Harvest an Opportunity - The Market View

Look at the local possibilities.

Think about the wood you need around your farm. Could you use rough lumber and slabs for fences, corrals, windbreaks, sheds or other farm buildings? What do your neighbours need? How about the community down the road or Winnipeg?

Add Value.

Don’t get caught into selling another commodity into an industrial market. If you’ve done all the hard work of logging, don’t just sell the logs unless they're small low grade logs best suited to pulp or Oriented Strand Board. Instead, mill your bigger sawlogs into lumber. If you have high value hardwoods like ash, oak or elm, learn how to kiln dry your lumber.

Don’t stop there. Run it through a planer and moulder. Once you’ve got tongue and groove lumber, you could even install and finish custom floors. Why would you sell sawlogs when you have the opportunity to add value? The work gets easier and the value increases dramatically at each stage of the process.

And don’t overlook the potential to provide custom milling and drying services. This can make an operation even more viable. If you have the skills and talent, let the materials inspire you. Given growing consumer interest in “buying local”, niche markets are opening for sustainably produced lumber from agro Manitoba.