My name is Tony and I hail from Lancashire, UK (currently residing just outside Preston). About ten years ago I decided to retrain out of computers and get into Tree Surgery/Woodland Management. I completed the RFS Certificate in Arboriculture and got my basic chainsaw and climbing certificates. After spending three years buying gear and working with trees at weekends, life happened and I ended up with a family!
So here I am in 2013 ... still working in computers and no woodland. I now content myself carving as much greenwood as possible (when time permits). I started off with spoons, but will pretty much have a go at anything (owls, ash catchers, wooden hearts for jewellery, tree spirits and even a bit of relief carving). I also make the odd walking stick, but prefer carving if I'm honest. My three year old is desperate to carve and I'm not sure how long it will be before I have to find a suitable knife for him (shhh, don't tell his mum).
Last year I had a go on a shave horse and pole lathe and became hooked. I have now built a shave horse and am looking forward to making a bungee lathe and attending a workshop in September. At which point the missus will think I have left home.
The next logical move for me is to either buy my own woodland that I can coppice manage or get into some sort of partnership so that I could aid in the proper management of a piece of woodland, utilise existing skills, develop my conservation/management skills and end up with enough wood to carve in the hope of selling stuff and offering demonstrations/workshops in traditional crafts. If there is anyone out there who is interested in partnering or renting some woodland, please give me a shout. Obviously I'm aiming this at anyone in the Lancashire/South Cumbria area, but I have a friend who is based in the East Riding of Yorkshire who is also committed to this venture.
Anyhoo, apologies for the length of this post, but I am looking forward to being a part of this forum
.Cheers
Tony