Benson Grist Mill's Pioneer Days

In the blistering heat of early July, a quaint festival known as Pioneer Days is held at Benson Grist Mill, in Stansbury Utah. I was lucky to participate as a paper maker, offering demonstrations to kids of all ages.

Working outside has its benefits. The first advantage is that the Utah sun dries paper in about 20 minutes, compared to the day and a half in the wintertime. Most weekends in the summer time I make paper on my patio and take advantage of the sun's drying powers. The other benefit to working outside is that my kitchen stays clean and isn't speckled with bits of pulp and sloshes of water. I have found paper pulp on cabinets four feet away from my workspace and can't for the life of me figure out how it gets across the room.

Setting up an outdoor booth has its challenges. To make paper, a water supply is necessary. I was lucky that the festival committee placed me on the lawn (did I mention they gave me a shade tree too) and near a water hose. I wasn't as lucky when it came to the wind. Our $30 tent structure from Family Dollar Stores barely held the afternoon breezes that tore through the yard.

All in all the experience of demonstrating paper was a good one. I was surprised how many people told me they remember making paper at one time or another and yet it seemed to me that they still marveled at the process.

GIGO was one of two lessons that I wanted people to remember. GIGO=Garbage In, Garbage Out. My paper is made with quality recycled paper found in my office. I don't use dryer lint, newspaper, or heavy ink recycled paper in paper making. My paper is also chemical free. I don't buy chemicals to break down plant fibers, and I don't use chemical additives to color my paper.

Lesson two don't be afraid to try something. Countless children come to my booth to try their hand at paper making. They jumped in, got their hands wet and pulled paper without fear. It was the adults in the crowd that needed extra coaxing to try their hand at the lost art. Why do we lose faith in ourselves as we grow older? Why are we afraid to try something new?

The only disaster of the day was when we arrived home and unloaded the car. My loving husband who is always anxious to support my endeavors and help in any way possible, dumped an entire batch of paper pulp in the backseat of our car. Needless to say, we're still cleaning up purple paper pulp from the carpet.

I'm very thankful to the Grist Mill General Store for featuring my journals and note cards during the summer of 2009.

The Grist Mill will open again in May 2010. If you're looking for a quiet drive to a quaint village, think about driving to Stansbury Utah and visit the Grist Mill. My journals and note cards will be there again this next summer.