Comments on: In the Archives: From Cordwood to Caviar

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 02:54:20 +0000

Hi Mr. Wieland: thank you for your very kind comment and thanks for reading. Well, I had a story in MHM last year and there’s one slated for this summer (they restrict authors to 1 per year in order to get the maximum diversity of authors). They are really a great organization to work with, very skilled people.

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 02:52:04 +0000

Jim: I do like that story; thank you for the link! That beer must have tasted awfully good.

By: George Wieland

George Wieland — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:52:34 +0000

Laura, thanks so much for bringing attention to the continuing existence of an important part of Michigan’s history. What a great job you’ve done in documenting the history. Why don’t you try publishing in Michigan History, to bring it to the attention of more Michiganders? You’ve done a superb job, thanks.

By: Jim Rees

Jim Rees — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:35:36 +0000

Laura, I have not written that one up but here's another story you might like, about a different group of nomadic traders. [link]

By: Michele Nash

Michele Nash — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:43:08 +0000

Hmmm… A lot fur trading went on in 19th Century Michigan. Is it some sort of Otter/Beaver/Mink trapping device?

Your clues: “too common” [and] “reviled by some, overused by others,” having a “major impact” leads me to think it was a harvesting tool of some sort. Maybe a massive lumber channelling device used to funnel millions of White Pine logs down Michigan waterways for loading onto the mighty freighters of our Great Lakes destined for use in construction on the more densely populated Eastern seaboard.

I know that the clear cutting methods of that era (prior to thought or principles of conservation or planned reforestation) more certainly left a tremendous impact on Michigan’s natural environment and the future industry of its people that is still being felt today.

By: Dave Askins

Dave Askins — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:48:29 +0000

After publication of this column, Laura Bien was asked to talk about sturgeon by Interlochen Public Radio. Listen to the interview here: [link]

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:06:48 +0000

Jim: What a fantastic story…I hope you have written it up for publication; I’d love to read it if so!

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:05:02 +0000

Dave: Hmm, we’ll see, thank you for reading!

By: Laura Bien

Laura Bien — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:04:19 +0000

Vivienne: Interesting comment, thank you. There is actually one remaining caviar producer in MI, on the shores of Lake Michigan, but it appears that the company merely processes roe that they receive from other sources.

By: Jim Rees

Jim Rees — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 23:52:21 +0000

Before the fall of communism I once shared a Russian train compartment with a woman who was taking a bucket of caviar, probably about 10 Kg, to Warsaw where she was going to sell it for about $100. At that time it was selling in West Berlin for $1 per gram.