The Gathering Society

Barb Barton brought us together in Lansing this past Sunday. Women from Michigan towns (and Noel from Valparaiso, IN) who are gatherers, foragers, wildcrafters, spinners, artists, storytellers, musicians, singers, biologists, First Nation elders, healers, teachers, leaders. And children. We shared food. Barb put labels on the tables - Carnivore, Vegavore, Sweetivore. Everyone brought a dish and the quality was exceptional and delicious. Introductions were made, discussion of future gatherings, we got acquainted as we ate. We made gourd canteens. Indoors at tubs in the basement, we scrubbed the outside of the gourds. Outside in the sunshine, holes were drilled, innards scraped. We laughed, shared stories. Back indoors, rawhide and leather were cut to make and secure the shoulder strap for the canteen. As we cut and stretched, Daisy shared a Cree working song, and the story of the song, thousands of years old. Women sang as they worked, and the men heard the song and asked the women "what is this song?" And the women said it is a song of work, of life, and joy. Beeswax was melted to coat the inside of the canteen to keep the water sweet. Every drink from these canteens will remind us of this Sunday, and the work and the joy and life of women's wisdom in community.

Where the Wild Foods Grow-New Offerings

Just in time for cold weather January breakfasts, enjoyed in the predawn with a cup of dark roast coffee, and Dad's homemade muffin bread, Barb Barton (Where the Wild Foods Grow) brings to our tables English Walnut Butter (faint) and Roasted Hickory Butter (sigh.) The foods offered have been gathered with respect for the earth, using traditional methods, and with love for our Michigan home. Locally grown, respectfully processed native foods, prepared and delivered with love. You can taste the difference, and feel the harmony. If we all had a little more nut butter to enjoy, the world would be a nicer place.

Where the Wild Foods Grow New Offerings

Barb Barton has new good stuff for you to entertain your palette (preferably while listening to her music which will entertain your ears and brain.) Wild Sumac Jelly. Sweet with a foresty tang. Native Corn Cob Jelly. Yes, corn cob jelly. Wild Blueberry, Wild Grape, Wild Elderberry, Wild Elderberry & Wild Grape, and I gotta go get me some toast to spread some wild jelly around. One of my blisses this year has been creating the art for the jelly labels. Beautiful work promotes beautiful work. See Barb's Where the Wild Foods Grow website for how to wrap your tongue around some wild food, too. All foods are hand-harvested with respect, gratitude and ecological consciousness. The mission at Where the Wild Foods Grow includes educational programs to teach and encourage healthy living, conservation and the benefits of harvesting for personal consumption. Enjoy! Learn! Yum!

My Michigan (Barb Barton in concert)

Turtle Island Stories

Everybody Reads Bookstore will be the setting on Saturday, June 4, for an open mic afternoon of sharing stories, music and good company to celebrate the land and ancestors of North America. Melissa Dey Hasbrook will share poetry from her soon-to-be book "Circle...Home." Barb Barton, songmaker will perform and storytell about how hummingbird came to appear on the logo of the Central Michigan Wild Rice Camp. I will tell of my meeting with painted turtle and the power and magic of nature. Please join us and share your stories and self.

Stories About Turtle Island

Saturday, June 4 at Everybody Reads Bookstore in Lansing beginning at 1:00 p.m., Stories About Turtle Island is a free storytelling and music event celebrating homegrown stories of North America - also called Turtle Island. Melissa Dey Hasbrook will tribute her ancestors and the land: the inspirations for her new book Circle...Home. Wildcrafter/musician/biologist Barb Barton will tell how hummingbird came to be in the logo of the Central Michigan Wild Rice Camp. She'll songify, too. Prelisten to her music at Reverbnation. I'll tell the story of my recent encounter with painted turtle while illustrating Circle...Home. Please come share your stories, laughter and spirit. An open mic will be inviting you to storytell, sing or just be a part of the lore and the magic.

Where the Wild Foods Grow

Barb Barton is a Michigan songmaker. She writes, plays wicked great guitars, and she sings pretty nice, too. Barb is also a wild rice wizard, a wilderness woman, and a fine friend. She is the wildcrafter owner of Where the Wild Foods Grow. Barb just announced she is offering maple sugar nuggets and maple sugar, lovingly and respectfully processed by hand in our beautiful Michigan. Her newsletter (which you will want to sign on to receive) tells of wildcrafted Chaga that can come to your house; succulent leeks by the pound; and Barb is probably right now out in the woods finding Dryad's Saddle mushrooms. The shyer Morels are a little later. Barb has long been a wild rice (Manoomin) harvester and hand-parcher, and rice is available in season from her website. All her offerings are organic, wildcrafted, hand-processed; her methods are traditional ways. While you're shopping at wherethewildfoodsgrow.com, listen to some Barb Barton music, too. Gift yourself. Twice, thrice, eternally.

