Winter is for Willow!
Happy New Year, 2022!
I try to use the winter to dream, visualize and make an action plan with intention. I am already working on the farm plan this year! One of the crafts I have always been interested in is basket weaving. I have wanted to create herb picking baskets and trays, backpacks and especially bike baskets. Growing a willow hedge with basket making in mind is near the top of the list of projects this year.
I started watching videos on traditional and not so traditional basket makers who grow their own Willows or tend a habitat where they naturally grow. I have been noticing willow everywhere since I started paying attention! There are three basket willows with green and purple colors in them at a garden near me. I have been taking cuttings and learning to make the motions with the fresh strands. Since they are pretty small, it is easy to use when it's fresh. Now that I have a little more experience, I want to try drying and then soaking them again to allow for shrinking.
Now, I want to plant several varieties selected for color and length of canes, and a friend wants to work with live canes woven into a structure for shade in the summer.