By Neil Schroeder

We are now a dealership for Supersplitter Company.  They manufacture the fastest small log splitter on the market.  This wonderful machine is very well built, has almost no maintenance problems and is a pleasure to use.  Most of the folks presently involved in the OWC firewood program are now using them because it dramatically increases production and allows us to split the wood in the sizes needed to make exemplary bundles. It is possible for two folks to easily split a cord an hour with the Supersplit!
 
As a dealer we can now offer discounts to members. We believe we should pass on the benefits achieved from being a dealer to our members. If you own forestland in Oregon, you are welcome to apply for OWC membership.
        
Find further information here on all the SuperSplit models and options that are available to customize your machine.

For more information, price quotes and to order, contact owc@owco-op.com or (888) 800-1192

When not taking care of trees on their tree farms, several OWC members make custom furniture from trees sustainably harvested from native Oregon trees. We make several styles, including stump tables, tree ring tables and benches. They are sold through the Co-op’s ally, Oregon Heartwood.
 
Our Forest Furniture pieces are one-of-a-kind furnishings for modern living spaces. The stump tables are fashioned from native trees sustainably thinned from Arbor House Tree Farm in Oregon. Most of our stump tables are made from Douglas-fir but other native species such as madrone may be available. The bark is removed and the wood air-dried before the tops are hand-sanded.
 
We fashion each table as a custom order to the customer’s specifications, subject to stock on hand. We can apply a choice of durable finish to the tops and/or sides, and either adjustable feet or felt cushions on the bottoms.
 
Our tree ring tables are made from sustainably harvested Douglas-fir or Bigleaf Maple. Evenly-sliced tree "cookies" are carefully dried and seasoned to prevent splitting. Painted metal hairpin legs make a sturdy table. The tops can also be purchased separately, if you want to provide your own table legs, use it as a centerpiece on your dining table, or hang it on the wall.
 
For more information about ordering custom Forest Furniture, please visit Oregon Heartwood.

During the months of November and December, Co-op members harvest boughs from native evergreen trees growing on their tree farms. We sell these to florists in Portland and Salem who use them to make centerpieces and table decorations for the holidays. We also sell to folks making wreaths and garlands.

This year, nine OWC families are involved in producing boughs from a variety of species, including Noble fir, Grand fir, Incense cedar, Port Orford cedar, Ponderosa pine and Western while pine. We wait to harvest until shortly before delivery to the customer so our greens are fresh and fragrant.

Although most of OWC’s bough business is wholesale, anyone can purchase our evergreens for home decoration. Through the Co-op’s sister company, Oregon Heartwood, we sell locally to order and can ship anywhere in the country. To order our holiday greens, please visit OregonHeartwood.com/boughs. 
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Our bough harvest season is short but busy, ending before Christmas. When it’s all done, then we can relax with our families to enjoy the winter holidays. (Our bundled firewood producers never sleep, though.)

Woodfirst Sustainable Enterprises, based in Klamath Falls, OR, provides mobile saw milling services throughout Oregon. The company is a Working Partner for the Oregon Woodland Co-op. Chris Johnson, Woodfirst owner has 35 years of sawmilling experience. He has offered to donate to OWC 10% of the gross proceeds from any jobs performed for or referred by Co-op members. 

Two portable sawmills are available to turn logs into lumber. The Woodmizer LT40 can take up to a 36 inch diameter x 20 ft long log, and can produce planks up to 20 inches wide. The Alaskan-style chainsaw mill can cut slabs up to 38 inches wide, e.g. for live-edge table tops. 

To maximize production efficiency, a landowner should have one or two laborers for offloading lumber, depending on the size of the logs. It’s recommended to have a forklift, tractor. or backhoe with a thumb for lifting and moving logs to the sawmill once it is set up and level. With supplemental labor and equipment provided by landowner, Chris can produce 350 to 500 board feet of lumber per hour.

For details and pricing, contact Chris by phone 541-892-0323, or email woodfirstmilling@yahoo.com.

All OWC members are welcome to attend the OWC Annual Meeting, hosted this year by Pat and Karen Karger at their Cove Orchard Farm between Gaston and Yamhill. Woodland owners who are interested in the Co-op are welcome too. Please see the program updates and important reminders below.
 
Schedule
9:00 – 9:30: Coffee and snacks
 
9:30 – Noon: Live Demonstrations

• Truffle Hunting: Marilyn Richen will bring her trained dog and hunt for truffles in a nearby Douglas-fir stand.
• Chainsaw Mastery: Terry Lamers will share his extensive knowledge of chainsaw safety and performance. Bring your own saw for an inspection.
• Bigleaf Maple Tapping: Taylor Larson will demonstrate how to tap our native maple to produce syrup and the equipment you’ll need.
• Shiitake Mushroom Production: Jim Merzenich will describe how to inoculate oak logs with mushroom spores and will have a few inoculated logs for people to take home.
• Firewood Bundling: Pat & Karen Karger, and Lyal Purinton, will demonstrate the process of splitting and bundling to produce our firewood products.

 
Noon – 1:00 PM: Potluck lunch and OWC annual business meeting
 
Volunteer Opportunity
During the annual meeting, members will vote to elect new and/or returning members of the Board of Directors. There will be several vacancies to fill. Please consider taking a more active role in the administration of our Co-op for the benefit of all members. Find out more about the requirements from President Neil Schroeder, neilschroeder11@gmail.com, 503-628-2344.
 
Reminders

• Bring folding chairs for everyone in your party and extras if you have them
• Bring a generous potluck dish to share (OWC will provide the main dish)
• Dress warmly for the weather. Activities will be outside or in an unheated barn.
• Carpool if possible since parking is limited.

 
Directions
Cove Orchard Farm, 22700 NE Cove Orchard Road, Yamhill, OR

From Gaston, travel south on Hwy. 47 3.8 miles to the junction of Cove Orchard Road. Continue south 0.3 mile on Cove Orchard Rd. to the tree farm entrance on the left; look for the sign. Take the gravel driveway up the hill to the right. At 0.25 mile, take the right hand fork to the barn. Watch for signs and people showing you where to park.

From Yamhill, travel north on Hwy. 47 3.9 miles to the junction of Cove Orchard Road. Travel north on Cove Orchard Rd. to the tree farm entrance on the right; look for the sign. Take the gravel driveway up the hill to the right. At 0.25 mile, take the right hand fork to the barn. Watch for signs and people showing you where to park.