September 2022 Twilight Tour
What: Twilight Tour Shakertown Corp. & Washington Hardwoods
Who: Dan Ryan
When: Tuesday, September 20 6:30 p.m.
Where: 1200 NW Kerron St., Winlock
Shakertown and Washington Hardwoods share the same facility. Shakertown manufactures exterior cedar shake panels. Washington Hardwoods does custom millwork using a variety of species. Products include interior and exterior doors and siding.
The mill will not be operating when we visit, so we won’t see the machinery in action, but we will see the products they produce and the machines used.
Driving Directions:
Find your way to Winlock by whichever route works best for you (Highway 603 or I-5). The mill is located ½ mile north of the World’s Largest Egg on Highway 603.
In Memoriam
June Hansen passed away May 11, 2022, 7 weeks before her 102nd birthday. She came to Lewis County as an extension agent for Washington State University, and worked teaching food preservation classes and organizing 4-H clubs. She met Steve Hansen in the Extension office and they married in 1956. They spent every weekend planting trees by hand on their farm east of Onalaska. Steve was one of the founding members of Lewis County Farm Forestry Association and was active in the association until his death in 1986. Years later, June and her daughter Heather won awards for Reforestation and Lewis County Tree Farmer of the Year for those plantations.
Report on June 21, 2022, Tour of B&D Tree Farm
Bryon Loucks discussion their ongoing problems with deer browse and rubbing damage and showed some of the products they have used to prevent it, specifically Vexar on western redcedar seedlings, and netting and repellents on Douglas-fir. In 2020, 15 acres was harvested that had root rot issues. The decision was made to plant cedar and to fence it rather than installing Vexar tubes. Western redcedar and Port Orford cedar were planted at a high stocking level in anticipation of getting revenue from boughs in the early years. Attendees were able to see the 8 foot high fence, the recently planted seedlings, and the herbaceous vegetation which has come in quickly despite a site preparation spray.
Bryon then showed the recent Timber Sale of 37 acres and talked about the timber sale process, which was the first time the Loucks had used this harvest option. Previously they have always hired a logger and done their own marketing. Anyone interested in learning more was referred to the “Marketing and Final Harvest” chapter of Forest Management for Small Landowners, written by Bryon and available on the WFFA web site.
Report on March 15, 2022 Meeting
If you missed the presentation by Kelly Verd and Kenna Fosnacht's What's happening in the Lewis County Conservation District, it can be viewed on YouTube.
Report on Meeting of February 15, 2022
The first indoor educational meeting of the Lewis County Farm Forestry Association in almost 2 years was held at the Veterans Memorial Museum. Following the election of officers, members of the O'Neill family, owners of Hemphill O'Neil Company, were presented with a cedar sign and recognized as Lewis County Tree Farmers of the Year for 2022. The presentation that was given about their property can be viewed here.
Jenny Knoth, member of the Ag/Forestry Leadership Program Class 41 gave a presentation about their international trip to Cambodia and Vietnam in early 2020. It can be viewed here.inlock
In Memoriam
Dennis Hadaller, LCFFA member and former Lewis County Commissioner, passed away December 28, 2021. He was involved in the logging industry for his whole life and once served as president of the Washington Contract Loggers Association. Read his obituary here.