SEGMENT: FARM BUSINESS
Michael Johnson>ISM Interviews A-L>ISM Interviews A-L, Segment 24
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- FARM BUSINESS
- He broke into business with ads in the local papers. There are local shops that make furniture. There are about 20 such shops that are willing to drive 30 miles of less to pick up lumber. Farmers also build cabinets, etc. for their families in the off season. Those are his customers. He also saws lumber out of all the species they grow (25). Oak. Box elder, elms, etc. are beautiful woods for cabinet-making. It is environmentally sound to use all species. If a tree has a crook in it, he produces shorter logs and sell it for less than the twelve-footers. He introduces people to new species. In a log, you look for the biggest, roundest veneer logs at the base of the tree. Markets for logs are controlled by the Chinese, Japan, and Europe. They are interested in walnut, cherry, and white oak. They pay higher prices for high quality logs. He does not sell veneer logs. He buys walnut logs from others because his stand does not have walnuts. Loggers do not touch town trees because of the danger of having metal in it. He uses them for their width (21-inch) and interesting crotches. Produces natural-edge slabs for tables, like Nakashima used. Through a web site, he advertises this specialty wood. Describes clear lumber, limb marks, patterns for panel doors (book-matched). Because of his background in photography, he tends to produce perfect logs rather than just adequate ones. As you saw the log (grade-saw), we turn it, move it, trim it, looking for the best boards with less waste. He won't cut down trees that are not ready even if there is a customer need.
