Willow for Basketry
Long straight shoots of willow can be stripped clean of their bark and are ideal for weaving into baskets, traps, and baby carriers. The straighter shoots are often found on plants that have been pruned and have not been shaded out by other species.

Willows for Basketry Video.mpg 9.3 mbs.

Flowering Trees
The many flowering trees on Bald Hill include crabapple and hawthorn. Hawthorn berries are dry and mealy and were rarely eaten, except in times of famine. The thorns were used for fish hooks and other tools.

Flowering Trees Video.mpg 5.5 mbs.

Spring Cleansing
The Indians used cascara buckthorn (or chittum) to cleanse their bodies in the spring time after eating lots of smoked and preserved foods over the winter months. They would then replenish themselves with nourishing plants, such as stinging nettles.

Spring Cleansing Video.mpg 4.4 mbs.

Digging Brodia
Brodia have small starchy bulbs, kind of like tiny potatoes. Their red tipped leaves are distinctive, although thin and easily overlooked to the untrained eye. Historically, fields of brodia would have been regularly harvested. This would assure an abundance of bulbs and soft, loose soil; ideal for harvesting.

Digging Brodia Video.mpg 11.0 mbs.

First Bulb
Johnny uses the traditional digging stick to dig up his first brodia bulb.

First Bulb Video.mpg 2.5 mbs.

Licorice Fern
Licorice fern grows in folds of bark and in moist areas; often on the trunks and limbs of bigleaf maple trees. Its rhizome was used for sore throats and coughs. It can be chewed fresh or dried and pounded into powder for tea.

Licorice Fern Video.mpg. 7.5 mbs.

Miner’s Lettuce
Miner’s lettuce is juicy and crunchy, although slightly bitter with an aftertaste. It contains lots of vitamins and was regularly eaten by Indians.

Miner's Lettuce Video.mpg 6.0 mbs.

Digging Camas
Rachelle uses a digging stick to dig up camas near a willow tree on the north side of Bald Hill.

Camas Powerpoint Slideshow.pps

Chocolate Lily
Starchy chocolate lily bulbs were eaten fresh or dried, powdered, and stored. From a conservation standpoint in this particular area, they are being threatened by encroaching chittum and leaf litter. They thrive in burned areas.

Chocolate Lily Video.mpg 5.8 mbs.

Old-growth Madrone
A patch of old-growth madrone on the north side of Bald Hill is unique to the area. Reflecting on Frank’s "hardware, supermarket, and pharmacy" analogy, it is likely that Indians managed this grove for specific uses. The leaves were chewed or used in a mouthwash for healthy gums, the bark was used for skin rashes, and the vitamin C-rich berries were eaten.

Old-growth Madrone Video.mpg 6.9 mbs.

Cat’s Ears
Cat’s ears bulbs are crunchy and slightly sweet and can be eaten fresh or cooked. The Indians likely harvested them in the fall, when they could also disperse the seeds, ensuring next year’s harvest.

Cat's Ears Video.mpg 5.2 mbs.

Thatch Burning
A test burn on top of Bald Hill shows how quickly the dry grass ignites, but then puts itself out after a few feet. Sun and wind and season affect fire intensity.

Thatch Burning Video.mpg 10.8 mbs.

Burn Results
The test burn burnt off all the dry grass, but left the moss, lily leaves, and strawberry leaves green. Plants will receive more sunlight and the soil will be replenished from the burn.

Burn Results Video.mpg 3.6 mbs.

Starting a Fire
Frank uses a clamatis fire drill with a maple tree base with a hole drilled in it to start a fire in one of the traditional ways. The fire drill is spun between the palms with its end in the hole drilled in the maple base. An ember will form from the friction between the woods, that can then be dumped out onto the fuel – in this case moss, cattail down, and white oak leaves.

Starting a Fire Video.mpg 11.3 mbs.

Fire Fuels
Rod starts a one match fire, using pitch wood (“smells like turpentine and burns like oil”), moss, and small Douglas fire branches. It’s important to get your fuel ready beforehand and to "start small."

Fire Fuels Video.mpg 14.1 mbs.