Once at the mill, the logs are merchandised, de-barked, and cut using the quarter-saw method, which involves cutting the trees in half vertically, then each half is cut in half again to create a quarter. After a stave is graded and stacked, it is allowed to air dry for anywhere from 3 months to five years, but the average time is 36 months. Throughout the entire process, sustainability is carefully considered. Guillory said the Arkansas Agriculture Department’s Forestry Commission outlines best management practices, and the mill adheres to those closely. Sustainability is ingrained into the production of all products at the mill. “We don’t actually have any waste; we have what we call residuals,” said Cannon. “Everything that we have is reused: the bark, the chips and the dust.” Any byproducts are sold to other companies as fuel or to make paper or mulch. Both Cannon and Guillory said their relationship with the Arkansas forestry industry is critical to their business, and Cannon believes the mill is helping the forestry industry as well. “I think the mill gives the forest industry more options for places to take their timber,” said Cannon. Guillory said he hopes to purchase tracts of timber in the near future to vertically integrate Arkansas Stave and Lumber and that stave production will be a vital part of achieving that goal. As Arkansas Stave and Lumber grows, so does the Arkansas distillery industry. It is possible that some time in the near future, Arkansas residents can imbibe a true “Arkansas made” product, from a tree growing in the forest to a smooth glass of Arkansas bourbon whiskey. In the meantime, Arkansas Stave and Lumber will keep milling along, bringing back the stave industry with each log fed through the planer. 78 ARKANSAS GROWN By: Bailey Corwine
79 Publizr Home