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The 2009 Annual Meeting was held August 21 and 22 at Cedar
Campus, near Cedarville. Cedarville is in the little-known area of the
Upper Peninsula that’s east of the Mackinac Bridge. It’s a nearly
idyllic setting among the Le Chenaux Islands of northern Lake Huron.
Chairing the meeting were MFA members Karen and Rich Serfass, of Dafter.
Karen and Rich own a tract of forest near Cedarville which was the focal
point of our Saturday afternoon activities.
Friday morning was taken up with a board meeting – one of those
necessary parts of the gathering. Also on Friday morning MFA members
Mark Smith and Sean Mobley led children’s activities. On Friday
afternoon Cedar Campus manager Jerry Smith gave us a brief history
of Cedar Campus. Afterward, some of the group toured the Cedar
Campus property with the property manager and made some management
recommendations. Others mingled over coffee in the lounge or enjoyed
the boating opportunities on Lake Huron. After dinner on Friday
evening Chris Hohnholt, from Michigan Tech, gave a review of their
teacher education workshop which was funded in part through the
Michigan Forest Foundation. Debra Huff and Georgia Peterson
presented a short program on “Intergenerational Transfer” – meaning
“How can we make sure our forest property stays in the family?”
Friday evening was capped off with a campfire, courtesy of the Cedar
Campus staff, and an evening boat cruise among the LeChenaux Islands
Saturday morning brought the opportunity for three very
interesting visits: a sawmill, a wooden boat-building school, and a
bed & breakfast built using an unusual framing technique. Mike
Tassier welcomed us to Thick ‘n’ Thin Lumber, where he saws white
cedar and white pine for lumber, siding and molding. He also runs a
kiln to dry the lumber. Bob Smith, chairman of the board of the
boat-building school showed us around the shops where people learn
the art of fine woodworking. Some of their work is readily seen in
the cabinetry used in the building. Jim and Betty Struble of Dancing
Waters Bed & Breakfast demonstrated their portable bandsaw mill
that’s capable of sawing a 40" log – or maybe bigger.
Saturday afternoon we went to the Serfass’s Tree Farm just east
of Cedarville. While we are at the tree farm we heard interesting
presentations from Susan Metcalfe on timber taxes, Tom Allan gave an
entertaining and informative talk on song birds, and Jerry Grossman
talked about carbon credits. At dinner on Saturday evening, awards
were given to Ralph Bennett and Son, our Logger of the Year, and
Lynne Piippo, of the St Ignace Visitors Bureau for their long-term
support of our association. John Van Dyke and Byron Sailor were
auctioneers for lots of wonderful things donated to the cause.
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