Yompai musings

What does it mean for something to be sustainable? Is it only an environmental issue or should sustainability encompass the people who live in that environment also.

The people of Baan Lek and surrounding villages have been developing a model for themselves where people and land work together.

We love wooden spatulas, they are one of our go to kitchen utensils. They are incredibly versatile and are useful in all sorts of ways.

Increasingly people are becoming aware of the health benefits of using wooden kitchenware and wooden utensils. Both for personal health and health of the environment. There are a range of health benefits in using natural, sustainable wooden bowls, wooden spatulas, wooden spoons.

One advantage is the durability of Wooden Spatulas which are known for their strength and longevity. Unlike plastic spatulas, which can easily break or melt when exposed to high heat, wooden spatulas are able to withstand the rigors of everyday cooking. The natural strength and resilience of wood make it the ideal material for spatulas that need to endure constant stirring, flipping, and scraping.

There are things our grandparents knew that we are only just rediscovering. I don't know how many people who come to me at markets, looking for a wooden spoon because their grandparents had one that they used for years and they now want to find one of their own.

Microplastics are something we have become much more aware
of in recent years. Both in terms of where they are being generated and where they end up eg the oceans, in our foods and in our bodies.

Science and research are revealing many different places that we are creating microplastics and some are surprising.

One that I should have thought about, but never made the connection to, was plastic cutting boards.

Heuristic play is a hands-on approach to learning that encourages children to explore and experiment with everyday objects. to encourage exploration and discovery. The focus is on the process rather than the end result, allowing children to develop their cognitive, physical, and social skills in a natural and self-directed way.

At its core, heuristic play is about providing children with opportunities to explore and make sense of the world around them. It encourages them to use their senses, experiment with cause and effect, and develop problem-solving skills. By engaging with a range of objects, children can learn about different textures, shapes, colors, and weights, while also honing their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Why use a wooden cup? Won't they leak? Don't they taste funny?

There are a few questions around wooden cups. Yet throughout history people have been using wooden cups, for a long time because other materials were simply not available and then in more recent years, because people have been trying to go back to more natural, eco friendly materials.

Why use Toast Tongs?

The primary reason is for safety. Metal tongs are like metal knives in your toaster, dangerous. Wooden Toast Tongs, if dry, are not good conductors of electricity and are safe to use to extract your piece of toast or bagel that has gotten bent out of shape in the toaster. 

The wood used in our kitchen utensils is Teak. It is made by villagers in rural Thailand as part of the OTOP (One Tambon, One Product) 

Wood utensils do not scratch your cookware. Especially with non-stick pots and pans, wood is much gentler than metal or plastic.