[Northkeep] Waterbearing Supplies and other such business....

[Ian Dun Gillan]

Zubeydah,
So what it comes down to, in regards to these cutting boards, is personal
preference. There is no rules requirement for disposable cutting boards? I
ask this because some of the reasons you use against the non-disposable kind
could easily apply to any or all of the waterbearers tools. There is
flexible cutting boards that are very cleanable and very easily rolled up
and stored I think Faolan has some like that.

What I am getting from what you said is that as long as the people using the
supplies act responsibly and use cutting boards, knives, and dishes like
they would in a Kosher kitchen i.e. so that the citrus board and knife are
not used on pickles etc. until cleaned and sterilized then non-disposable
items are acceptable? Depending on the Head Water Bearer's preferences?

Along this same thread...what exactly is required in a Water Bearing kit
(supply wise)? What items does Northkeep need to flesh out its water bearing
supplies? Surely we have some items because I know over the last few years
that we have purchased water jugs and those large orange coolers. Do you
know where those items are now?

Now regarding your other comments. I cannot tell if what you wrote is a
complaint or not. I am guessing it is. I think I have made it clear in the
past how thankful I am for the service and water bearing given, if not then
I am saying so now. Northkeep is to me the home of hospitality in the north.
You all have helped make that happen with your work. Remember at Dioander
when I came and gave my thanks; remember the items I donated when asked for
the demos. There is the proof of my love and support for what you and the
other ladies have done how ever meager my efforts were. If you alone or
house Halfiris are buying from out of your pocket I would suggest you stop
doing so if it is an issue. If you are buying out of the goodness of your
heart then please do so as much as feel the need and can afford. If there is
some reason you have/had problems with the funds or donations people or the
barony provided then why didn't you let us know? Why wait till now?
Especially after the $135 budget ($50 Baronial funds, $85 donations) for
water bearing at Castellan. If that is not enough to do it up right let me
know I can get more.

If you or the water bearers want/need help purchasing additional items for
places where you are water bearing then why not pass the hat or ask for
donations especially form people like me whom you know will donate items.
There is no need for the burden of the water bearing supplies to lie on one
person or one household's shoulders. Not stepping forward to say or do
something for what you obviously feel strongly about is a pretty big
travesty. I know you are a gentle and shy person who does not like to make
waves but
unless you do some kind of splashing in the water the boat don't go.

In the future if you or the current waterbearers of Northkeep find that that
are unhappy about supplies or budget and if they feel pressured to have to
buy items themselves then I
will expect you or them to let me know so the burden of the Barony's
hospitality can be shared. Anything less would be considered a breech in our
trust and friendship.

 I hope my email does not sound gruff or aggravated it has been a long and
busy day and I am tired. With Castellan closing in on us and so much left to
do I may accidentally sound mean when I don't intend to.By the way thanks
for answering my email this is helping me to understand water bearing and
what it entails better.

Kind Regards,
Ian


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Zubeydah Jamilla al-Badawiyya" <zubeydah at northkeep.org>
To: "Ian Dun Gillan" <ian1550 at sbcglobal.net>; "The Barony of Northkeep" <>
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 6:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Northkeep] Waterbearing Supplies and other such business....


Honorable Laird Ian:

I have not bought, nor have I advocated buying, new utensils, bowls, etc
each event.  Bowls, plates, and knives are easy to clean on site : toss them
in a 5 gallon bucket containing a 10% bleach solution, do some light
scrubbing and rinsing, and you're good to go (which we do, much to the peril
of our garb). After each event, I wash everything I've supplied for use in
my dishwasher, which has a sterilization cycle. Before every event, I wash
and sterilize them a second time, to make sure nothing has accumulated on
them in the weeks between events, while they're sitting in totes in my
storage unit.

With a plastic or wood cutting board, it's harder to make sure it's truly
clean _*during the event*_, because of the scores/grooves caused by the
action of the knives on the surface of the board. When you're dealing with a
clean surface each time you're cutting a different ingredient, it's easier
to keep down any contamination. You aren't dealing with the same piece of
plastic that's been out in the dust and dirt  which floats through the air
due to the constant foot traffic, with the inevitable bugs flitting about,
multiple people using the same piece of equipment, etc...  Cutting boards
are in use practically all day long at the waterbearing station, because
we're constantly preparing items to keep things as fresh as possible.

Disposable cutting sheets also weigh less to transport, and take up less
room to store. They're easily portable. They can be picked up and curved, to
form a funnel, to dump the newly chopped contents into a container.  For the
last three years, I have provided my own waterbearing supplies for use by
the Barony at all baronial (and sometimes regional) events. I've generally
paid for (at least, if not more) half of the supplies out of my own pocket,
or gratefully accepted supplies purchased and donated by House Halfiras -
since I or they were who was paying for it, I/they bought what I/we
preferred to use: Disposable cutting sheets.

Now that the Barony is putting together it's own waterbearing supplies, I am
certain the Baronial waterbearer, Montega, will purchase or collect those
supplies she sees fit.  It really is an issue of personal preference;  I've
simply been expressing mine --  not trying to impose my preference on anyone
else.  :-)

- Zubeydah




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ian Dun Gillan" <ian1550 at sbcglobal.net>
> Hmmm...
> Not to disagree but from a different perspective I would think cross
> contamination could be an issue during the working of the water-bearing.
> Separate knives, separate trays, etc.. Do you buy new knives and trays
> each
> time too?  If so why? Would it not work to have a dish pan with bleach
> water
> in it?  Would the bleach water if properly mixed and maintained clean and
> purify any surface?
> In most cases I have encountered bleach water is used to clean for such
> possible contamination. So the investment in a bottle of bleach and a tub
> to
> keep the bleach water in might over time save money verses purchasing
> cutting boards, utensils and trays each time.
> Just my two cents worth.
> Ian