Barb Barton's Back!

Recovered from successful hand surgery, Barb Barton's back on stage! October 23rd at Gone Wired Cafe in Lansing. Barb's set is at 6 pm. The concert plays from 4-9 pm, with Sometimes Y performing, and the event benefits The Women's Center of Greater Lansing. Tickets are $20-$25, (including food) and can be purchased at The Women's Center, or call (517) 372-9163 for ticket information. Nahnie Copiaco will join Barb for her set. Welcome back, Barb!

Earth Women Outdoor Adventure

Barb Barton will be our nature guide for the second Earth Women Outdoor Adventure. In this class on Sunday, we'll begin beading our Squash Blossom offering bag, identify and cast animal tracks, and find more edible wild foods and teas.

Class begins at 1:00 p.m. at the Lake Lansing Park North. Wear gear appropriate to the weather, sunblock and your smiles.

I saw a morel mushroom yesterday - it was in another forager's mushroom sack, destined for Christmas Day dining.

In June, Earth Women adventurers will learn how to make a gourd canteen. Call Barb at 734.576.8427 for more information, or email her at akikwe@gmail.com.

Stay tuned!

Earth Women: Outdoor Adventure with Barb Barton

Barb Barton, biologist, adventurer (and fabulous musician) will be guiding Earth Women on outdoor adventures beginning Sunday, April 18 from 1 to 4 in the Greater Lansing Area. Subsequent adventures will be on third Sundays through September. The next excursion will be
Sunday, May 16 (preregistration by May 10th please!)

Tomorrow we will be learning to identify sassafras, enjoying some sassafras tea, identifying the many wildflowers while exploring the Mason Esker (a glacial landform) and reveling in Michigan springtime and each other's company.

Each Sunday adventure is $50. You may sign up for all six adventures for $250 and save some loot.

This is an exciting opportunity you'll want to share with friends. Barb has made arrangements with Everybody Reads, a locally-owned indie bookstore in Lansing to order several books at a 20 percent discount, too. Barb can order these books for you: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, Wild and Edible Plants of the Great Lakes Region, Michigan Wildflowers.

Call 734.576.8427 for more information and to preregister for any and all adventures!
 

Barb Barton's New Turtle Dove CD

Sunday night at 7 pm, in a wintry East Lansing full of students returning to MSU from their holiday break, the Unitarian Universalist Church was rocking, rolling, folking and clapping.

Barb Barton, musician friends and their instruments stormed the night with 2 sets of the fabulous tracks from Barb's new release, Turtle Dove.

This is a breakout CD. National (nay, international) attention needs to be paid to the rich, vibrant, earthy, full collection of Barton's new material. This CD - the fifth for Barton - is personal, open, tender, fierce and thunderfying. There wasn't a sound in the hall during Thanksgiving in Texas, and not a single eye stayed completely dry during Indiana Hills, a song that Barb wrote to honor her Grandmother Barton.

Like a good movie, a fantastic read, a gripping life event, Barb arranged the tunes on the Turtle Dove CD to give us listeners a rollercoaster ride of emotional highs, grief, relief and fun.

Michiganderians know to wear layers in January, and by the second set, we had the top two on the back of our chairs, standing, clapping, singing the repeat chorus. By the end of the concert, singing along to Listen to the Music, the celebrants were on their feet, dancing, laughing and rejoicing in the night and the music and the gifts of this songwriter/musician.

Driving home, we made an attempt to close the debate on which song is our favorite. Couldn't do it. We'd decide, then say, "Wait, play this one again. Which track is One Less Star? Play that. NO! I'm listening to Predator and Prey."

Barb wrote (except for three well-chosen covers), arranged, produced, mixed and engineered Turtle Dove. This level of accomplishment is going to come in handy in the near future. She's going to be gettin' busy on the road with the new Turtle Dove CD.

