This past spring I have jumped into a new journey as a sawyer. The past few years I have been using a chainsaw mill to turn logs into lumber. This spring I made the leap to produce more lumber from unique logs. The inspiration to jump to the next level came from a need to clean up our forest. Fire mitigation and forest health is the top priority. Our woods are overcrowded and the trees suffer from competition with each other. Our options were to pay a logger to clean up our woods, most of the trees ending up as press boards and pulp wood. Or to do it ourselves and try to find the highest value in each tree. By finding value in each tree we can tell it’s story in a way that allows for the tree to continue to be appreciated out of the woods. My goal is to cut high quality products that will grace our home and others homes in ways that highlight the beauty of these trees.
There is a lot of work involved when one brings a tree from the forest to the final product. But it is work worth working. Too much of our lives is focused on avoiding this type of work. For me value lies in the process. Hard work in the fresh air of the mountains provides both physical and mental health. We as humans need this type of work, we also need to reconnect with products. Stuff bought at box stores is just stuff. Each piece of lumber that I turn into a product has a story. The story of the life of the tree is there for each of us. Join me as I give new life to these trees.
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