow Bark Stripping at Lakeshore Willows
Last week I had the opportunity to travel up to Lakeshore Willows to strip willow bark.
This was the second time I had a chance to do this with Lene and I’m so grateful she was able to have us there this year. The rain has been relentless where she lives and all her willow beds were sitting in ankle deep water.
The event was supposed to be bigger, with more people helping, but because of the conditions it was limited to three people including myself. We were prepared with boots and the knowledge that the willow was not cut and laid out for us. So, four kick ass women cut, bundled and carried several loads of willow sticks from wetlands to barn. We were soaking wet within a few minutes from all the excess rain held up in the leaves, but that didn’t deter us one bit. It was quite the walk from where the willow was to the barn that we stripped the branches in. It really made you feel connected to the material. The process of gathering and preparing your materials for basketry is a big part of the beauty of being connected to a place and a plant. The baskets I make with this bark now hold extra special memories and life.
The willow is cut lengthwise and using your fingers or a tool you pop and slide the bark off the inner core. The bark is then turned inside out and secured into a tightly coiled bundle. The neat pile of ever growing bark coils on the table was so gratifying to look at.
The only other sight that was just as lovely, was the very growing pile of naked willow rods in the driveway. It’s is so unfortunately that they won’t stay bright white and beautiful like this. There are certain things you can use these for, but this pile served it’s new purpose as wood chips.
Lene’s dog Hansen was part of our entertainment. He loved to see what everyone was doing in between his adventures into muddy puddles.
The bundles of willow soon began to take over the garage! For two days we striped as much as we could. Not wanting to stop!
On the third day we got in a little weaving with our fresh bark. I decided to work on a plaited piece that was doubled up. When I got home I put a little jar into the center and filled it with some flowers.
The opportunity to take home half of what I stripped is really my reason for doing this whenever I can. I now have plenty of willow bark stashed away for future projects. I’m so grateful to Lene for offering these types of workshops because you really will not find this type of thing anywhere else.
I will have one more opportunity this summer, later this month, when I travel to Iowa to learn willow bark basketry with Maggie Smith. I’m hoping I’ll come back home with some new ideas to put my stash to work.
