Our friend Kathleen Wanner of the Vermont Wood Manufacturer's Association VWMA is fond of the saying, "local wood = local good". It captures Vermont's passion for supporting small, local businesses that emphasize sustainable use of the working landscape: our forests and fields.Consider for a minute, your impact on local economies when you buy American made furniture versus imported furniture (most furniture in America is imported from Asia). If, for example you buy Vermont made wood furniture, you are supporting the local land owner who grew the trees, the forester who manages the land for sustainability, the logger who falls the trees, the sawyer who slices and dices the wood, perhaps a wholesaler (and/or retailer) who inventory the wood, the furniture maker who builds your furniture and (unless you buy directly from the furniture maker) the retail store that sells you the new bedroom set. That's why we say "local wood = local good".
Here's a typical Forest to Furniture scenario that happens routinely all over Vermont:
A local logging company or tree service harvests the trees.
Chuck Mayotte from Mayotte's tree service in Guilford looks to find the highest and best use for the trees he removes. Sometimes trees will be used for firewood, but when Chuck comes across high quality logs or those with special character, he sells them to area furniture makers.Local sawyers cut the lumber into planks or beams.
Vince Johnson is a local sawyer in Vernon with a portable sawmill that he drives to the woodlot at harvest time. He sawed black locust and norway spruce logs for us at Stonehurst, our new fine furniture gallery. They are currently being used to build a deck behind our showroom.
Kerber Mills is another local sawyer with a small mill in Guilford, VT. Clint Kerber milled the cherry and maple wood for our hardwood floors at the Stonehurst showroom.Local furniture makers transform the wood into fine furniture.
Check out some of the specialty Forest to Furniture products that have been made by members the prestigious Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers including Richard Bissell of Putney Vermont and David Hurwitz of Randolf, VT.So... what do you think? Does the story (and the benefit to local economies) behind local wood furniture add enough value to sway your buying decision? Or is imported furniture just too darned affordable to pass up? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook!
