Harvesting Lime Bast: part two

Following on from the video where we felled lime (small leaved lime, tilia cordata) and peeled the bark, this has been retting for a couple of months and is now ready to be separated into fine bast strips ready for use in cordage and basketry.

[Just_Sara]

Sally, you are my literal hero. You are the reason I am no longer afraid to make cordage while I go for a walk in public, pick up plums off the ground at the park, and do my tablet weaving where everyone might see. I don’t mind being a little different anymore, so thank you for paving the way for me! ❤️

[hannahphillips-ryan]

If I saw someone harvesting nettles and plums as I was driving through my neighborhood, you can bet I would pull over and try to make them my new best friend! I hope her neighbors are appreciative and not judgey!

[ragnkja]

As someone who loves the taste of crustaceans, I’d definitely take those invasive crayfish home to eat.

[deborahharding]

In North America we have the basswood, Tilia americana, which was used extensively by the Native Americans for cordage. If they wanted the bast sooner than later, they boiled the bark with hardwood ashes. It doesn't come out as nice and white, but it's much quicker. I tried this years ago when I lived in an apartment building, and the landlord asked never to do this again. He also didn't like my trying to ret some; it smelled like fresh horse manure.

[vanessarae]

Thank you so much for making these videos, my kindred sister
Iʻve heen watching you for a couple years now, and i love how i keep finding the same teachings over and over, the world around.
I grew up lesrning traditional cottage fiber arts and indiginous american peoplesʻ crafts due to my locale and heritage. As a teen i expanded my studies with libraries akd then the internet. Now i live in hawaii and daily i see how all the old peoples found the same knowledge useful wherever they were - always putting a local ʻspinʻ on it 😸❤️

[mythlover]

This is amazing. I can't wait to see what you make of them. I'm living all my experimental archaeology dreams through these videos. They're so fascinating.

[Moira-hn]

Great video. I just moved from Alaska to Ohio and there are 100+ tree species here. Tons of invasive vines as well. I just started exploring and can't wait to get started again with baskets. I was taught by an Inupiak and Inuit tribe lady in AK :) Tks for sharing the video :)

[lynnbruschi]

hi I live in America in Montana. I love to do DIY things as much as possible. I love gathering my own supplies to work with instead of factory made. by watching your videos on how to gather and make my own string that I can crochet with. I think people rely on technology to much because a lot of people around me have been worrying about supply shortage's. I like knowing how people made thing before factory's. I love the sense of accomplishment I feel when I make it myself. your videos are great at showing me how.

[BonnibelLecter]

Well, if I had a neighbor who walked around like that, they’d probably be my favorite, tbh.

And the bast really did look very cool coming apart like that in the water.

[bornfren]

Love these hedge-bothering videos, nothing like a walk in the beautiful English countryside. The sounds of nature are so soothing and peaceful! :) <3

[LVSpeedweLL]

Totally normal🤭😂love your humor and wisdom. Excited to see what comes next. Linden or Basswood also grows here in North Carolina, similar to Poplar Trees. 🙏🏼💚🌳

[annh.]

Looks like you caught a lovely day. I look forward to watch what they become.

[JayCWhiteCloud]

Awesome progress Sally...I look forward to watching the entire process...!!!

[vickiephelps]

Oh my gosh! That is beautiful! You can submerge a bunch and then come back for a long time to harvest materials.

[jockjammer]

Lovely Bast. looking forward to your creations with it. Thank you as always for a brilliant video.

[cadileigh]

lifted my spirits on a soggy muggy day

[EV-D-]

I feel happy for you for such a great harvest and very inspiring attitude!!

[lpm]

Thanks Sally, btw I have a naughty giggle everytime you wish us Happy Hedge Bothering, because here it means something else altogether...lol

[FrauWNiemand]

The hard work pays off and I really like this selfmade swamp monster. I live in Leipzig, called formerly Lipsia, which means literally "lime tree place" and we have pretty much of these trees in our local parks, and every now and then there is a branch breaking and falling. I recognized that our lime bast separates from the bark alone while drying outside in the park, so normal environmental "forces" here can do the same to the bark as your pond has done. And I know that you watched my cordage video and you've maybe seen the bark and bast and its conditions. Maybe this is a important fact to know when it comes to find out how earlier cultures did this cordage process without having a pond nearby.

[MariesStuff]

Hi Sally thank you for the inspiration your channel is giving me. I harvester my first nettles yesterday, I think the neighbours thought I was crazy but I really enjoyed the experience. Planning on doing some basket weaving with the cordage I make 😀