Birch Bark Canoes-- Anyone Built One????

[redpowerd]

awful lot of information on that one link, thanks ron.

it led me here
http://www.barkcanoe.com/tips.htm

[TW]

A comment about birch syrup (sadly I am unable to give any intelligent comments on canoes)

Here in Finland peoiple sometimes tap the birches in spring and drink the sap. The sap is like water but it tastes sweet. We call the spring sap björtjo in our dialect of Swedish. The correct time for tapping is when the fozen ground is melting until the leaves appear on the birches. Some old birches have a sap that tastes bad. The sap cannot be saved for more than a few days in the refrigerator.
I have heard that during the war they boiled the sap to get some kind of syrup. Some people let the sap ferment and destill it to illegal vodka.

By the way: In the 18th century a clergyman tried to build a birch bark canoe, the only one in Finland so far. He was made a laughing stock.

[Paschale]

Hi TW,

Thanks for responding.  Now that you've told me this, it might explain why I'm so interested in these birch syrups--it must be in my blood!  My grandmother on my dad's side was 100% Swede-Finn, and they came from Jakobstad, Finland to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Do you live anywhere near Jakobstad?

I wonder how that clergyman found out about birch bark canoes...   :P

[Coon]

Paschale,  I have been trying to figure out a recipe that uses birch syrup in making BBQ sauce.  Have made a couple of attempts and....  well they were definately edible and had their own destinct taste.  That was on beef and pork steaks.  Now it's time to try on elk and moose steaks.  I think I still have some left in the freezer..... ??? ???

Brad.

[TW]

Paschale
In the area around Jakobstad they call the spring sap "bjärklaka". The dialect differs a bit.


Some more facts
The sap is slightly laxative so do not drink more than 1 or 2 litres per day.

I use to drill a 9.5 mm hole in a birch tree at about 30 cm heght from the ground and insert a plastic hose with 10 mm outer diameter. The other end of the hose goes throgh a hole in the screw cap on a bottle. The cap must be quite tight to keep the ants out. The tree is damaged in the process so do not tap a tree that you want to keep. The bottle has to be in shadow and  is emptied morning and evening.

Yellow sap means that it is too early in the spring and if it is opaque an tastes sawdust it is too late.
Late spring sap ferments quicker than early spring sap.

The sweet taste comes from xylitol. Xylitol is used industrially to sweeten some chewing gum. It is also good for the teeth.

Disclaimer: I do not know if birches in other climates behave like ours. There may be differences. Ther may be differences between races of birches as well.

[SwampDonkey]

I bet you could make a mint flavored extract from yellow or black birches. ;D

[Paschale]

I bet you could make a mint flavored extract from yellow or black birches. ;D

Hmm...why do you say that, SD?   :P

[redpowerd]

just taste em! mmmm.....minty

[Coon]

Swamp is definately right about the minty flavour in yellow and black birch trees.  One of my aunts out in BC makes some wonderfully flavoured mint cookies using syrup made from yellow birch trees.  Have never tried anything of the likes other than these.  I will warn you that you have to have a taste for mint before you try these.

Brad.

[Coon]

Ok Here's an update on the canoes....

  The first of the canoes has about 6 hours work left on it.  It is at the stages where I got the bark all sewn up,  Inwales and Outwales are done and in place.  We steamed the ribbing, and bent each rib and have them installed into the canoe to dry.  Once the ribs have dried down for four or five days (down to about 3 if I heat the garage and use a dehumidifier) I can then remove them and lay all of the sheathing and place the ribs back in their finall resting place.  At that point all that is left of the process is to put a top cap on the canoe sides and seal it with boiled down spruce gum and tallow.

Pics will follow later.  Sorry guys and gals just don't have em ready.  I also want to put the pics of the building process from start to finish at one time.

Brad.

[SwampDonkey]

A 200 year old Malliseet birch bark canoe was returned to NB recently. It had been in Ireland for the last 150 years stored in a stairway and was almost disposed of in the trash.  :

It had been up in the Gatineau Museum the last year for restoration.

It was made of red spruce roots and white birch bark.

Natives want it to remain in NB where it originated.

[Coon]

It is definately amazing how they can last for so many years under the right conditions. 

We are planning a fishing trip, with two of the birchbark canoes that I built,  later this summer.  We are hoping to go for three or four days if the weather is good and if I have the time off of work. 

I just spent a few minutes looking for the pics of us building the canoes.  I can't seem to find them.   >:( >:(  Hopefully the wife knows where they are.  Might even have to look on the memory cards.  (I only have 5 or 6 1 GB cards filled right up I'd have to check.  :D )

[logwalker]

Coon, can we have an update on the canoes? Thanks, Joe

[Coon]

I will post a bit of an update with some pics tonight or in the morning.  I built five birchbark canoes in total but haven't had much free time to put the two I kept for myself to good use.  Yet.  ;) :D  Even tried to tip one of em while I had it in the water with no luck.  I guess I built it wide enough.  :D

[Jeff]

Ya got enough info for a tutorial?  I have several birch on my property that need to go, a few big ones. I'd love to try and make one.

[Coon]

If I can find all of my pics I will definately have more than enough info for a rather in depth tutorial.  It will take me some time to put together though.

Thanks for the idea Jeff.  ;)

[Jeff]

I'm looking forward to that!!  8)

[Coon]

I think I'll even put a section of what not do as well. ;) :D  Trust me there was a verrrry steep learning curve.  Red Green would have even been proud of me. :D