Heritage Recipe Boxes

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.