Generosity and friendship seem to be the glue that bonds all forms of the wood business, from the Tree Farmers who grow it to the end user who produces the product. tools & techniques the generosity of By Wood People easley PAul it is interesting how completely honest and giving most folks are who work with wood. i recently had a woodworker contact me from a town about 40 miles away regarding a large chunk of catalpa wood. his close friend was about to lose his wife after a long battle with cancer and they had asked him if he would turn an urn for her ashes after she was cremated. her favorite wood was catalpa and that is what they asked for. he felt honored to be asked to do this for his friend but was having a hard time finding the catalpa. There was urgency in his voice and i had to tell him i didn’t have what he needed. The urgency turned to desperation. i told him i would find it for him just as quick as i could. 26 With all the years we have been in the hardwood business, we had created a great network with the other sawmills in central Illinois. Within 24 hours I had the chunk of catalpa and he drove over that day to get it. He told me later that he stayed up that night to turn her urn. She died that night. A loss and a gain; he lost a friend and we both gained new friends. We had The 1990 Illinois Tree Farmers of the Year Paul and Kathy Easley own and manage Oak Leaf Wood ‘n’ Supplies, 210 N. Main St., Moweaqua, IL 62550; . Tree Farmer JU LY/AU G U ST 2008
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tree Farmer - July/August 2008