The hickory tree, a close relative of pecans, is another important source of food for wildlife in the forest. While the nut is typically too bitter for people, many animals love the nuts, including black bears, squirrels, and many other mammals and birds. As early settlers introduced pigs, they noticed that the pigs loved the … More Carya glabra

The tulip tree, or liriodendron tulipifera, is a beautiful local hardwood, and one of the largest hardwoods in the eastern US, growing to over 100 feet tall. It typically grows very straight and tall, making it a valuable timber tree.This tree can be easily identified by the unique shape of its leaves, which you can … More Liriodendron tulipifera

“If oak is the king of trees, as tradition has it, then the white oak, throughout its range, is the king of kings.” – Donald Peattie The white oak tree is found throughout forests in the eastern half of the United States. It is tall, stately tree which can grow up to 100 feet tall, … More Quercus alba

The majority of the non-structural wood used for the UGarden’s Tiny House is coming from the most sustainable place imaginable: its own back yard. In the winter of 2015-2016 a large storm blew over several trees, and the faculty and staff were quick to find a great use for these downed trees. The oak, tulip … More Sustainable Wood

During Monday’s class we got to pick out a few sheets of rusty metal to add to the board and batten siding.  It was fun to pick out the pieces with the best rust patterns. After choosing which ones we liked best, we cut them to the right size. This little curly cue of metal … More Rust Patterns

Monday turned out to be a beautiful workday at UGArden. One team began to put the board and batten siding on the house, and the other worked on interior paneling. We were able to put up all the boards, and will soon be adding the battens. The rough cut wood mixed with the rusted panels … More Board and Batten