# Balm of Gilead burl



## sprucegum (Oct 2, 2019)

Bought a 60 ac. Wood lot last year and my son and crew are clearing a landing area in preparation to log it after freeze up. The ground is wet and won't support logging equipment unless it is frozen. I salvaged this from the pulp wood pile.

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 9


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 2, 2019)

Never heard of that. Nice grab

Reactions: Like 1


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## sprucegum (Oct 2, 2019)

Also know as balsam poplar. The buds can be steeped in oil to extract the sap then mixed with bees wax to make a medicinal salve or balm. *There* is a *balm in Gilead*, To make the wounded whole; *There* is a *balm in Gilead*, To heal the sin-sick soul. I have worked the wood before it is quite soft and likes to fuzz up when you plane it. The wood has no splinters and is used to make tongue depressors.

Reactions: Informative 3


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## sprucegum (Oct 2, 2019)

Around here us natives pronounce it as one 4 syllable word balm-ah-gill-yard


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## Mr. Peet (Oct 2, 2019)

We were raised that "Balm of Gillead" tree was a hybrid of Eastern Cottonwood and Balsam poplar. As for the 'balm', made it from the enlarged spring buds of either tree....

Nice score.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ripjack13 (Oct 2, 2019)

I live in Gilead, does that count?

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Mr. Peet (Oct 3, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> I live in Gilead, does that count?



Yes...

Reactions: Like 1


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Oct 3, 2019)

ripjack13 said:


> I live in Gilead, does that count?



Yes Mark your the Balm!!

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 3


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## sprucegum (Oct 3, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> We were raised that "Balm of Gillead" tree was a hybrid of Eastern Cottonwood and Balsam poplar. As for the 'balm', made it from the enlarged spring buds of either tree....
> 
> Nice score.


I reckon they are all part of the same family, apparently there is something similar that grows in the middle east where the biblical version of balm of Gilead was produced. I made some years ago it is a good salve but I don't know that it has great healing properties. We collected the buds in late winter while they are still frozen, they are a sticky mess when they thaw. Maybe time to make more the loggers will be knocking more down come winter that makes bud harvest easy.


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## barry richardson (Oct 3, 2019)

Nice looking burl

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Graybeard (Oct 3, 2019)

My avatar is taken while fishing on the Menominee River, the northern boarder of Wisconsin and the UP. Toward evening we got the most amazing smell blowing out over the river. When I asked my partner what that was he started singing There Is a Balm in Gilead. Good old Methodist biology teacher he was by golly. Fun to mill that burl up.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## sprucegum (Oct 3, 2019)

Graybeard said:


> My avatar is taken while fishing on the Menominee River, the northern boarder of Wisconsin and the UP. Toward evening we got the most amazing smell blowing out over the river. When I asked my partner what that was he started singing There Is a Balm in Gilead. Good old Methodist biology teacher he was by golly. Fun to mill that burl up.




Yes it will I was going to wait until my sawmill was setup again but I may just go at it with my CS . My lathe is in storage rite now but I think i will get it out so I can rough out a small bowl. Probably have to wear a raincoat the stuff is about 90% water when it is green.


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## ripjack13 (Oct 3, 2019)

Bigdrowdy1 said:


> Yes Mark your the Balm!!


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## Mr. Peet (Oct 3, 2019)

Bigdrowdy1 said:


> Yes Mark your the Balm!!



Wait a minute, which one? I'm with the 'k', he's with a 'c'.


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## Mr. Peet (Oct 3, 2019)

sprucegum said:


> Yes it will I was going to wait until my sawmill was setup again but I may just go at it with my CS . My lathe is in storage rite now but I think i will get it out so I can rough out a small bowl. Probably have to wear a raincoat the stuff is about 90% water when it is green.



I have a single sample of Balsam poplar, _Populus balsamifera_, in my wood collection. I'd like to add a few more from up north. Let me know if you mill any up for sale, or if you'd be able to fill a USPS flat rate.


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## sprucegum (Oct 3, 2019)

I really don't value it very high. Pretty low value logs and next to worthless as firewood. Let you know


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Oct 3, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> Wait a minute, which one? I'm with the 'k', he's with a 'c'.



Yes

Reactions: Funny 1


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## ripjack13 (Oct 3, 2019)

Mr. Peet said:


> Wait a minute, which one? I'm with the 'k', he's with a 'c'.


I agree with rodney....



Bigdrowdy1 said:


> Yes


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## gman2431 (Oct 9, 2019)

Graybeard said:


> My avatar is taken while fishing on the Menominee River, the northern boarder of Wisconsin and the UP. Toward evening we got the most amazing smell blowing out over the river. When I asked my partner what that was he started singing There Is a Balm in Gilead. Good old Methodist biology teacher he was by golly. Fun to mill that burl up.



Do you ever fish the Brule on the divide?


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## Graybeard (Oct 10, 2019)

Cody, No I've fished the Bois Brule. Funny story this one. One morning while fishing the Bois Brule in a light snow fall a bald eagle soared overhead. Complete peace. I was made aware of my partner wading upstream to me, as he got closer I could see he had blood running from his nose. Seems he got tangled in a tree and while pulling on the line, it let loose and came back and implanted the hook on the inside of his nose. He said remove the darned thing as he handed me his hemostat. Well every time I tried his nose wiggled and it made me laugh. Finally he took it and gave and yank and out came the green butt skunk. The yin and the yang of fishing.

Reactions: Like 1


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## gman2431 (Oct 10, 2019)

Graybeard said:


> Cody, No I've fished the Bois Brule. Funny story this one. One morning while fishing the Bois Brule in a light snow fall a bald eagle soared overhead. Complete peace. I was made aware of my partner wading upstream to me, as he got closer I could see he had blood running from his nose. Seems he got tangled in a tree and while pulling on the line, it let loose and came back and implanted the hook on the inside of his nose. He said remove the darned thing as he handed me his hemostat. Well every time I tried his nose wiggled and it made me laugh. Finally he took it and gave and yank and out came the green butt skunk. The yin and the yang of fishing.



Gotta watch those pointy things!!

Reason I asked is because my grandparents had a nice place on the brule right outside iron river on the divide. Amazing trout fishing that I will always remember!

Reactions: Like 1


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## sprucegum (Apr 5, 2020)

Wanted to warm up the mill and change the oil so I whacked the balm of gilead burl. Pretty cool stuff and even the log it was attached to is pretty interesting. All slobbered up with anchor seal maybe it will be dry by the time I have a shop.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 2


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## Eric Rorabaugh (Apr 5, 2020)

Oh my lord!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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