Cell phone apps have become a normal part of our lives in recent years. There is an app for everything, right? We all know about at least one stupid app, do I have to name one? Maybe the one that makes fart noises; do we really need an app for that?
Why is the idea of the app so appealing? Well, because it's the way our brains are wired. I would go as far as to say the way modern man uses apps is the way primitive man used (and uses) plants. But plant "apps" have multiple dimensions of identification: shape, color, size, texture, smell, etc. To some this makes plants super easy to identify. Find a plant with the right combination of these dimensions and you can identify a plant to heal, a plant to feed, a plant to build, and so much more. We know our phone apps better because we use them constantly. But the same is true of plants that we use so repetitively as to develop a meaningful relationship with that plant. Each plant, especially useful ones, has those unique physical attributes that are readily recognizable by the senses and neural function of humans and animals, maybe even other plants (dare I go there?). The keys to learning "plant apps" safely are mentor-ship, intense study and practice; and by practice I mean safe, thoughtful practice.
Mentor-ship is important for a myriad of reasons. Misidentification is extremely dangerous, as possibly expressed by the experiences of Mr. McCandless (still up for debate). Plant knowledge, for eons, has been ancestral; passed down in practice and in story. Civilization has always had a way forsaking ancestral knowledge; what good would pharmaceuticals be if everyone could heal themselves with weeds from the sand-lot. All we modern forager-wanna-be's can do is either go tribal, or pick the brain of someone who has spent no less than a lifetime in the study of plant use in the same region you want to learn about. Why a lifetime? Because they are still alive, and you want to be...for a lifetime. You don't have to move in with the mentor and you can have multiple mentors. The amount of trust you put in your mentor's information should usually be commensurate with the amount of time they have had in their craft and their track record. If you take advice from someone with less experience verify that info a little harder before you use that plant. But at the end of the day, we all have to take risks to learn anything. But this is an article about how plants are like apps, so I digress.
When you unlock your phone to go for an app, you know exactly what folder that app is in, what the app looks like, and what it's main use is. Apps are life-hacks, they are the backbone of modern business and life on-the-go. Plants are also life-hacks. When a good forager is looking for a specific plant, he knows what area to go to, what the plant looks like from a distance, what it smells like, what it looks like from a few feet away, the texture, the shape of its different parts, the color, and the taste. He also knows probably two or three specific uses for that plant. That's a real app for you! Humans are supposed to be totally tied-to and dependent on plant life to support everything they do. That is truth. Any deviation from this realization leads us down a slippery slope. "Sustainable Development" is a slippery slope. Technology does a lot of great things, but it should not separate us from nature or enslave us. An important part of a natural life is relearning old technology and applying it in a sustainable manner. We can utilize technology to do this. True freedom is in embracing the natural world; physically, mentally, even spiritually. Bottom-line, you can fill up your phone with a thousand useful apps, but the sum will never be as useful as an intimate knowledge of one plant that grows in between the blades of grass in your lawn. Don't let the truth pass you by, er...don't pass by the truth.
I don't remember exactly what inspired me to construct a bush pipe; It may have been a video by Mitch from Native Survival video; but, I became fascinated with some of the medicinal herbs that are out there and how smoking is a faster way to medicate, in which dosage can be controlled effectively via biofeedback. I will write about some of the herbs I use in a later post. Today I will be going over the learning process as well as the construction of my first bush pipe so maybe you can make one, too.
Materials List:
1. non-toxic wood for bowl and stem
2. pine pitch
3. black coal from fire (powdered)
Tools List:
1. knife for chopping and carving
2. hand saw
3. clothes hanger
3. fire
The Hunt For Materials
Winged Sumac
The only criteria I had for the type of wood to use was that it was safe for use as a pipe. We want no poisons, toxins, or noxious properties in our pipes. The key to this is finding a local expert to help you identify what you have around you. I utilize the Green Deane Forum to post questions about identification and properties of plants in my area. To be able to identify plants in your "home range" you have to adopt a diligent attitude and constantly try to notice new things about your surroundings. Never take an old plant for granted and at the same time always look for new plants. From the forum I learned that maple is a good, safe wood for a pipe. I learned from a friend that he uses sumac to make pipes. When I discovered while scouting for boar sign that I had what I thought was winged sumac in abundance, I posted a pic to the forum and got a quick reply...it was winged sumac. I decided to use maple for the bowl and winged sumac for the stem. Don't think you have to use the same wood that I did. Apple and sycamore are great also. Basswood makes great stems. Common reed grass is great for a stem as well. As always, do your own research for safety sake. I don't consider myself an expert.
Maple Bowl
Gathering and Construction
I cut both with my Tom Brown Jr. Scout knife. I used a hardwood "staff'" to strike the knife into the wood. If there is a name for this technique I'm not sure. This is much easier than chopping. I sawed the bowl to size with a hand saw back at home and carved out the bowl with smaller sharper pocket knife. The key is to go slow. Only carve as fast as you can decide what the finished shape will be. Continuously reevaluate if what you are doing will lead you to your desired end result. "Let the wood tell you what it wants to be." That's what they say.
I cut the winged sumac branch to size. I chose a trunk with a slight bend in it to make an interesting stem. I made sure that the length would place the bowl at the desired distance away from my face. I ended up having to cut it shorter because the bend was a little too much and I couldn't burn the wire all the way through. I used a coat hanger heated over fire to burn out the pith of the stem. I had to do a lot of twisting with force to get it all the way through. It was necessary to send it through multiple times to get all of the loose material out. Constantly heating and pushing it through.
To glue it together I used pine pitch. On multiple excursions I collected hardened pine sap that had dried
solid on scars on the trees. I didn't need much; only about a teaspoon. After melting near a fire I added an equal part of powdered coal from the fire and mixed it until consistent. While it was still soft I added it around the lip of the pipe stem and pressed the stem into the bowl. The pitch dried almost instantly and is very sturdy. It only gets a little softer when taking long drags on the pipe which produces the maximum amount of heat. But it is also unpleasant to the hand holding the pipe, so I don't do it that often anyway. I love the fact that this sturdy of a glue can be found where most people least expect it. The Result and Lessons Learned
Pine Sap
This was really an easy build. The most involved part was discovering the right wood to use. But something I've found with learning about different elements of nature is that one thing leads to everything else. In searching for wood for the pipe, I inadvertently discovered at least 5 other types of trees nearby. I also learned how to effectively make pitch which will undoubtedly be very useful in many other projects. I now have a fine bush pipe with its own unique style that is functional in utilizing medicinal herbs and is also a great conversation piece. I'm now a little more connected to my "home range" which is connected to the entire world. You should try this. If you have questions I'm here to help.
