Page 12 | Nah gah chi wa nong • Di bah ji mowin nan | March 2011 Ashi-niswi giizisoog (Thirteen Moons) The new moon that occurs on March 15 is Onaabani giizis, or the “Hard crust on snow moon.” The sap of the aninaatig begins to flow under this moon, also known as Ziinsibaakwadooke giizis, or the sugar coming out moon. Another Onaabani Giizis name for this moon is Aandego-giizis (Crow moon). Timber Cruising at Fond du Lac Birch Tapping By Nikki Crowe gobaandag, so that the snow block your sight. Hiking from nne Dunn tells a story lands right on my head. I plot to plot with snowshoes by David Wilsey the sap of aniinatig and wiigwaas of how the Tamarack, usually put tobacco asemaa on helps keep excess winter ast month we profiled sev- is sugar concentration. Maple sap’s Amashkiigwaatig, lost down in respect to those weight off and gets timber eral FDL sugarbushers. This sugar is typically around 2% or her needles because she was spirits and explain aloud who cruisers ready for fire season Lmonth, we want to make sure higher. Birch sap typically is around vain, our old stories teach I am and why I am there. I as well as the dreaded pack that another local resource is not 1% sugar. Where it takes about 45 about responsibility and love seeing all the different test. overlooked. Like aniinatig (maple), gallons of maple sap to produce 1 kindness being rewarded. In animal spirits too! Sometimes Fond du Lac reservation has wiigwaas (birch) can be tapped for gallon of syrup (45:1), birch sap some ways our I really concen- over 18,000 acres of forested sap in the spring. Birch trees are to syrup proportions are typically Fond du Lac trate on my hike tribal lands. The majority of tapped in the same way as maple. 100:1. foresters are to the plot and this forested land is domi- The birch-tapping season typically Another notable difference rewarded for when I get there nated by aspen due to past starts in April and continues until between the sap of aniinatig and their responsi- I realize I’m land use and/or disturbance buds ap- wiigwaas bility and kind- in the territory patterns (like fires, floods, in- pear. To test is that ness when they of a family of sect outbreaks, logging), our readiness, maple’s go out timber porcupines. The climate, and our soil type. We break a sugar is su- cruising. Scott porcupines are also have several thousand small twig: crose while Grover (pictured way up in dif- acres each of northern hard- if sap drips birch’s at right) pinches ferent trees star- woods (species like sugar out of the sugars are himself to ing at me, as if maple, basswood, and yellow break the simple, glu- remind himself to say, “Who’s birch) and swamp conifers tree is ready cose and that cruising this?” I laugh to (black spruce, northern white to tap. fructose. through the myself and say cedar, or tamarack). Ac- Neither For this forest on cold to the porcupine cording to Steve Olson, FDL birch sap reason, winter days is “Boozhoo gaag! Forester, the cruising Scott & nor syrup is birch sug- a job. He says I’m just going Ileana do is for FDL's forest traditionally Ileana Henry ars (sap) being out in the to cruise timber inventory which is used to consumed melt at forest is more Scott Grover and be outta determine sustainable har- in the Americas, yet millions of lower temperatures and can cara- spiritual in the here shortly!” vest levels & where we might gallons are gathered in Europe melize, giving syrup a darker and winter when everything is Ileana Henry tells me that carry out management activi- and bottled as a natural drink. It stronger taste. asleep. FDL foresters go out tim- ties, like blueberry, miinan, contains important vitamins and A final note: birch sap is also Ileana Henry (pictured at ber cruising whenever they restoration. For more info go minerals, like vitamin C, potas- perishable and will only last a far right) says, “As a native can, but the winter biboon to: http://www.fdlrez.com/ sium, manganese, and calcium. In few days once drawn. However, person, I believe when I am months are nice because they newnr/forestry/management. the Americas, most birch sapping is sap can be frozen. out in the woods, I am never are able to have some fun htm in Alaska and Canada. Birch sap is alone. There are spirits all navigating to remote forested Miigwech to Steve Olson, used to make candies, salad dress- Sources: Birch and birch bark - J. around watching me work areas (often inaccessible in Ileana Henry and Scott Grover ings, marinades, and any other Zasada; Celebrating Birch North probably wondering what I’m summer months) via horse- for their contributions to this products that can be "enhanced" House Folk School doing to the trees. Sometimes less sled, better known as article. with some birch syrup. (Nonalco- I think maybe one spirit is a snowmobiles. In the win- holic) birch beer is also produced trickster who, when I get to ter they are able to see the Photos credit: http://www. in the US. my plot in a wooded area, he trunks of the trees better be- fdlrez.com/newnr/forestry. One notable difference between shakes a balsam bough, zhin- cause there are no leaves to htm.

This page addresses culture, ecology, and natural resource management and is a monthly production of the Thirteen Moons, the FDL Tribal College Extension Program. Thirteen Moons is funded by a USDA grant and supported byFDL’s Resource Management Division and University of Minnesota Extension.