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WINONA, Mo. – Weaving white oak baskets is a craft dating to pioneer times that required nimble fingers and a knowledge of the trees around your log cabin.
People wanting to learn more about this traditional craft and how it fit into forest management should register for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) virtual program “Trees: Ozark White Oak Baskets” March 27. This online program will be from 1-2 p.m. People can register at:
https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/207122
At the March 27 program, MDC Southeast Region Education Supervisor AJ Hendershott will discuss the type of white oak trees that were harvested to make these baskets. Program participants will also learn the process through which white oak strips were transformed into pliable pieces that could be woven together to form a basket.
It should be noted this program is not a start-to-finish “how-to-weave-a-basket” class. Rather, it will cover the vital functions these baskets had in the day-to-day lives of the families who settled the Ozarks. The program will also cover the connection the craft of white oak basket-making had with a pioneer version of forestry management in early Missouri.
People wanting to get more information about MDC programs in south-central Missouri can sign up for text alerts and email bulletins from MDC’s Twin Pines Conservation Education Center. The Twin Pines Center is located at 20086 Highway 60 in Shannon County just east of Winona. People can stay informed about upcoming programs at this facility by signing up for text alerts and e-mail bulletins. People who have questions about how to sign up for text alerts from Twin Pines can call 573-325-1381.
Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding in-person and virtual programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/events.