http://barkhouse.winkbox.com/index.php/site/index/ en chris@highlandcraftsmen.com Copyright 2009 2009-06-05T19:18:01-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_may_2009/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_may_2009/#When:19:18:01Z Project Highlight diamond shingles Project Name: Ramblestone Location: 88 Letterfern Drive, Banner Elk, N.C at Tynecastle Builder: Tynecastle Builders Designers: Brett Schwebke/Nancy Harrison Bark House brand materials used: Birch bark paneling, Cherry bark paneling, Bark House shingles, diamond and standard. Professional Tips: Dream it and HC will make it happen.  There are limitless possibilities when working with these materials and the HC Experts. For more information on this project, link to www.tynecastlebuilders.com Ask The Expert Q:  What impact have you experienced when using Bark House brand materials? A:  Simply put, everyone one wants to touch the products and that is a good thing.  People are drawn to the texture, the ruggedness, the truth of all-natural products. Brett Schwebke of Tynecastle Builders Bark Buddies sweet spring From Sandy’s window on the outdoors:  If you have a special request, let us know. This spring, the wisteria escaped the last frost.  Their fragrance makes the air delightfully sweet.  The bloom resemble a big cluster of purple grapes ripe for the picking.  The plant can be manicured into an ornamental tree or if unattended, will grow into a vine out of control and will virtually “choke the life” from a huge tree as it makes it way toward the sun. You may say, “Why would I want a plant of this nature?” Like everything else, a wisteria is not for everyone, but; the fragrance and beauty of the bloom is another of natures wonders in the NC mountains.  The fragrance reminds me of simpler times growing up on the farm and the anticipation of summer vacation. Growing Green forestry management There is important debate going on right now in the world of sustainability.  Forestry management is one thing that impacts us all.  If you don’t understand carbon sequestration, you probably care about the trees around your front yard.  There are a number of forestry management approaches but they aren’t all equally accessible or workable for the small landowner.  This is a dilemma considering 60% of US forest products come from small landowners, and only 10% of US forest land is certified. Highland Craftsmen Inc is sponsoring a day long training session on managed forestry and certifications.  The class is July 29 at Mayland Community College.  Phenomenal speakers will be presenting information specifically for the Appalachian region.  More information is available at www.BarkHouse.com click Training at the top and Bark Harvesters.  The class is free.  Pre registrater by calling 828-765-7351 ext 219.  I’ll tell you more about this in our June newsletter. 2009-06-05T19:18:01-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_april_2009/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_april_2009/#When:18:51:00Z Project Highlight reclaimed slab tables Each month, we will select a project and cover the issues that you relayed you want to hear about.  Please with your requests; or if you would like to know more. Vision:  To show that Charleston Forge can do custom projects that showcase outstanding “art”. Project Name: Spalted Maple Dining Table Owner: Charleston Forge Designer: Art Barber/ Charleston Forge Project is Displayed: CF Headquarters’ Lobby For More Information:  www.CharlestonForge.com Bark House Brand Materials Used: Spalted Maple Professional Tips: We have the capability to process and finish slabs for your customers (up to 49” wide).  Know that there may always be expansion and contraction of the wood. Ask The Expert We invite you to submit an email and have a Highland Craftsmen expert answer your question.  Q: What should one know when finishing massive wooden slabs? A First: Make sure the manufacturer has the ability to measure the moisture content of the wood.  Preferably, the wood should have air-dried over time.  Then the moisture can be slowly brought down in a kiln.  Otherwise, checking and splitting can occur. Second: Finishers have restrictions on the width of material they can work with due to their tools.  A good supplier will have a list of finisher’s capabilities.  The character of the slab is its value.  The finisher should be able to accent the character versus creating uniformity that is typically expressed in less natural products.  Third:  These are large slabs of wood, not small individually dried and re-glued composites.  Expansion and contraction will occur in the wood. On completion, you will have a one-of-a-kind piece of natural art.  If this process seems too intimidating, then look for quality finished goods from reputable dealers. Art Barber, Charleston Forge Bark Buddies wild foraged salad - branch lettuce and ramps We welcome a new addition to our Bark House team.  Sandy will work with us part-time.  She is a nature lover and avid photographer.  These are her observations: During the month of April, when the snow melts and the warm sun blesses the mountains of North Carolina, it is traditional for folks to take to the hills to pick branch lettuce and ramps.Branch lettuce grows only in the early spring on rocks in small streams on steep mountain slopes. It is a small cluster similar to domestic varieties of greens. You harvest it by carefully cutting near the root system careful to leave the roots intact to produce again another year. The ramp is a very strong, onion-type plant that resembles the stem of the tulip flower. They grow best in black soil in high altitudes.  