Campfire Cooking Lore (Continued)

Do We Have Enough Embers? (We'll Need More!)

Photo by Leon Contreras on Unsplash

Setting Up the Fire Pit

If you have a backyard and have the room to spare, perhaps you might consider setting up your own “council ring”. This is the name given to the circular, outdoor space spanning a campfire pit and the space around it where people can comfortably sit. The council ring was made famous by Landscape Architect, Jens Jensen in the mid-late 1930’s era. Tova Brandt[4] describes Jensen’s council ring design concept:

“Many of famous Danish landscape architect Jens Jensen’s landscape designs included stone seating circles that he called council rings – or, when installed in a children’s garden, “story rings.” To Jensen, the council ring symbolized both ancient traditions and American democracy. The seating circle invites people to share ideas, stories, and songs, while also sharing an experience in nature. Jensen intended that this space evokes Scandinavian traditions of village elders gathering in a circle, which gave rise to the Scandinavian “tings” or parliaments, as well as Native American council fires. By seating everyone on an equal footing within the circle, the council ring also promotes democratic ideals. The council ring at The Danish Immigrant Museum’s Jens Jensen Prairie Landscape Park in Elk Horn, Iowa is given in loving memory of Vesta Newlin Hansen of West Branch, Iowa, by her husband, Walter. Their Quaker upbringing and faith celebrate the values of equality and inclusiveness symbolized by this council ring. In Jens Jensen’s Siftings, published in 1939, he wrote, “In this friendly circle, around the fire, man becomes himself. Here there is no social caste. All are on the same level, looking each other in the face. A ring speaks of strength and friendship and is one of the great symbols of mankind. The fire in the center portrays the beginning of civilization, and it was around the fire our forefathers gathered when they first placed foot on this continent.”

Now that we have an understanding of Jens Jensen’s council ring landscape design concept, let’s look at a bunch of design ideas for you to consider before you design your own. Let’s get started by looking at the myriad design alternatives that you will find on the web. Search on the phrase, “council ring images”, and you will pull up websites like Pinterest which will give you a wide array of design possibilities.

Photo by Courtnie Tosana on Unsplash

After looking at the council ring designs on the web, I now want to guide you through an expanded campfire cooking layout which gives your family and you the opportunity to try out and enjoy some new camp cooking challenges while enjoying meals together. Again, check with your town officials to ensure that you have any licenses or approvals needed to move forward with your plan.

The next step for Do-It-Yourselfers (DIYers) is to design the ideal fire pit or campfire cooking area. Get some graph paper and figure out your ideal campfire cooking area that you want. The goal is to tailor a design configuration that meets the needs of your yard and family. I will expand upon the council ring design idea and use “outdoor rooms” as another design concept. Then, you can determine which outdoor rooms your space will allow and which functions are needed by your family. Next, we will tackle the hardware items which will be needed to outfit the campfire cooking configuration. Along the way, I will tell you how I have set-up my own council ring for very large gatherings and OOEE’s.