I really loved reading this - thank you! I would treasure going on a nature walk with you.
I am extremely fond of birch. We have a lot of white birch on our property and I've been studying and sustainably using it for quite a long time. The depths of it's healing abilities just amaze me. Such a gift! I've been out looking for a fallen tree so that we can harvest the bark. No luck yet but we've got plenty more ground to cover.
Glad you liked it! Birch is a special tree / set of trees. I miss living where they grow. Have you ever tapped them for syrup - like Maple?
It really is special. I've been fortunate to always live where they grow. Yes we have tapped the trees. I love drinking the fluid, it is so refreshing. Making the syrup is a bit of a chore though. I spent two days reducing a huge stock pot full, only to end up with a shot glass of syrup. It takes an average of 110 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of birch syrup - eek! But it is soooo good!
wow that is quite the reduction!
We'll still tap a tree for the sap to drink fresh but I don't think we'll do the syrup again. Now I understand why they charge so much for just a little bottle of the syrup!
i heard that it takes a lot more than maple... like way a lot. probably why it doesn't get used so much in production. wouldn't it be amazing to make medicine out of birch syrup....
That would be amazing! The fresh sap is so refreshing. It only keeps for about a week though. I've wondered how they manage to bottle it and sell it in Europe without it spoiling.
oh interesting... hmm. who knows.