The root is eaten as an onion would be. There are Ramp Festivals in mountain towns in the springtime where country foods like fried potatoes, corn bread, lettuce and ramp salad are served. The lettuce and ramps are prepared by making a bed of the lettuce, cut ramps (or onions) on top, then garnish with very hot bacon drippings. Most mountain people refer to this as “kild” or killed lettuce. Branch lettuce can be added to any salad mix to enhance the flavor and serve with your favorite dressing. Remember, this is a delicacy enjoyed only in the early spring. For more commentary on kild lettuce or for additional recipes click the links provided.  Enjoy! Growing Green H2OG water catchment system Highland Craftsmen Inc installed the H2OG water catchment system with a few modifications made by our plumber, Wallace Thompson, that you may find helpful in colder climates. Wallace added a valve at the top to by-pass the tank during months with freezing temperatures.  This allowed us to keep the water moving through the downspout versus opening the bottom valve and having the water dump on to the asphalt.  The stand added at the bottom of the system allows us to place buckets under the downspout.  It also increases the pressure of the flow and gives us room to place our pressure booster pump. This is an attractive, streamlined system so we had no reservations about adding it to the front of the building.  It will allow some sporadic watering of plants (they are indigenous so they are not high maintenance).  The water is also used for inside mopping (with green cleaner). 2009-05-19T18:51:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_march_2009/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_march_2009/#When:17:41:01Z Project Highlight Grape Street Cottage by Pinnacle Construction Services of NC, LLC Designer:  Abby Design and Consulting with Brent Simmons Leed-A.P Location: 99 Grape Street Linville NC Vision:To build a new home in “Old Linville” that captured the timeless beauty and feel of the existing historic homes and do this for under the $500,000.  We used the best products and craftsmanship to match the homes built 80 years ago. Bark House brand products used: Standard Grade shingles and bark intact locust handrails Professional Tips:  Follow the installation guide for product longevity. Contact Information: www.pcsofnc.com or 828-260-5040 Ask The Expert Q:  As a LEED AP in a green conscious society, why do you choose to use Bark House brand products? A:  Sustainability.  A proven 80-year life span with no maintenance, and no chemical treatments for preservation.  They’re produced with low embodied energy, zero use of water, and provide American jobs that cannot be outsourced.  I specifically use Bark House brand shingles because they are the only manufacturer that grades their product based on thickness, not only appearance.  Grading by thickness is vital to the longevity of the product, because if there is inconsistency in thickness the product.  If there is inconsistency in thickness, the product becomes exposed and vulnerable to degradation (and that’s not sustainable).  Stylistically speaking, I choose Bark House brand shingles because they’re beautiful.  No other product on the market connects you to nature like this, and no other product imitates nature so well.  Bark is the armor, the outer protective layer of the tree.  What better product could be used to protect our homes, and at the same time be so beautiful?  The greenest products available are those that don’t try to conquer nature, they embrace it.  Brent Simmons, LEED AP Bark Buddies share the space we live in We welcome a new addition to our Bark House team.  Sandy will work with us part-time.  She is a nature lover and avid photographer.  These are her observations: Springtime in the mountains of NC is incomparable. On a recent Sunday morning I walked down a dirt road by the creek I have known since childhood. This was the week-end after the threat of the biggest snow storm we had this winter. The air was cold and refreshing. In contrast to the barren forest and the cold black water rushing by, there was a patch of bright green moss bathed in the light of the sun.  It had grown so lovely in such a short time from the warmth of just a few days earlier.  It’s lime green color will soon dominate the forest floor, growing on the boulders and decaying wood.  Today, it rests as a quiet promise of tomorrow. Growing Green HC Receives Cultural Award The team at Highland Craftsmen Inc was honored to receive the award for Cultural Contribution this year through the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce.  Since our inception in 1990, we have been committed to building communities that preserve the architectural, cultural and ecological integrity of this area. From the Chamber:  The Cultural Contribution award is given to the organization that has made a significant cultural contribution to our community for the year 2008. Highland Craftsmen was nominated for the Publication of Chris McCurry’s Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature. 2009-04-27T17:41:01-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_february_2009/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_february_2009/#When:19:12:00Z Highland Craftsmen 2009 Survey Results from our Readers & Changes to expect in the New Year Thank you to everyone that contributed thoughtful feedback by taking our short survey.  