Timbergreen Trail page 2

We have learned several special sawmilling techniques to get much better yield from the small, crooked, hollow, and otherwise low value logs that our worst first harvests produce.  A small band resaw and an edger saw make our WoodMizer headsaw three times as efficient. 

Two more solar cycle kilns were built, using mostly our own wood.  Our customers were telling us that our lumber was the best quality wood they had ever worked with.  They said it was flatter, less damaged, less stressed, more natural colored - "brighter", and easier to work than wood from other commercial sources.  These solar heated kilns have been our claim to fame and made us different from other suppliers.  In addition, they have attracted many magazine and newspaper stories that have brought us a lot of new business.  Our new designs are ten times more  efficient as our first kiln, as we have learned to capture and use the most energy possible from the available sunshine.

When we unload a kiln, we sort out the select and better lumber and put that right into the sales bins in the barn.  This wood is already worth an average of $3/bf and we sell most of the good wood for cash.    The common grade lumber is taken        directly to the millwork shop to be made into character grade plank flooring.  We sell some flooring from the sales room, but we try and sell most of our flooring -  installed and finished in someone's home.  Taking the wood right to final in home installation gives the best possible income and is extremely rewarding in many ways.    It is easier to sell our flooring as installed also, and each floor then becomes a new showroom for our products.  Each floor sells more flooring as people see the    beautiful character wood finished in a home.

This approach to business has been very successful for us here at    Timbergreen Farm.  We started with 350,000 bf of low value timber back in 1976 - worth about $14,000.  Over the last 15 years, we have salvaged and harvested 450,000 bf of logs.  We cut only about 40% of the annual growth, and the improvement harvest has easily earned us $500,000.  We have built an aspen log home, constructed a half dozen      buildings, and sold the extra wood to customers across the US. 

Our timber inventory will hit 1,000,000 board feet this summer!         The stumpage value of this timber is now about $450,000 - and the value-added potential is well over $5,000,000 and growing.

We have found an unlimited local demand for our wood.  Having the best lumber available is good for business!  We sell at a factory-outlet store price (about 80% of retail in the city)  And we make visiting our remote location an event that people enjoy and share with others.


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