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The Radical Act of Spoon Carving
In an age obsessed with speed, efficiency, and mass production, taking the time to create something by hand feels almost rebellious. Lately, I’ve been drawn into spoon carving — an act that, at its core, is a quiet but firm rejection of a system that values convenience over craft, profit over patience.
Taking a raw branch and shaping it into something functional—a tool for nourishment—is the kind of transformation that capitalism tries to convince us is unnecessary. “Just buy a cheap, factory-made spoon,” they say. But where’s the soul in that? Where’s the connection to material, to history, to the very human need to create?
At first, I naively thought spoon carving would be simpler than other woodworking projects. The modern world teaches us that things should be quick, that thought and effort is optional. But I was proven wrong. As with any true creative work, the process demands attention, knowledge of spoon carving tools, skill, and time. A spoon doesn’t just appear—it moves through at least a dozen stages before it’s ready to be used: selecting the right branch, axing, designing, shaping (crank, bowl, handle, angles), refining, drying, final shaping, burnishing, finishing. You could use power tools, sure, the point is that something thoughtfully made—slowly, deliberately—is an act of defiance. It is intentional. In a system designed to strip us of our creativity, carving spoons feels like a way of resisting.
In that spirit, we’ve come out with a line of kitchen utensils that are made from a hybrid process of hand and tools. Hope you enjoy them!
(If you see something you like, and it’s not on the website, send us a message)
Wooden utensils are now available online and at our markets…
Each of our wooden utensils are made from wood that we source locally, either from a branch or our community. They are designed and shaped by a hybrid process of hand and tools. Always finished with food safe mineral oils and conditioner.
Basic Care includes hand wash only with soap and hot water. Dry immediately with a towel or soft cloth. Over time, to keep it looking fresh, you can lightly sand it with a #0000 steel wool and add a generous amount of food safe mineral oil and conditioner.