We had consistent requests to see more projects dealing with, and more craftsmen using, the many BarkHouse elements.  People want to know where installments are taking place, who is doing them and if those involved have any knowledge to share from their experience.  And not just through words, but seeing more visual examples.  This is something we are working to bring you in the upcoming newsletter editions! Things you liked about our newsletter: Informative Layout and Design Photos Applications for the various products Professional Discussions What interested you most about our business and our products: Dependable Reusability Uniqueness Green Quality Appearance What was most important to you and your business/business relationships: Availability Quality Consistency Sustainability Stability Many of you have some unique and efficient projects on the horizon and we hope that we can be of help in achieveing your goals.  We appreciate the contacts shared and look forward to doing more business in the future! Farewell to a Bark House Expert A letter from Matt Weatherman Dear Valued Customers, I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Highland Craftsmen for the past four years and be a part of the continued growth of this wonderful company. Due to personal reasons, I will be making a career change and relocating to another area.  We have always set the bar for our industry and I feel honored to have been a small part of introducing new parts of the country to our many products especially our Barkhouse® Shingle Sidings. Equally as important are the relationships I have developed with many of our customers and I personally want to thank you for your trust in us. Highland Craftsmen is well poised and will continue to offer not only the highest quality products but the best and most reliable service in our industry. Thank you to you, the customer, and to the owners of Highland Craftsmen for this opportunity. Regards, Matt Renewal As Spring Time Approaches This white, starlike bloom appears before the leaves. (found on http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/plantpage/flora/trees/). We are reminded each day on our commutes to work of the renewal of life at the site of the permanent Serviceberry Tree erected in downtown Spruce Pine.  Exalted in sculpture with a clock, is a representation of this blossoming tree to signify the rene.wal that spring promises.  The Serviceberry Tree is the first tree to blossom at the changing of the seasons and to communicate visually in nature, the welcoming of spring. 2009-03-09T19:12:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/highland_craftsmen_survey_2009/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/highland_craftsmen_survey_2009/#When:15:51:00Z It’s a new year and we want to hear from you: the reader, the client, the enthusiast or the newcomer. Please take a moment to answer a few questions that will improve the Newsletter we share with you monthly. If you have not signed up for the newsletter or would like to read any past editions, you can do so here under Recent News in the right column. Thanks for your input; we appreciate your time and efforts! Sincerely, The Bark House Experts Highland Craftsmen Inc. Take this Survey What we are asking in our survey.  Click the link above to answer any of the following questions with your own comments. 1.  What do you most enjoy about our newsletter? 2.  What topics would you like us to cover in the new year? 3.  What changes would you like to see with the format, design and/or content of our newsletter? 4.  What interests you most about our business? 5.  What projects do you have planned to use HC products for in the new year? If none at this time, what materials interest you most to use on your next project? 6.  What is most important to you or your business (example: becoming more sustainable, building relationships, quality, consistency, etc.)? 7.  Would you like a Highland Craftsmen Expert to contact you to discuss a particular product? If so, which product? Please include your email address so we may contact you. 8.  If you know someone that we should contact professionally, please include a means to do so. 2009-02-03T15:51:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_december_2008/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_december_2008/#When:18:51:00Z Introduction Another year has passed, and we took this opportunity to look back while planning our next steps.  HC invites you to see how we have invested our time and energy. Take a look at “In A Year of HC, 2008.” Let us know what you think. Guiding Principles Highland Craftsmen Inc. is a company whose mission since 1990 has been “to produce a product line that is harmonious with nature (green) and minimizes the impact of construction” in an area of the Blue Ridge Mountains where development was expanding quickly.  We recognized that development would increase and we wanted to offer green, indigenous, building products that were historically appropriate to the area to create more harmonious, balanced living spaces.  Today we maintain the same mission and have expanded our scope. We sell Bark House® Elements for the Whole Home™ in 40 states and see our role as a part of the larger whole. We make only verifiable sustainability claims in adherence with Federal Trade mandates against greenwash and in support of their Environmental Marketing Guides. HC began with the guiding principle, “Simply do your best, every time”.  