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Welcome to Ripley County, Missouri!
Population 13,509
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Where the beautiful Current River flows . . .
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WHAT DO WE HAVE TO OFFER?Our Natural
ResourcesThis is Timber Country!!
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Timber South Central Missouris Past, Present
and Future

• Third largest industry in Missouri
• Highest concentration of sawmills in Ripley
  County
• Many still family owned and operated

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What Did We Want To Accomplish?

• Showcase our history . . .
• Educate . . .
• Entertain . . .

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Partnerships and Planning

• Missouri Forest Products Association
• Missouri Farmers Union
• Mark Twain National Forest Eleven Point Ranger
  District
• Missouri Dept. of Conservation
• Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council
• Big Springs Resource Conservation Development
  Council
• National Park Service

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And Timberfest was born . . .
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Education for the young old alike
The Missouri Dept. of Conservation interacted
with the students, discussing our forests and
rivers.
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Adult Education

Bryce Oates with Dogwood Carbon Solutions
discussed Carbon Credit Trading
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Historical Exhibits
1920s Logging Camp
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1920s Logging Camp
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A Forest Service Employee demonstrates the art of
tie hacking.
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975 students from Ripley and surrounding counties
attended Timberfest. This group got to try their
hand at crosscutting at the Forest Service 1920s
logging camp.
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The original wheel from the old Grandin Mill. The
Grandin Mill was the largest sawmill in the world
in 1893, and finally closed down in 1910.
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Local sawmillers ( volunteers) demonstrated an
old time portable sawmill.
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The US Forest Service brought in a scale model
handset sawmill
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Draft Horse Pull

• The Draft Horse Pull was a huge success, drawing
  nearly 2,500 people for that event alone. The
  prize purse was over 4,000! Draft horses were
  the main mode of transporting logs in the early
  days.

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Due to the success of the big horses, the pony
pull was added in 2007.
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Competitions

• The speed cut and crosscut competition was very
  popular on Saturday afternoon. Teams from
  several states came to participate, and the
  winner took home a brand new chainsaw!

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The Loggers Relay

• The Loggers Relay was a big event, with 5-6 man
  ( woman) teams competing in the chainsaw
  speedcut, 2 person logroll, wood split and 2
  person crosscut for a prize purse of 2,000.

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Speed Cut
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Cross Cut
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Missouri Forest Products Assoc.

• Missouri Forest Products Association held their
  state championship Game of Logging. The winner
  won the state competition and went on to compete
  in New York in the national championship.

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MFPAs most popular event in the Game of Logging
was the tree felling portion. Folks waited
around just to see this event.
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Chainsaws were the order of the day, as an MFPA
Game of Logging competitor demonstrated in the
speed cut.
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Entertainment
Thanks to two of the Timberfest sponsors, Stihl
and Bobs Small Engines of Doniphan, the Stihl
Ironjack Timber Team delighted visitors young and
old.
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Pole Climbing at its finest . . . And fastest!
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The Countryfire Cloggers rocked the fairgrounds,
and drew a very large crowd. These kids are
great!
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Friends-a-Pickin kept folks entertained with
bluegrass music during the dinner hour. It was a
great time to visit with family and friends, old
and new.
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Fishfry, Lumberjack Stew Barbecue . .
. Friends, family, laughter . . . Community
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Sponsorships Support

• Along with the great partnerships we made, we
  earned the respect (and financial support) of
  individuals and businesses throughout Southeast
  Missouri.
• So many of our dreams at first seem impossible,
  then they seem improbable, and then, when we
  summon the will, they soon become inevitable.
• - Christopher Reeve

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What does the future hold for the Timber Industry?

• The need for alternative fuel sources has brought
  about an effort to utilize timber by-products as
  a new fuel source - Cellulosic Ethanol. Given
  the high concentration of sawmills in Southeast
  Missouri, this could have a huge impact on our
  economy, as sawdust is a major component of
  Cellulosic Ethanol.

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• Number of hotel rooms available in Ripley County
  on Timberfest Friday night Zero
• Students attending and participating in
  Timberfest 975
• Number of visitors enjoying education,
  entertainment, history and great food 5,000
• Estimated Value of Volunteer Hours 11,543.50

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Value of partnerships with local, state federal
agencies and many other organizations
PRICELESS!