Devil’s Club is a plant that has many uses. Indigenous people have been using it for centuries to treat acute and chronic medical disorders such as arthritis, cancer, and diabetes. It can also be used to make jewelry, in particular, beadwork.
Tools & Materials
Material List
- Pure olive oil
- Natural beeswax
- 12 x 1-liter glass jars
- 100 x 3 oz jars / containers
Tool list
- Outdoor PPE (Personal protective equipment)
- Tablet/ Avanza to map
- Pruners
- Rope
- Cooking pot
- Utensils
- Saw
- Drill (with ¼ bit)
Procedure
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Recon and map harvest area
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Select devils club stocks for harvest. ( no more than 30% of the stand)
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Process and clean stocks and peel the cambium layer.
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Fill glass jars with dried cambium and top off with oil to the fill line. Age for 365 days.
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Pour all contents into a large cooking pot and heat to a low boil. Keep on heat till existing cambium has turned dark and remove from heat.
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Sift out all cambium pieces from oil and bring back to a low boil and add 4 lbs beeswax.
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Once the wax has melted and mixed remove from heat and pour into 3 oz containers.
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Cut your dried stocks to 2.5 inches in length
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Drill out the soft core of the individual beads.
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Sand and bevel edges of the beads to a soft finish and store them for projects