This guiding principle has broad implications and is evidenced throughout our relationships. Bark House® Materials and Products: New Sophistication, Old World Inspiration HC is proud that our Bark House brand materials and products are reclaimed waste from the forest industry.  They are a part of sustainable forestry practices.  We describe the sustainable practices for each Bark House® material and product in detail on our website and invite you to take a look, www.barkhouse.com. Many of our Bark House materials and products use zero water and very little energy in their manufacturing process.  By 2010, we will use water exclusively from rainwater catchment systems. If glues or sealers are needed, we educate clients about quality green products to use.  HC offers FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) products as well. At Highland Craftsmen Inc we design, manufacture and sell Bark House® materials and products for the whole home, interior and exterior.  That puts the point of your observation at the point of our sell.  You can trust that your purchase is the best complete value available. Supply Chain HC practices and promotes ecologically, economically, and socially responsible forestry-. 90% of our raw materials come from a 100 mile radius and all within a 500 mile radius for our entire product line. We initiated the only chain of custody documentation process for this industry.  Every vendor supplying raw bark product must state where they got the bark from and where the log is going.  The intent of our process is clearly to protect the reclaimed nature of our materials and sustainable forestry practices. We take responsibility for sharing our commitment to sustainability up and down our entire supply chain, rewarding our vendors with increased business for partnering with us on this path to sustainability. HC has initiated a Sustainable Forestry initiative plan that will not only impact our relationships with our supply chain in a positive way, but will provide a wider range of opportunity for the local land-owner that embraces sustainable forest management. People HC has a written Social Equity Code of Conduct as a baseline for employee, sub-contractor and vendor relations.  We embrace the Global Sullivan Principles. HC meets or exceeds all local health and safety codes.  We perform documented safety checks at least monthly.  We have a Registered Occupational Health Nurse on staff as well as a past GE Safety Officer.  Every person in the facility views safety as a core part of their job and does monitoring upon every walk through the facility.  We employ off duty police officers to maintain safety and security at the plant. The officers patrol the area to ensure that pedestrians remain in designated walk through corridors.  We have begun changing out and retiring our squaring saws for new state of the art saws where saw blades detect contact with fingers and take measures to ensure that no serious injuries occur from that contact. Wholistic health and safety are important to us. Employees are encouraged to take personal time to explore personal, spiritual, physical and family growth opportunities as they identify meaningful.  HC takes every opportunity to integrate wellness in our daily practices. During warmer months, employees use our bike to do personal errands in town. We have installed a fully functional kitchen for meal preparation and a shower area for employee use. We support social equity.  HC is co-owned by a female in a male dominated industry and it is located in a tier one rural community, but more importantly the jobs that are created are primarily for individuals in the lowest income bracket.  HC pays more for the “waste” bark than the logger gets for the tree itself, increasing individual’s financial gain two fold. Planet HC’s primary manufacturing facility is at 534 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine N.C.  The 3 acre site includes our main warehouse, sales office and shop; just shy of 8,000 square feet.  It also includes a manufacturing area made up of the bark intake yard, squaring facility, state of the art drying kilns and employee park.  We have maintained a compact footprint, so as to minimize impact on the surrounding neighborhood, but we have not spared a sophisticated desgin aspect for clients to enjoy.  HC strives to integrate into the community by providing Green spaces and landscaping materials to buffer the industrial impact while creating beautiful designs. HC has had an energy specialist/utility company audit to measure our conventional energy usage and we are implementing initiatives to reduce use.  We are also replacing a portion of our energy with certified renewable energy.  We have replaced outdated and inefficient equipment, identified and changed wasteful resource procedures, and implemented tighter operational controls.  We have increased the use of day-lighting and instituted a fluorescent bulb exchange policy. Our new kilns are fitted with natural gas boilers that are an amazing 96% efficient.  We are in the process of retrofitting old kilns with the same system. We use no water in the manufacturing of our Bark House brand shingles, and the entire facility uses less water than the local small city drive-in restaurant. When we started the re-paving process for our main parking lot, we discovered underground gas tanks.  