Intoduction

[bronzetools]

Steve, What part of central Illinois are you from? I live around the Peoria area. I might be able to help some. Welcome. Doug

Thanks for the offer Doug
I live out in the country along the Salt Fork river halfway between Champaign and Danville.It would be great to set up a meeting sometime after the holidays.I could do the drive to the Peoria area in about 90 min. or so. It would be great to see someone do some engraving up close. I have a few hand gravers I have bought but I can't seem to get the hang of it. Thanks Steve

 

[D.DOUGLAS]

Ok Steve, Here is my email nckengraver@gmail.com. Give me a holler sometime in jan.

 

[DKanger]

I live out in the country along the Salt Fork river halfway between Champaign and Danville

Ahhh! My old stomping grounds. I grew up in Georgetown. My Mom and brother and numerous in-laws still live there. It was God's country in the 50's and 60's before modern agricultural methods killed many of the small rivers and small game. We used to see flocks of pheasants with up to a 100 birds in them.

Dave Kanger

 

[D.DOUGLAS]

Dave, I know what you mean. There used to be numerous hedge rows and beautiful hardwoods full of game. Your lucky to even see a property marker between feilds now. Doug

 

[bronzetools]

Since I was a kid I have witnessed millions of board feet of hardwood pushed over and piled 30 ft. high by dozers and then set on fire with diesel fuel. Now the only place around here left to be around timber is near the small streams and rivers.
A few years back the agricultural community wanted to clear cut and dredge the Salt Fork claiming it to be nothing more than a drainage ditch.They met with too much opposition and did not get it done,but I'm sure they will try again. It's sad that what little is left has to be defended and forces folks to take sides.A man needs to stand for what he believes no matter what labels they want to pin on you.
I have included some shots of my backyard and the backyard of the cabin with workshop /barn that I own just north of my place.
By contrast I had to go in to town today and took a picture looking back toward the river. The little tree line on the horizon is the river with not much but corn stubble for about as far as you can see. I have often wondered if we might be setting ourselves up for an other dust bowl? I try not to think about it too much and say a quiet prayer. Steve