Most of the wood we use is locally sourced from right here on our farm in Van Etten, NY.
One of the things that sets Peace of Wood musical instruments apart from other instruments is that we source almost all of the wood from right here on our farm. No tropical rain forests are impacted, no fossil fuels expended in extensive transportation, and no people are exploited in our process. As local and green as we can possibly be.
We use mostly Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) that we cut, peel, mill, dry and tune on site. Black locust is known as a powerhouse plant in sustainable agriculture because it grows quickly, regenerates easily, and fixes nitrogen in the soil as it grows, making vital nutrients available to other plants growing nearby. Locust is traditionally used for fence posts or foundation piers, and according to local old timers it “lasts 3 years longer than stone” in the ground.
We hope to broaden the scope of the uses for this beautiful renewable resource by sharing the fantastic tonal and sculptural qualities that are possible with Black Locust. We also run our shop on a grid tied photo-voltaic system.