They were not registered with the state of North Carolina.  Instead of covering up the tanks as previous owners had done, we dug them up and made a report to the state for formal monitoring. HC has decreased our print habits in the office and only print documents that are absolutely necessary.  All the leaves that are removed from the site are bagged and given to a local resident to use in his compost pile. Our Community Profits as HC Profits A company earning a Green Profit considers not just the wealth of one, but the prosperity of many as well as its short term and long term impact on the environment.  Green profit is made when the society involved (the company’s suppliers, clients, and community) or anyone the business impacts benefits from the company’s services or existence.  Green profit is made when the company does no harm to the environment or even improves environmental conditions in comparison to comparable service or product providers. Systems thinking must be applied over time and at least three steps of removal from the process or product to make a green profit.  This is a new kind of sophistication in thought and application.  Education, research and experience create sophistication; add systems thinking and you have a wholistic or green approach. Not only are the jobs we offer green collar, they cannot be outsourced to other locations.  Why?  Yellow Poplar has a specific region that it grows in.  According to the National Forest Service, Yellow or Tulip Poplar “is most abundant and reaches its largest size in the valley of the Ohio River and on the mountain slopes of North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The Appalachian Mountains and adjacent Piedmont running south from Pennsylvania to Georgia contained 75 percent of all yellow-poplar growing stock in 1974.” In our company alone, we have provided jobs to nearly 700 local vendors, which is pay that did not exist before we created this industry.  We pay a living wage rather than minimum wage.  Every job category from clerical to wood worker has a minimum wage specifically assigned to that position.  At HC, we pay significantly above that specification for every job. We made donations to several service organizations as well as donating an estimated 50 Cords of firewood in 2008 to a local church for distribution to low and fixed income families. Reduce - Reuse - Recycle Our Bark House brand shingles are all natural and are biodegradable after an 80 odd year life cycle of no chemical treatments, sealers or additives.  They can be ground into mulch if desired.  The small amount of waste we produce from our spring/summer manufacturing is burned in a furnace to produce heat and energy.  Materials manufactured during fall/winter are wood scrap and donated to the local community as firewood.  We use recycled packing/packaging materials directly from our shredder box.  Otherwise, shipping accessories are minimal and include a pallet and strapping only.  We reuse cardboard boxes from others shipping when we need this material and left over plywood for crating.  We have decreased our printed marketing literature to a minimum and new, compact brochures will be printed on FSC certified paper.  In our office, we were able to recycle 900 pounds of paper this year; as well as, 940 plastic bottles and 38 pounds of aluminum cans. HC has established a waste management plan in conjunction with Land-of-Sky waste management to increase efficiency of our manufacturing processes. Community We have participated in and sponsored multiple in-house, community and regional educational events on sustainability and the environment.  Of those, we conducted 15 Home Professional Group Tours of the manufacturing facility and show room including AIA registered classes.  We provided 5 Educational Events on the Poplar Bark Shingle Movement and did 5 Historical Presentations on Bark House Style.  Architects from Washington, California, Illinois and New York attended.  Facility tours have included builders from GA, SC, NC, VA and TN.  HC co-owner Chris McCurry wrote a book on Sustainable Designs published by Gibbs Smith in 2008 and we had 14 book signings in which green attributes were discussed and the fact that this style is a NC innovation.  Programs have included “The Grey Shades of Green” presented at the annual WITHIT conference as well as numerous others on our products that break down into simple language, what makes our products green.  Additionally, we have advocated for sustainable initiatives in Spruce Pine through The Main Street Organization and town planning processes. We displayed at 2 Home Shows which included the International Builders Show and the local Handmade in America Show and have been featured in 75 media outlets including blogs, magazines and newspapers. We are members of many important organizations and invite you to review those. Chris McCurry is an active member and supporter of the Spruce Pine Main Street Board participating in town initiatives such as: Pre Master-Planning Process, Town Clean-up Day, Trout Derby, Heritage Festival, Black Smith Festival with contribution to the Serviceberry Tree Art. Client Spotlight: Who Supports Green Innovation? Bass Pro Shops- Nationwide Parsons New School of Design Invesco Field-Mile High Stadium, Denver J.W. Marriott Hotels Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Alaska Big Cedar Lodge, Missouri LaQuinta Hotel, Boone, NC