From Felling to Furniture: Local Vermont Cherry

The Story Behind the Lumber

Last fall, Nick got in touch with a gentleman in southern Vermont advertising a small lot of Cherry for sale which had been sitting in a barn for nearly two decades. After exchanging emails and asking questions about the lumber, he learned that this beautiful hardwood also came with a great story.

In 1999, a bizarre phenomenon occurred on our family farm in Shaftsbury, VT. It’s speculated that a heavy storm produced a rogue micro burst or even a small tornado tip which briefly touched down, leaving behind a narrow path of destruction across many tree crowns in a Cherry Grove located on the property.

After assessing the damage while cutting up downed trees and branches, a decision was made to hire a local logger to save many of these valuable trees before they started to decline from the storm damage.

The trees were hauled up and piled high on a landing close to the farm house. A local sawyer was hired to mill the Cherry using a portable Wood-Mizer bandsaw mill. With all hands on deck, the freshly milled hardwood was sorted, stacked, stickered, and covered. It sat on that same landing for two years to allow the lumber to naturally air dry before it was relocated to a barn nearby.

It is a special treat to find decades old air-dried lumber. It’s even rarer to have it come with a story from the person who milled it. Much like knowing where your food comes from, it’s important to us to know where our hardwood comes from. Needless to say, Nick initially purchased a handful of shorter Cherry boards and later went back to get some of the longer stock. It has been our goal to give this amazing lumber a new life, turning it into a collection of projects both big and small.

Keep scrolling to see what Nick has been making with this lumber! If you’re interested in a handcrafted piece made from this batch of Cherry, reach out to us.

Made with Vermont Cherry

the maynard coffee table

The Maynard Coffee Table is a continuation of the Shaker-inspired collection in dedication to Nick’s maternal grandmothers. The perfect blend of form and function, this elegant design is crafted using 100% hardwoods and features mortise and tenon joinery with two dovetailed drawers and concealed pulls.

the maynard coffee table

Erin’s keepsake box

Nick made this personalized keepsake box for Erin’s 30th birthday. The entire box was built from one board to ensure matching grain and even color. It features mitered and splined joinery, hand-carved initials, and a sliding tray to hold smaller treasures. Erin quickly found great use of it and filled it with her growing collection of sewing supplies.

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hinged Keepsake Box

This keepsake box was gifted to Nick’s Mom for Christmas — she’s a lucky lady! It features half-blind dovetails and a frame and panel lid with Brusso brass stop hinges.

vermont Cherry Serving Tray

This is our classic serving tray design in that special Vermont-grown Cherry. The tray features Nick’s favorite half-blind dovetails and one of our new favorite winter bakes, an Apricot Couronne.