A farm workshop, one piece at a time

The shop sits on the south side of the farm outside Cordova, Illinois, a few fields back from the Mississippi. That is how it got its name. It started with a bench, a hand plane and a stack of walnut that was too good to burn, and it still runs about that way.

We make cutting boards, cheese and charcuterie boards, signs, small decor and the occasional piece of furniture. Everything is solid wood. Joints are cut and fitted by hand, edges are eased so they feel right in the hand, and the finish is oil and beeswax rubbed in and buffed off. Nothing is rushed, because rushing shows.

The wood is a large part of the appeal, so we say where it came from when we know. Black walnut, hard maple, cherry and white oak make up most of what leaves the shop. Each wood has its own page here, with a close look at the grain and a list of the pieces made from it.

Pieces in the shop are one of a kind or made in small runs. Some are on the shelf and ship right away. Others are made to order, and the piece tells you how many weeks to allow. If you want a name or a date on something, or a piece we do not have in the shop, write to us and we will work it out in a conversation rather than a form.

One person runs the shop, the bench and this website. If you write, that is who answers.