The Ramble at Biltmore Forest Linville Resort Clubhouse and Tennis Facility Flatrock Playhouse You Theatre Spring Ridge Club, Pennsylvania Tamarack Resort, Idaho The Woodlands Restaurant, Austin, Texas Redwood Restaurant, Maryland 2008-12-31T18:51:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/visit_growthishometowngreenorg_our_blog_is_up_and_you_can_contribute/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/visit_growthishometowngreenorg_our_blog_is_up_and_you_can_contribute/#When:15:32:00Z Grow This Hometown Green™ is a grass roots effort that strives to create healthy and balanced towns that provide a place to live, work, play, shop, eat healthy and grow. It focuses on Green Initiatives that can be implemented in small towns and recalls small home town values and the dream ….. of small town living. We are presently in the process of identifying and documenting green success stories in small towns. We are always looking for funding resources and we welcome ideas.  Send in your thoughts or feedback at growthishometowngreen.org. 2008-12-23T15:32:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_november_2008/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_november_2008/#When:14:20:00Z Ask The Experts We invite you to submit an email and have a Highland Craftsmen expert answer your question.  chris@barkhouse.com Q:  Does the use of bark shingles make a structure Adirondack style?  A:  No.  Bark shingle siding is a NC innovation, starting over 110 years ago in Linville.  On the east coast, the style spread in resort areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway, then became dormant with the American chestnut blight.  Sixty odd years later, Highland Craftsmen Inc re-introduced the bark shingle, this time using the bark of the Tulip Poplar tree. Structures in the Adirondacks traditionally used materials such as bark-on twigs, the bark of the White Birch tree and occasionally, bark-on slabs.  However, in all of my research of that area, I have yet to find an historic bark-only shingle sided structure.  Ralph Kyloe, Adirondack expert appropriately notes that just because something has bark on it; that alone does not make a structure or craft Adirondack style.  I often see newspaper articles from around the High Country and upper Georgia stating that homes are built in the Adirondack style.  The only architectural element on these structures that reflects rustic style in general is bark shingles.  Although bark shingles compliment the Adirondack style very nicely, the use of bark shingles alone makes a structure Bark House Style, a NC creation. For more on what makes a rustic structure that uses bark shingles Adirondack, Southwest, Old Linville or Bark House Style, email me at chris@barkhouse.com or read my book, Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature.  The Bark WoMan ™ Bark Buddies share the space we live in Teachers are Bark Buddies too.  Last month, my son’s teachers took the class on a nature hike from the school,through the town park and down the hill to a small lake.  The kids played with leaves and sticks and things they found along the way.  To enrich outdoor time with kids, you can do bark and leaf rubbings or build boats to float out of fallen rhododendron leaves.  For more great ideas, check out the book, Nature’s Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Children to Get Outdoors. Keynote Speaker Advocate for Bark and its “Green” reputation Michael Chandler, Keynote speaker for the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Green Building for Building Professionals Designation Course cited Bark House shingles as the premiere green, indigenous material in the High Country, and Highland Craftsmen Inc as the only source for manufacturing.  Mr. Chandler won 2nd place for the 2006 and 2007 Green Home of the Year at the NAHB National Green Building Conference; honoring his reputation as a well respected green building expert in the area and beyond. Product Highlight Bark Shingle Siding Simplicity is Genius.  Highland Craftsmen Inc looked to Mother Nature’s own perfect cladding, bark and uses it to side homes and commercial buildings, naturally. “Bark acts as a suit of armor against the world by protecting the tree from insects, disease, storms and extreme temperatures.” (from ncforestry.org) Bark shingle siding is made from reclaimed waste material from trees that are alreadybeing cut by the forestry industry.  Trees are never cut just to harvest the bark.  The log goes to a saw-mill and is used to make things such as plywood and furniture.  The bark would have been left in the woods or ground into low grade mulch that landscapers do not use because the color is too light for most preferences.  The bark shingles require extremely low embodied energy to produce, use no water in their processing, do not require paint, stains or sealers (chemical additives) ever and when they are finally ready to be replaced after 80 years of no maintenance, they can be turned into mulch (if desired) and placed in the earth with no un-natural additives or chemicals.  This is a super-green high quality cladding product and it is green practice at its best.  Plus, it has created an income from a material that once had no real value for hundreds of hard working people. Bark shingles vary from bark intact slabs (from the first cut of the tree) and are different than early Native American and Pioneer uses.  