We have an intern working on our research farm this summer and he saw a carving in my office. When he found out I had made it with a chainsaw, he was so excited and wanted to try it himself. He was so much like me, trying hand carving and quickly becoming bored, so this just lit him up.

So I invited him over, taught him chainsaw safety and techniques, and we both started on a simple bear, each with our own log. I would make a couple cuts and explain them, then he would try and copy those cuts. Although he didn't have a chance yet to burn/paint it (probably this weekend), he did a great job. I didn't touch a thing. We used a dremel for the eyes and nostrils.

My plan was to teach him a simple bear, then when he got it figured out, to try another and show him the tricks that would make it look more realistic. By then it would make more sense to him.

He should be wearing the chaps, but it was 100 degrees and when we started in after a water break, we both forgot he needed to put them back on. Definitely my bad.

He had some minor handicaps: He had a broken foot cast on and had to put a plastic bag over it and he's a lefty, so he had some awkwardness holding the saw.

I really enjoyed his company, his concentration and ability. My first pupil. We had a lot of fun.

My teaching bear


Stephen's bear

this proves women are better teachers ,show him my first bear

What sort of research do you do on your farm

I work at the FritoLay Research Farm outside of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. All the executive crewcut types are in Texas, but 25 of us normal people work to develop chipping potatoes on a beautiful farm in the Northwoods. The idea is to continually improve chipping potatoes (yield, disease resistance, flavor, storage capability, etc.) so that growers will only want to grow our varieties. We're a small group, but we're the biggest privately owned breeding company in the world and folks from 13 countries come here every fall to select new varieties from our collection.

So, chainsaw carving is not a full time job yet, but I do it as much as I can. Harvests pretty much overlap a lot of competitions/events I want to go to, so it's hard to get around and meet other carvers.

Teach him to carve a cougar. (smile)

Will ye go organic with ye spuds at some point?

he did a great job

A cougar! Man that was funny Sq. He did a good job on that bear Cheryl..

of the learning curve starts here! But his first is very showing of a good teacher! Doc