Ankaret Dean is busy clipping the 2-3 year old willow saplings that will be used for building the coracle basket.

Paul Williams carrying home the bundle of willow past the cemetery of the first settlers of the farm in Elfin, Ontario.

Ankaret and Olivia our intrepid leaders show us how to layout the willow branches to get the proper size for the coracle basket. The 2 stakes on the ground are laid in a cross to mark the width and length and the other stakes are laid out around the outside before being tapered and stuck in the ground upright.

Olivia inspects the stakes of the coracle basket after they are stuck in the ground to get ready for the weavers to be laid in. We found out the the dry pasture land of Ontario is not very forgiving and that the early coracles makers who worked near the willow swamps used their land much more wisely than we did this weekend.

This was our little home away from home during our stay at the Elfin Farm of Ankarets.