They are strictly manufactured and have squared edges, a refinement that the designer of the Lincoln Memorial, Henry Bacon, AIA initiated in NC in 1895.  To learn more, you can read the newly released book, Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature. In Our Next Issue A Year at Highland Craftsmen Inc. 2008-12-03T14:20:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_october_2008/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_october_2008/#When:15:45:00Z Ask The Expert We invite you to submit an email and have a Highland Craftsmen expert answer your question.  Q:  “How do you procure such large poplar bark panels?” Andy, Portland Maine A:  It’s not easy. Large sheets are enormously heavy and easily fractured in the field, so great efforts are required to harvest and transport them to our yard. A fresh peeled panel will weigh double what it does dried. Maybe one in a hundred trees that have been felled will even peel smoothly enough to yield an un-broken sheet of bark. A panel’s length is determined by the length of the log or by the peeler’s choice in the field. Width is determined by the diameter of the log. For example, by using a little geometry, if one had a 20” log he could expect to yield over a 60” wide panel if peeled successfully. However, even if the sheet makes it to our yard, it must make it past strict grading, kiln drying, squaring, and multiple opportunities to break from all the handling during processing and warehousing. So, when you purchase one of these giants, admire not only its beauty but the incredible amount of human energy that went in to it.  The Bark Man ™ Bark Buddies share the space we live in “Bark Buddies” is a fun way to increase our awareness of the world around us.  Trees, animals, flowers, bugs, weather, people...all share the space we live in.  They fill our lives and make them interesting.  The Bark House® lifestyle invites each of us to breathe in the beauty of our natural world. We recently received an email from Connie Nelson in Arizona who loves trees and whose company sells Bark Buddy plush toys.  You can click on this link to learn more, or email Connie. Poplar Bark House® Panels architect wins award for NY project panels are making the news Image: Lyn Rice AIA shows off PBHP at opening ceremony. Highland Craftsmen’s Poplar Bark House Panels can be seen in the finest establishments from east coast to west coast as well as in important publications. The September issue of Architectural Record magazine features the Parson’s New School for Design on Fifth Avenue in New York.  Lyn Rice, AIA redesigned a dysfunctional space and integrated Bark House panels on the entry wall, click here to read more.  This project inspired the Benjamin Moore Color Trend Experts to cite our Poplar Bark House Panels as an inspiration for their 2009 Color Pulse.  This team sets the standard in color forecasting for many industries including home and fashion.  Gordon’s Salon and Spas website showcases their staff in front of our bark house panels, used prominently in this unique Chicago Resort.  “The Gordon Way is excellence and consistency” and embraces a natural aesthetic.  There is no wonder they chose our exceptional products to express these qualities. In Maryland, The Redwood Restaurant used the panels on a once cold and uninviting wall.  The Washington Post notes: “Among the forward-thinking design details are an entire wall of bark, which acts like a noise sponge in the airy lounge...”. Manager of The Woodland Restaurant in Texas is quoted in Bark House Style: Sustainable Designs from Nature, stating “If I had a nickle everytime someone touches the bark, I would be rich.” Restaurants, hotels, spas and retail outlets have learned the incredible benefits of using our natural, green products.  Home owners love the intimacy with nature they experience in their own homes.  Some suggested commercial uses we have identified also include: foyers, libraries, wineries, school science departments, quiet reflective areas and high stress areas such as hospitals or physician waiting rooms. Growing Green using alternative energy sources “Greening” is a growing phenomenon.  Every company that enters this process should be able to explain and demonstrate how their company’s practices and their community action is green.  We would like to take the opportunity each month in this newsletter to share one way that we are greening. We’ve expressed the green attributes of our poplar bark house panels.  You can click here if you missed it. So, this gives us the opportunity to discuss our utilization of alternative fuels and the benefits of purchasing renewable energy credits. At HC, we use propane fueled forklifts as opposed to gas.  There is an approx. 8% reduction in CO2 emissions when using LPG vs octane - more importantly, per volume, LPG produces approx. 9% more energy than its counterpart, and costs approx. 37% less. We have increased the efficiency of our drying kilns by 67% by adding new technologies and a more efficient energy source, natural gas. We purchase renewable energy credits through Progress Energy.  By doing so we help support the development of renewable energy resources and reduce our personal impact on the environment. 2008-11-04T15:45:00-05:00 http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_september_2008/ http://www.barkhouse.com/index.php/site/bark_house_newsletter_september_2008/#When:15:27:00Z Ask The Expert We invite you to submit an email and have a Highland Craftsmen expert answer your question.  