Aspenware and the Forestry Forum Pig Roast

[Jeff]

Wouldn't it be cool if at a Forestry Forum pigroast you could feast with wooden cutlery instead of plastic?  Well we did!  A few weeks before the pigroast I got a message asking me if we would like to do just that. Aspenware is made from aspen, paper birch and poplar and it is possible for a single log to yield up to 20,000 individual knives, forks or spoons. The good folks at Aspenware provided enough of their product to enable everyone to use it for all the meals provided at this years pigroast.  They sent some ahead of time for me to "test" and I found it to be just as good if not better than plastic.  We had steak one night and I was able to cut my steak with it!  Everyone at the pigroast seemed to think it was super cool and very functional when I poled them before our door prize part of the day.

So, a huge thanks and thumbs up to Aspenware from the Forestry Forum!

http://aspenware.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/Aspenware



  

 

[Jim_Rogers]

Do you save them to use again? or do you just burn them in the fire pit?

[Jeff]

They are meant to be single use and compostable, however they will stand up to a light cleaning by a quick wash and wipe by hand, which we have done with some for our own use as we use them. They won't stand a soaking in the sink or a trip through a dishwasher as that will begin the process of breaking them down as they were designed. It only takes about 30 days of composting to have them disappear completely.  For pigroast purposes, we tried to add them to our 3 day Pig Roast Bonfire for some additional fuel after the intended use. 8)

[mesquite buckeye]

Very cool. ;D

[Den Socling]

I'm wondering how the utensils are made, Jeff. Do they look like they are pressed from thin veneer? I can't imagine any way to machine them. They must be punched and pressed but why do they keep their shape? Pretty interesting.

[Jeff]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB9JsENcZV8

[Den Socling]

Super high tech manufacturing of a low tech product. They must have a fortune invested in equipment. Hope it pays off. It looks like a nice product.

[Jim_Rogers]

Thanks for posting that video.

Jim Rogers

[martyinmi]

They are really practical utensils. I felt a little guilty after the meal Friday night, as I licked mine clean and stuck them in my pocket to take home and show my son. My conscience got the best of me, so I told Tammy that I hoped it was ok for me to take them with me. :embarassed: She said it was fine, and that they were throw utensils away anyway.

[Magicman]

I loved it, and even found a fork with a tiny knot in it.   

[Jeff]

US distributor is Verterra at www.verterra.com

[thecfarm]

Seems like Foster's in Wilton,ME use to make wooden ware.They are only about 20 minutes from me.Now it's a diffeant company making plastic ware. The only wood place that I can think of is in New Vineyard now.

[Texas Ranger]

and do you remember the little wooden spoons in the ice cream cups?

[thecfarm]

Yes I do. I did forget about them.

[Jeff]

and do you remember the little wooden spoons in the ice cream cups?

Those weren't hardly spoons.

[doctorb]

Those ice cream little wooden spatulas were entirely forgettable and could hardly be called spoons.  I thought this stuff was pretty cool.  The knives cut very well.

[magicmikey]

  Thank you Jeff for accepting the invitation to supply cutlery, I think it fits with the FF theme. 8) 8)

To answer your question Den, they are two sheets of veneer glued together, punched, pressed and given a bit of a wax coating. Thanks for the wishes, time will tell.
mike

[SwampDonkey]

Great stuff Mike.  I didn't make it to the roast this year, but I trust the crowd that put them through the cuisine. ;D

If you ever visit a berry field here to pick strawberries and raspberries we still use aspen boxes. In the store, if it's an aspen box it's from the Maritimes. Anything in plastic is from outside the region or imported. ;) Heck making a berry box is pretty low tech, and done in back yard sheds.  Even have wooden trays with carry handle to carry 6 at a time.

[Magicman]

The websites that Jeff posted above are very good reads. 

[Magicman]

I was showing Pat the website and now I'll have to order some for the Chickin Crispin.   ;D

[thecfarm]

Berry boxes are mostly those rough green ones. You are right,the plastic ones are imports.

[petefrom bearswamp]

Thanks for the link Jeff.
I just ordered 25 of each to try them.
I think the Alumni Assoc of  the NYS Ranger School at Wanakena may find these interesting  and possibly put a forest product to good use for the annual alumni weekend at the campus.. (which unfortunately always coincides with the pig roast.) Maybe I can skip one sometime and join Moosehunter in a car pool to attend.
Pete

[Shotgun]

Pete,

Michigan Technological University, where Ron Scott and I got our forestry degree, also has their university-wide reunion on the exact same weekend as the pig roast.  Some times it's hard to win.  On our 50th reunion we missed the pig roast.  We just couldn't miss our 50th.  Do you think there was a plot against foresters?    :D

Norm

[submarinesailor]

Do you think there was a plot against foresters?    :D   Norm

Yes - by people who love to work in the forest. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :

Bruce

[Qweaver]

I want to order 500 of each for our family reunion.  I went to Verterra's site and the cheapest listing was "sustainably served"  I have no idea what that means.  I guess I will have to call Verterra tomorrow.  They are also available on Amazon, but they are very costly there.