The Problem Is the Solution !

You may have heard that axiom in Permaculture circles. Or more likely have heard this one.. "Bag two birds with one stone". The efficiency of achieving two tasks for the labor of one is a beautiful thing. And in some cases some things just won't get done if there is not another reason to do it.

Such is the case with the removal of the noxious weed, English Ivy. This plant is so good at what it does, that it can kill entire forests of mighty Oak trees. i've seen large swaths of country overtaken with it. Dead trees standing, choked by Ivy. It is costly for communities to deal with. Resources for eradication are often not there. Too many other priorities and not enough monies. And when noxious weeds are dealt with, it is often with poisons. Poisons which poison other biology. An indiscriminate killing of flora and fauna, to control the growth of a single plant. One problem is temporarily solved but others are created.

But there is another way. We can get paid to weed our forests and meadows of these pesky invaders! Local Laborers can be put to work. Local Businesses can source local resource. Local economies enjoy new markets. And global consumption of dirty energy can be reduced. Why ship baskets across oceans and then over highways when we can make them locally instead? Why fatten the pockets of multi-national corporations when we can instead put unemployed locals to work and empower local businesses? Why use plastics for laundry baskets and clothes hampers when nature has already provided? etc

i see opportunities for local folk to be put to work gathering local resources, while at same time eradicating noxious weeds. Be it Scotchbroom, English Ivy, Himalayan BlackBerry, Stinging Nettle, Hogweed, Pokeweed, whatever, - for all of these there are uses to be had. Is better to harvest these weeds than to poison environment. So let's do that, please.

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*Some good opportunity for woodsy outdoorsy folk who dislike time-cards and bosses. As well there is opportunity for a home-crafter to buy local materials while capitalizing on emerging "green-markets".

Some people will be tickled pink ..er green, if they can buy a local basket made from a local weed. They will feel like they are doing something helpful. And they would be, their purchase of a locally sourced handmade basket made from noxious weeds, would put local people to work, would help fund noxious weed removal, and would help reduce consumption of dirty energy. Just saying ;-p

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Below is a link showing this in practice. A Basket Weaver from Portland Oregon, enlisting the aid of his students to help control the spread of English Ivy by having students harvest their own materials. Baskets perform a great many functions for us. We ought be going back to baskets as replacement to plastics.

http://www.rewildportland.com/educational-programs/english-ivy-bike-basket-class/

Is there enough demand for locally woven weed baskets to employ enough people to eradicate the weed?

If there isn't, then this doesn't work.

If there is, then the weed gets eradicated, and then what do the successful basket-makers do? They cultivate the weed locally.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobra_effect

i think you're thinking too Centralized. Not everything needs be a blockbuster. It "works" now and begins working with the individual. Ideally it grows such that some individuals will hire helpers and create local industry, while others just go do their own. And ideally this never becomes a centralized thing - ie no haliburton type mega-contractor. But rather local businesses for local uses (including exporting value-added product - people will still trade with others, not everyone wants to make their own baskets, etc.)

This works when people do it. One person, two people, more. Some people like me will make our own, and may make a few+ to sell to others. Others may hire helpers because they have developed a regular market. etc It already works because it is already working. Now is time to start giving people these ideas. Large swaths of our populations around planet, are coming to realization that human must alter its method. People are becoming evermore interested in alternatives to status quo.

In the Pacific Northwest of u.s.a, as in other points across the globe, there is no shortage of species to use -for any number of things, not just baskets. Blackberry cane is another i'll be using. And Scotchbroom and a variety of others, including Snowberry which makes a sudsy soap but also has branch material good for weaving. There is Willow, and Nettle and many many more. Strong fibered, weedy growing plants. With the Nettle i will make some work pants and then intend to make many of my clothes from it. -for a slave-free and chemical-free way to clothe myself.

It would be awesome if these invader weeds were cornered to only cultivated spaces. The Nettle is one which destroys native habitat (killing some of my wild food sources), but when young is itself a valuable food. Then makes stout clothes or can be woven to be silky. If we had to cultivate it, that would be fine. One of my foraging regions is in an easement under massive power lines. A wide swath of land which the power company must pay money to keep clear. Otherwise taller things grow, and other things prevent service truck access. Nettle ought be grown there. i or someone else, ought be able to obtain a permit to grow there. The land is maintained such that power company don't have to come in a cut the Scotchbroom down etc. They have ready service access. They get all they require from that land and are happy. And it is all for free because the method of managing it is wise - the land is being put to productive use.

Perhaps the real power of weeding forests for resources, is when local individuals go out and harvest for themselves. People living off the land while they remain connected to modern living. People already like to go out and pick blackberries, morels, etc etc. Harvesting weeds for fiber and other things is same thing. People just need to get the idea and be exposed to the learning. If you explore the link you'll see this in action - teacher teaching students how to harvest Ivy such that it don't come back, then teaches how to turn said Ivy into a useful tool.

*it's not only about the baskets. There are other arts and crafts and practical living things such as cordage, clothes, human and animal feed, etc.

The only weeds I have use for are the type you put into pipes.

i utilize one of those right now. When/if munchies come, then i'll munch on some tasty weeds previously harvested.

I've just watched a video on making fabric from nettles. It seems a laborious process. I imagine your work pants will take days to make.

Still, best of luck. I'd be keen to see your results.

Yep. But it will be a labor of love and hobby, with practical real-world result. The process gets refined and it becomes nothing but a thing. With my low overhead i need not work for money as much as other people may. i have more time to work for life. Though for some of these wild-crafting things i begin doing, i do consider making some to sell/barter at local farmers markets. If i get real industrious with it, i may consider selling individual items of various sort online. This too will be a labor of love and hobby, with practical result.

If i make them right, then i will wear them for multiple seasons. If it takes a week to make them, i am still ahead. In WWI the Germans were cut-off from trade. There was a clothing shortage, resources could not be imported. But they remembered that their ancestors made clothes from Nettle and so that's what they did. They made clothing suitable for Dress uniform and combat conditions. To this day there is still Nettle Fiber industry in some parts of the world. i would prefer to grow my own Hemp for this purpose. But my governdent still seeks to suppress it -even though my neighbors (Washington State) have voted to make it legal. So i rebel to Nettle for now.

I have heard of people walking around the neighborhood asking to trim Ivy for free. The house owner doesn't need to do the work himself and the guy gets free Ivy for his crafts.