Bamboo Benefits

As natural disasters and political and economic instability have displaced millions of people globally in recent years, many are in urgent need of feasible and eco-friendly design solutions for temporary housing. I traveled to Colombia for the purpose of training in traditional bamboo construction and to gain a better understanding of assembly systems that might be practical, reproducible, and adaptable anywhere in the world.

Thanksgiving, Cramer style…

As the weather turns toward winter, checking the outdoor thermometer takes priority upon waking in preparation for adding more layers, and my anticipation of Thanksgiving grows quickly! After all,  it is my favorite holiday – sure, the the travel can be a nightmare but once we get past that and settle into our destination, the warmth of this holiday so rich with meaning takes over.

Clambake!

The Clambake, a spectacular American culinary event specific to our region, originated on the coast of southeastern Massachusetts. The Wampanoag Indians, from Narragansett Bay to Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket are said to have passed the tradition on for generations. For centuries before modern development shell mounds, or “middens,” towering over men,  were excavated along shorelines; the middens pinpoint exact locations of these ancient feasts. One such location is at the head of the Westport River in southeastern Massachusetts, or the “Head of Westport.” Westport, my home town, is a fishing and farming town steeped in local tradition and pride. So, naturally, my friends and I have adopted the clambake tradition from generations of our families before us. This year was our 11^th annual clambake hosted for 150+ of our closest family and friends.

The bake starts a week before the big day; ordering food, collecting friends to help, gathering pallets for burning, and digging up equipment for serving, display and ambiance. The site of the clambake shifts from various friends’ (or parents’) back yards. The bake is always in an open field off in the woods, a perfect spot for camping and debauchery. The night before, out-of-towners converge at one of our homes and we prep and cook the stuffed quahogs. Early the morning of the bake, we build a bonfire over a bed of round, cannonball- like stones. As the fire heats up, our chowder starts to cook and the crew heads to the river to collect rock weed. With a truck bed full of rock weed, we head back to the bake site for set up, all the while stoking the fire. Parents and kids trickle in all afternoon, and at 4:00 we prep to face the coals, dressing up in our fireman jackets, handkerchiefs, gardening gloves and boots.