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- Apr 14, 2006
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Well I got out for a hike today, and what a beautiful day it was. Warm and sunny, with lots of fall colours (did I mention, like TF, fall is my most favourite season?)
I posted a couple of shots in kgd's 'wood handles & fall leaves' thread, but I had a few more I wanted to post.
The first is a shrub called Common Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) and its fruit can be used for jams & jellies. (Sorry about the poor picture)
I thought this Beech (Fagus grandifolia) tree was pretty interesting looking - the thing has more roots than Arthur Hailey. Also has edible nuts. I understand that Beech was used quite often for making netting shuttles.
A small, picturesque Oak (Quercus) - also the National Tree of the U.S. Also has edible nuts, but usually require processing, especially the Red Oaks (like this one) - higher tannin level.
Another colourful tree:
Now here is where it gets more relevant to W&SS - although not a great picture, here we have Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) with one foot in the grave. Wood Nettle is edible, although I have yet to try it, and is also my favourite cordage material. Kind of hard to get a good picture of this.
You should always cut Wood Nettle rather than pulling it up by the roots, because it spreads by rhizomes and pulling it up may damage it (?) . The first step is to run the stalk up and down between gloved hands to remove the prickles (not called Nettle for no reason) and the leaves.
I'm not sure how to describe this next step. I grasp the stalk at one end and work it back and forth to start the separation of fibres from the main stalk.
Once I do this the fibres (in the outside layer) can be separated from the rest of the stalk.
Fibres on the right, stalk on the left.
Some quick cordage I made from it when I got home. Splice ends need to be trimmed off, of course.
So that's it - I think I used up the 10 picture allotment.
Doc
I posted a couple of shots in kgd's 'wood handles & fall leaves' thread, but I had a few more I wanted to post.
The first is a shrub called Common Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) and its fruit can be used for jams & jellies. (Sorry about the poor picture)
I thought this Beech (Fagus grandifolia) tree was pretty interesting looking - the thing has more roots than Arthur Hailey. Also has edible nuts. I understand that Beech was used quite often for making netting shuttles.
A small, picturesque Oak (Quercus) - also the National Tree of the U.S. Also has edible nuts, but usually require processing, especially the Red Oaks (like this one) - higher tannin level.
Another colourful tree:
Now here is where it gets more relevant to W&SS - although not a great picture, here we have Wood Nettle (Laportea canadensis) with one foot in the grave. Wood Nettle is edible, although I have yet to try it, and is also my favourite cordage material. Kind of hard to get a good picture of this.
You should always cut Wood Nettle rather than pulling it up by the roots, because it spreads by rhizomes and pulling it up may damage it (?) . The first step is to run the stalk up and down between gloved hands to remove the prickles (not called Nettle for no reason) and the leaves.
I'm not sure how to describe this next step. I grasp the stalk at one end and work it back and forth to start the separation of fibres from the main stalk.
Once I do this the fibres (in the outside layer) can be separated from the rest of the stalk.
Fibres on the right, stalk on the left.
Some quick cordage I made from it when I got home. Splice ends need to be trimmed off, of course.
So that's it - I think I used up the 10 picture allotment.
Doc
This weekend is supposed to be gorgeous however.
(Nothing wrong with your memory, is there Mike? 
:thumbup: