Seeking salvaged materials

One of the inspirations for this project has come through a work relationship I have with Cedar Creek Software. The folks at Cedar Creek are part of a sustainably minded community in Ross, Texas. I've made several visits to their office over the past couple of years for meetings related to systems and software development efforts that my current employer has required. It's been a real pleasure to make these trips in part because of the community that they have created and share with others. Part of their mission is dedicated to keeping what I would call old-world craftsmanship alive. This includes rescuing old Amish barns in Pennsylvania and Ohio and finding new homes for them. Having seen their work first hand, it got my wheels spinning as to how I would really like to incorporate salvaged wood into a newly constructed home.

Aside from the benefits of recycling something that would otherwise be left to rot away, you also get a material that has literally weather the test of time. At the time of their construction, much of the wood from older barns and homes came from old growth native forests. Lumber today no longer comes from native growth, but rather trees specifically planted and grown for commercial harvesting. I have a real interest in using salvage wood for this reason. I also think it is important to use the materials that are native and therefore readily available to where you build. For our project that means either heart pine or cypress, which also happen to be the true hardwoods that the original crackers used.

Last month, I read the book "A Land Remembered". It's a book I would highly recommend to anyone interesting in learning more about Florida's early cattle pioneers. In the book, as the main characters of the MacIvey family discuss how they want their ranch built with cypress and not pine because the cypress was of higher quality. I'll take either cypress or heart pine.

If you are reading this blog and either have some or know someone with salvage cypress or heart pine lumber to sell, please drop this poor ol' cracker boy from North Florida an email - jeperkins4 "you know what goes here" gmail.com.