Nikita Grigoriev, designer of the first patented futon, tells about his new line of indoor/outdoor convertible furniture. All the furniture is hand-made out of 100% solid hardwoods and sold at prices competitive with imports. Nikita also describes his ultra-efficient production process and the minimal waste produced.

North Slope Sustainable Wood provides regionally-sourced and sustainable building materials. Some of their products were recently used by a local school in Missoula, Montana seeking LEED certification for their new building. Whitney Schwab, LEED AP and Certified Green Professional discusses the benefits of using sustainable and natural products during the building process.

A big thank you to Penny Frazier at www.organicwitchhazel.com for the following post. It was originally published on her blog, Pine Nut, on June 7, 2011. In addition to sustainably harvested botanicals, Penny also harvests Pinyon Nuts. Look for a future post about Pine Nut.

Early June is our second busiest time on the Ozarks farm. A lot of people don’t know that wild harvests are not like growing green beans or tomatoes. There is a short window for harvest – about 10 days of most non-tree products. We don’t yarrow harvest in the rain or in the afternoon. Herbs that are distilled here must be harvested right after the dew has lifted during their peak. As an artisan distiller, the quality of our product starts with a perfectly ripened flower top, full – almost oozing its oil. The first flowers to appear on the yarrow plant are those we harvest. The first flower top will be replaced by two side flowers, which are left for seed. As wild harvesters, we leave our seeds – it is one of our 10 commandments of wild harvesting and one I emphasized when providing comments to the USDA on wild crops certification. We also know when the flowers are perfect, you can almost squeeze the oil out of the tops. Finally, we need perfect conditions, (which) also cuts the harvest window as well – early in the day after the dew has left.

A big thank you to Vermont Woods Studios Furniture for the following article. It originally appeared on the Vermont Woods Studios Furniture blog on August 5, 2011.

What’s the most eco-friendly raw material for furniture? I guess there are different opinions on this but you have to admit that wood is naturally green. It’s sustainable, biodegradable and renewable.

The National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) puts out a brochure periodically that reports statistics for the American hardwood industry. Are we harvesting our hardwoods sustainably in the USA?

Six million board feet. That’s how much lumber went into the building of the three Globe elevators.

Six million board feet. That’s how much is coming out of the old Globe — bit by bit, taking it apart, one centuries-old white pine board at a time. This most assuredly is not your conventional demo job.

Two to three thousand men were employed for more than two years to construct the three elevator buildings. Upon completion, in 1887, they had a capacity of five million bushels.

Originally built for The Duluth Elevator Company and bearing that name — even though the buildings stood indubitably in Superior — the elevator at the time was the largest in the world.

Downsworks is the custom furniture and cabinetry of Martha Downs in Black Earth, Wisconsin.

Martha enjoys listening and working with customers to create a design according to their needs.

“I like for things to be functional. Ambiance and a development of the whole space is what I’m really good at. I work with people to come up with what they want.”

Martha Downs created Downsworks in 2003, but she has been working with wood in some capacity for over 25 years. Although Martha had an unformed idea early on of one day doing the work she is now, she began in the construction industry before later attending a trade school on the East Coast. Her trade has led her around the world and across the U.S.

Outdoor bench made of carved white oak

A big thank you and congratulations to David Hurwitz of David Hurwitz Originals for the following contribution.

June 4, 2011

Three weeks ago I completed a new outdoor bench in white oak for the Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont. The commission to build this custom, handmade bench came about through a collaboration of the Montshire Museum and the Frog Hollow Vermont State Craft Center in Burlington. The two organizations issued a call for design proposals from members of the Guild of Vermont Furniture Makers and Frog Hollow. Five designs by five different Vermont-based furniture makers were selected, including mine.

A big thank you to Peggy Farabaugh from Vermont Wood Studios for the following contribution.

A customer called yesterday asking if we sold solid wood furniture. When we explained to him that all of our furniture is handmade of solid wood that is harvested locally and regionally he couldn’t believe it. He had been searching for solid wood furniture for quite awhile and was frustrated by the fact that upon closer inspection, none of the companies he had contacted actually did sell solid wood furniture.

The problem is, there is no universally agreed upon definition for solid wood furniture. So, as with claims that furniture is American made, we find that so called solid wood furniture is often made of particle board, pressed cardboard and thin sheets of fake wood veneers.