When we were arranging our home page one of our designers wanted a slogan that would catch attention and cause potential customers to become actual customers. Originally, he suggested: Buy a Board, Save the World. While we would love to save the world, Shaun and I struggled with the concept that the act of a customer buying a cutting board would be the salvation of the world. I called the designer, expressed this, and during the conversation, stated, “Buying a board from us would be great but they wouldn’t be saving the world, it would be more like feeding a Lumberjack.” Thus, buy a board, feed a Lumberjack was born.
Now I do have to admit, at first this was a joke. We place it on the site, laughed, and determined to change it once we figured out something more suitable. My husband was adamant about removing the slogan, but we couldn’t come up with anything. The more I pondered the statement the more I realized that this slogan born out of humor had truth to it, and so I needed to convince Shaun that it needed to remain as is. Here was my argument:
1. We both have degrees in Forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University: Home of the LUMBERJACKS!
2. Historically, Lumberjacks were characterized by using crosscut saws, an ax, a horse, and/or mules to harvest trees. While we use chainsaws and a skid-steer loader we still go into the forest and cut the trees we use for our boards. We do not import wood like other cutting board companies. We use native east Texas woods.
Now I do have to point out a major difference between Shaun and the historical lumberjack. The historical lumberjack was to perform one function – drop the tree. Shaun is a forester first. We pride ourselves on making sure we are managing the forest for sustainability. We cut, but we also plant. We selectively thin to maintain the health of the forest, and associated wildlife.
3. Feed a Lumberjack should probably be fed a Lumberjack and their family, but it just does not have the same fluidity. When you buy one of our boards you are supporting a small family business. This is what we do. This is not a hobby. This is our life, and while we consider our many blessings, it is not for the faint of heart. We work hard to make sure our product is of the finest quality and will last!
So that is how we arrived at, and plan to stick with, buy a board, feed a Lumberjack!