Don't forget- Valentine's Day is coming up on February 14th!!!
Need to find a gift for your special someone? Be sure to look at our Celtic Jewellery.
Or if you're spending the day with some friends, check out our delicious chocolates and candies. Everybody loves chocolate!!!

We have added some new categories to our website: Under $20 and Under $50. For those on a budget or still recovering from the Christmas bills, you can still find the piping items that you need!! Also, don't forget to keep checking our specials section for newly discounted items.

Highland Games season is approaching! Do you have your music ready? Take a look at our selection of music books to find the music that you need.

Kinnaird Bagpipes is now on Facebook! Become a member of our group today!

February 16 Winnipeg Scottish Festival http://winnipegscottishfestival.org/

March 12-16 Vancouver Celticfest www.celticfestvancouver.com/

The 6th Annual Lake Diefenbaker Pipe Band School
July 13-18, 2008 at Hitchcock's Hideaway
This year featuring John Fisher, Alan Walters, and Ken Eller.
Details and Application Form

The Bagpipe Tree

The Mpingo tree, also called the African Blackwood, is a member of the Rosewood family that grows in the Miombo woodlands of Africa. It has a high density, great durability, and natural oils that seal the surface of the wood, making it great for musical instruments like the bagpipes.

These trees often grow naturally knotted and twisted. To use them for musical instruments, they must be straight and without defects. Less than 2% of all the wood harvested can be used for this purpose! It takes about 70 years for the Mpingo tree to reach maturity followed by 3 years of processing before it can be used to make an instrument.

The middle of the wood is black and so hard that it can blunt an axe and must be drilled before screwing or nailing it. The wood is very resistant and the roots support bacteria that increase soil fertility.

As Tanzania's national tree, it is the most valuable tree harvested and also the most expensive, requiring special equipment to harvest. These trees are currently at risk of being wiped out. There has been a shortage over the last 20 years due to weather, political instability and economics. In many places, the trees are illegally cut down or burned to clear the area for farming and livestock. Burning kills the younger trees and leaves the older trees deformed and diseased.

There are efforts in place to save the "bagpipe tree" and create a sustainable supply for the future. Reaching these goals will not only increase the amount of trees legally harvested, but will also reduce poverty in the area, help to rebuild the forests, conserve water, reduce soil erosion and, keep the music playing!

All of the Blackwood we use comes from a supplier that purchases wood from a government approved seller whose trees are legally harvested and documented. The wood is only supplied to musical instrument companies.

The government of Tanzania is trying to cut back on the amount of tree smuggling by scanning and conducting physical searches of cargo shipments. There are increasing efforts to monitor the legal trade of African Blackwood and police the illegal trade. All of these factors add to the cost of the wood. Most reputable Bagpipe manufacturers use wood from legally harvested trees. Ask us about fair trade bagpipes!