Hello Everyone! I needed a ride to Boston last week, and the driver was a retired Professor of Theology from Oxford, Maine. You can be sure he and I had a fabric-of-the-universe-denting kind of conversation! 😊 Anyway, he was a highly curious gentleman, so he inquired about Hancock Lumber. When I told him our white pine business was global in nature the following conversation ensued:
Theology Professor: “Tell me more. I never would have guessed white pine was a global commodity.”
Kevin: “Yeah—it’s like lobsters and blueberries. Lobsters thrive here in Maine waters. There is no better place to be a lobster than Maine. And they are in demand well beyond Maine. Blueberries thrive in Maine soil. There is no better place to be a blueberry than Maine. And they too are in demand far beyond Maine. White pine is the same way. Nowhere on earth do white pines grow better or more abundantly than in Maine and they too are in demand beyond Maine, across the country, and around the world. ”
Theology Professor: “What makes a white pine board so desirable?”
Kevin: “First, they are white. For example, the pine species in the US South is called ‘southern yellow pine’ because it looks yellow. When it comes to boards, most everyone would rather have a white board than a yellow board. Second, white pine is very soft – whereas many other species are hard and brittle. White pine is exceptional for woodworking, and it holds paint and stain really well.”
Lobsters are best when they come from Maine.
Blueberries are best when they come from Maine.
Appearance grade boards are best when they come from Maine.
And those boards are extra best when they come from Hancock Lumber!