chris@barkhouse.com Q:  “ So why can’t I just cut and use my own twigs and poles for my interior project?” A:  You can. However, there are a few issues that you will face that could may that task challenging. First, combing a forest to find exactly the right species, correct diameter, correct length, and quantity needed is time consuming. We have over 500 vendors to search for you, so we can procure your needs quickly. Second, for applications like our moldings, very strict grading is observed to achieve the necessary straightness. Next, we have designed and built highly specialized tools and equipment to cut and manipulate this material in order to take away the more difficult installation problems you will inevitably incur. Last of all, for interiors it is very important that the material be sterile. No one wants a potential insect infestation. We run all necessary material for interior usage through our kilns for a heat sterilization cycle.  The Bark Man ™ Bark Buddies share the space we live in “Bark Buddies” is a fun way to increase our awareness of the world around us.  Trees, animals, flowers, bugs, weather, people...all share the space we live in.  They fill our lives and make them interesting.  The Bark House® lifestyle invites each of us to breathe in the beauty of our natural world.  I have asked our expert, Marmon Thompson that is in the field everyday to provide a story for us to enjoy each month.  Below are his observations. Pollination is an important step for seed plants to reproduce.  Meet two common pollinators, bees and butterflies.  Information for this article came from The National Forest Service via Marmon Thompson.  The image was taken by Todd Bush while we were out on a photo shoot for our bark house projects. Bees are well documented pollinators in the natural and agricultural systems of the Central Appalachian Broadleaf Forest. A wide range of crops including apples, alfalfa, strawberries and blueberries are just a few plants that benefit from bee pollinators. Most of us are familiar with the colonies of honey bees that have been the workhorses of agricultural pollination for years in the United States. They were imported from Europe almost 400 years ago.  There are nearly 4000 species of native ground and twig nesting bees in the U.S. Some form colonies while others live and work a solitary life. Native bees currently pollinate many crops and can be encouraged to do more to support agricultural endeavors if their needs for a nesting habitat are met and if suitable sources of nectar, pollen, and water are provided. Bees have tongues of varying lengths that help determine which flowers they can obtain nectar and pollen from. Butterflies tend to be eye-catching, as are the flowers that attract them. They prefer areas where they have full sun and are protected from the wind. They like open areas with bare earth and large stones where they can bask, and moist soil from which they may get needed minerals.  A diverse group of butterflies are present in garden areas and woodland edges that provide bright flowers, water sources, and specific host plants. Numerous trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants support butterfly populations.  They usually look for flowers that provide a good landing platform.  Butterflies eat rotten fruit and even dung, so don’t clean up all the messes in your garden and consider what butterfly larvae may be on “weed species” before cutting!  We can destroy important habitat for these gentle creatures and not be aware that we have. Bark House® Twigs the importance of twigs Twigs are critically important in identification of trees, shrubs and vines, especially in wintertime. The buds on the twig are an important diagnostic characteristic, as are the abscission scars where the leaves have fallen away. The color, texture, and patterning of the twig bark is also important, as is the thickness and nature of any pith of the twig. HC clients use twigs as architectural accents for a consistently warm and authentic natural look.  They adorn cabinets and furniture, picture frames, shelving, light fixtures and handmade boxes.  Our twigs are steralized which rids them of bugs and stabalizes the material for consistent use.  We can split them in half, fourths, three quarter or leave them as whole rounds.  We have several species from which to choose so there are options in color and texture. Growing Green the bark house twig green factor “Greening” is a growing phenomenon.  Every company that enters this process should be able to explain and demonstrate how their company’s practices and their community action is green.  We would like to take the opportunity each month in this newsletter to share one way that we are greening. Twigs, as we call them or branches are cut while HC vendors are cutting down the whole bush, or small tree in the case of rhododendron or mountain laurel or as a matter of pruning in the case of maple. The rhododendron or mountain laurel plant, which we predominately use, is usually being cut in order to re-grow a bush that can be dug as a shrub, referred to in the nursery industry as a “collected plant”.  This has apparently been a major source of income in many mountain counties, with a steady demand for 70 years or more.  Most of the plants are shipped to the northeastern states where they are also native.  (Mountain laurel is the state flower of Connecticut).  click here to read more... 2008-10-29T15:27:00-05:00