Barb Barton Turtle Dove CD Release Concert Announced

Barb Barton's long-awaited Turtle Dove CD will be debuted at a dinner and concert on Sunday, January 10 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 855 Church St., East Lansing, Michigan beginning at 5:30 p.m. YaHOO! as we say here in the Great Lakes State.

If you're not a Michiganderian, you will be able to order the Turtle Dove CD at Barb's website. Check the CD cover art, read the press release, and the dinner menu - oh, the menu!

Barb Barton first touched guitar strings when she was 5 years old. Her songwriting found life in elementary school, using a No. 2 pencil. Her music was born and raised in the woods and water of the magnificent Midwest, accompanied by her Dad's voice that reminded her of Vaughan Monroe.

She has followed the musical cues of artists she admired in her 20s: Buffy St. Marie, Dan Fogelberg, Heart, Roy Clark, Michael Hedges, Led Zeppelin.

Her audiences love her because her music is personal. As a musician songwriter, a woman and a biologist, Barb Barton hopes that "people can reconnect with themselves and the Great Mother Earth and all our relations." She finds renewable energy from other musicians, her audience and the planet.

If trees sang back-up, they'd be touring with Barb Barton. Think ear reiki. Close your eyes, imagine a soul massage. Picture a Lake Superior mirage, a spring-dappled, high-water creek in headlong flight to its sister river. An eaglet on its first canyon dive. Dream about Dancing the Rice.

Drench your brain. Music your heart.

Count your senses. You sure you've only got five?

That's Barb Barton music. Get some now.

Barb Barton House Concert

On a soft focus summer evening in the woods of Michigan, with the trees shushing the wind, the crickets singing background, Barb Barton's music shepherded our spirits for a few hours this weekend.

We sat in cozy chairs with our shoes off as the goldfish hustled to get the best seat in the pond, and the moths fluttered to the upper balcony, stage right high on the window.

A few turns of a tuning key, a couple of soft strums, and the music of Barb Barton drifted into the summer night.

Barb Barton produces smiles, unfolds arms, balances spirits, removes the build-up of hanging out in the world.

I believe that if you're singing, it's not possible to feel bad. Barb takes that to the performance level - it is not possible for anyone to feel bad when she's singing.

A home is the best small venue to experience your favorite musician. People who are invited are there happily, eagerly. It's a mini-festival feeling.

Close up, we're rapt by tuning keys, fingers picking, the light glinting on the silvered neck of the guitars, foot moving softly to the beat. We see faces, smiles. Smiles are catchy. The intimate setting coats your psyche, the music stays in your head and the warmth stays on your heart for days.

I walked slowly out into the night after the concert, said good night to the trees, and the backlit sky, bemused and humbled by the extraordinary musical gift we'd shared, and hummed some of my favorite lyrics all the way home.

Barb Barton

Perfect Sunday afternoon: Barb Barton playing music, good friends and chocolate-covered potato chips.

Barb Barton - http://www.barbbarton.com - is a gift wherever she is, but we were fortunate that she agreed to come to Holly for a private concert.

Home concerts are a booking dream, if your favorite artist[s] are amenable (which Barb is); you can round up some guests, give good directions: and if you've booked Barb, prepare yourself to be transported.

Barb's music is comfortable like a favorite tshirt, warm as a grandmother's hug, and when she's got something serious to say, as powerful as the Great Lakes that kiss our rocky, piney shores good morning and good night.

She described how she writes her poetry and then finds the music to go with; but as she began to strum the beginning bars of "Willow," she told us "this song came from somewhere else."

Somewhere else is where the poetry and the voice of Barb Barton take you. It's a place I love.

What's grand about Michigan is grand about Barb's music. Her guitar strings can reverberate and hum like the big trees in a summer wind, or whistle like shorebirds on the hunt. In her lyrics, you see the moon reflected on our copper rivers; the sun on a bleached log; the drifted snow sweeping a farm field; a morel mushroom keeping quiet company with the ash trees, nestled into autumn's fallen finery.

Hard as I've tried, I still cannot listen to "My Michigan/Letter to Joshua" without some tears.

Treat yourself to her website:

http://www.barbbarton.com

Mosey through the samples from the CDs. And book a concert! Barb's email is on the site. You will be as thrilled and transported as we were on Sunday.

We will be buying the newest CD with "Turtledove" just as soon as it is available, too.

Chocolate-covered potato chips? Get those while you can at Sweet Retreats in Milford, MI. Colleen will show you where they are, if they weren't whisked away already; right after she tells you "welcome."