Over the last year we have been developing some new wood and
wood related goods. One of our favorites is the heritage recipe boxes. Some
love them for the screen printed design, others for the handcrafted
workmanship, but one thing is for sure, everyone seems to enjoy the rich
history behind each and every single box.
Saskatchewan is synonymous with the images of fields of
wheat and the iconic wooden grain elevators. At its peak, Saskatchewan was
speculated to be the home of more than 1000 wood built grain elevators,
distributed throughout the corners of this vast prairie province. In 2000,
however, this number had declined, with only 800 wood grain elevators in active
use. More recently though, due to rail line closures and the diminished
economic feasibility of many of these elevators in small Saskatchewan rural
communities, the number of active wood
grain elevators was estimated at 420. Many small communities had become ghost
towns and their once majestic wooden grain elevators reduced to teetering
structures, aging all alone amongst the immense open fields, which once bustled
with the sounds of trains and farming equipment. These aging structures may no
longer be filled with the grains of hard working farmers, but there wood has
been preserved and recycled to continue a legacy in a variety of new forms.
Included in this, are our heritage recipe boxes. Each one is
hand built using the fir from decommissioned and demolished Saskatchewan grain
elevators. All the wood is planned and sanded before use, but nail holes and
knots are preserved as part of the underlying history of the wood. The finger joints for the bases and lids are cut
and assembled by hand. Once sanded smooth, the lids are hand screen printed
with original hand lettered design. To finish it off, each box receives two
coats of stain to bring out the rich textures of the fir and two clear coats
to enhance its durability.
There is lots of love that goes into the making of these
recipe boxes, but even more history behind the wood chosen to build them.
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