Wooden Wonderland Carves Niche Market

By Marlee Moore

When craftsman Randy Cochran was a new father, he had a design inspiration.

His vision of a smoothly rocking, long-lasting chair became the Lookout Mountain Rocker. Its hand-crafted frame of native hardwood and hand-stretched saddle leather achieved national acclaim four decades later when Garden & Gun magazine named it the 2012 Made in the South Awards Overall Winner.

“Everything we do is hand-built one at a time,” Randy said. “We’re making modern antiques. We guarantee everything we do for 100 years or as long as any of us are alive.”

These days, his sons, Keith and Dylan, spend 80 hours per piece producing signature furniture at Wood Studio in Arley. The shop, originally

Dylan Cochran crafts his family’s signature Lookout Mountain Rocker at Wood Studio in Winston County. He and his brother, Keith, and father, Randy, operate the nationally renowned shop.

located in Randy’s Nashville backyard, moved to Winston County in 2005.

The Cochrans craft pieces in limited production runs. They use the time-tested technique of overlapping mortise and tenon joints, which are glued and pegged with brass pins. The meticulously fashioned frame draws together when the Lookout Mountain Rocker is used, strengthening the piece.

“It’s become an obsession to make sure we don’t cut corners or leave scratches, that everything is as tight and well-fitted as possible so it will last for generations,” said Dylan, who grew up hammering scrap wood with his brother.

Before joining Wood Studio full time, the brothers followed in their father’s footsteps and graduated from Auburn University. “(Because of my professors at Auburn) my design sense is influenced by the Bauhaus movement, along with my love for nature,” said Randy, referencing the German art school famed for its modernist construction philosophy. Wood Studio furniture includes the Beersheba (pronounced Bursh’ba) Swing. While the Cochrans’ other creations are original, this piece is

based on an 1800s swing in Beersheba Springs, Tennessee. The Beersheba Swing, with arm rail spanning the sides and back, hangs from four mule harness trace chains, almost like a hanging bed. The 6.5-foot swing was originally made of sassafras but can also be built from poplar, red oak or white oak.

The Cochrans said they emulate the quality of work used by craftsmen of previous centuries, creating solid and sturdy pieces that last a lifetime. They construct each item from one piece of wood, contributing to consistent color, grain and density.

Signature pieces evoke nature through clean lines and simple design. Besides the rocker and swing, signature furniture includes the Big Wills Valley Stool, perfect for a kitchen island and complete with a curved backrest and leather seat; Little Wills Valley Stool, which serves as a side table, footrest or seat; and the Crane Chair, made of bent laminations

cold-molded to provide a curved back. The

Winston County Flying Ottoman complements the flagship Lookout Mountain Rocker.

While walnut is the most popular wood choice,

maple, cherry, ash and oak shine in Wood Studio’s portfolio. The Cochrans source local wood when available, often salvaging lumber from nearby landowners.

Finished products are treated with natural waxes and oils, which display the wood’s innate beauty. Each piece is stamped, signed, numbered and dated.

Wood Studio signature pieces, which start at $950, bring enjoyment to owners, primarily found on the East and West Coasts in areas such as California, New York and Martha’s Vineyard. “We’re fortunate that people are willing to make the investment,” Keith said. “It’s an investment in our blood, sweat and tears to make this furniture.”

Six Lookout Mountain Rockers frame the fireplace at the Lodge at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, a prime place potential customers can test Wood Studio creations.

In addition to signature lines, the Cochrans build custom entertainment centers and cabinetry. “I’ve always designed and built

functional, comfortable

furniture,” Randy said. “A lot of furniture designers try to do things that are avant-garde or kitschy. I always just made furniture for people to use.”

For the Cochrans, the best part of Wood Studio is spending time

with each other. It also brings back memories of when the Lookout Mountain Rocker wasn’t just a chair customers crave nationwide. It was an integral part of Keith and Dylan’s childhood, often imaginatively transformed into a racecar or spaceship. “When we started woodworking, we had an attachment to the chair itself,” Dylan said. “Because of our history with the chair, we have such dedication in making sure the finished product really is the nicest we can make.”

Learn more at WoodStudio.com.

Wood Studio’s Beersheba Swing, above, is based on an 1800s swing, right, found in Beersheba Springs, Tennessee. The 6.5-foot, bed-like swing was originally made of sassafras but can also be crafted from poplar, red oak or white oak.

Clay Mims Whether on the farm or at Jemison High School, Clay Mims is all about agriculture. The 2001 Auburn University graduate teaches agriscience to about 125 students — nearly half of which also compete in FFA events like horse judging, livestock judging, parliamentary procedure, creed speaking and more. Mims, 44, serves on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Meat Goat & Sheep Committee and the Chilton County Farmers Federation board. He attends The Grove Community Church.

How did you get involved in agriculture? My grandfather had cattle and peach trees, and I grew up showing livestock. Now I’ve bought the property that joined his farm in Collins Chapel and raise cattle and goats.

Tell us about showing livestock. Growing up, I showed Simmental, Shorthorn and Brahman cattle through 4-H. I still raise and sell a few show cattle. Several of my students show cattle and goats.

Why are you part of the Farmers Federation? I’ve made a lot of connections and traveled the state. I’ve seen how agriculture looks in other parts of Alabama and can bring that knowledge back to my farm and pass it on to my students.

Why do you teach ag? Honestly, teaching ag was a backup plan. I grew up in ag, had a passion for it, and it was a way of life. These kids are like my kids. They’re family because you see them all the time and invest in them.

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By Lois Chaplin

“ I ’ve never eaten lettuce with flavor,” said my friend after crunching on leaves freshly picked from our raised bed. Like tomatoes, the flavor comparison between homegrown lettuce and bagged, store-bought lettuce can be dramatic. For gardeners who want to enjoy this difference, late winter is the time to set out transplants for salad greens you’ll enjoy in March and April. Harvest can even extend into May depending on weather and lettuce variety. The longer the cool weather, the longer the harvest.

The easiest and most productive lettuces are loose-leaf, buttercrunch and romaine (versus crisphead lettuce). Dozens of lettuces are available in seed catalogs, but the easiest and quickest start is with purchased transplants. Lettuce seed may germinate slowly, and the succulent sprouts are a favorite of cutworms and other caterpillars. What you find in a garden center will Alabama

determine your selections, but mix it up if you can. A few popular ones include chartreuse Black Seeded Simpson, blush Red Sails, green Bibb and deep red Rouxai. You may find a six-pack “salad mix,” which features several varieties. “Mesclun” is a mix that likely contains peppery arugula or mustard. A variety of leaf colors makes a beautiful salad.

Loose-leaf, buttercrunch and romaine offer a continuous harvest of outer leaves while leaving the center to grow new leaves. One plant will yield a harvest repeatedly. Loose-leaf lettuce grows very fast, with outer leaves often ready to harvest only three to four weeks after planting. Buttercrunch and romaine are a bit slower but are still a good addition to a spring salad bed. Unless you eat salad every day, two or three six-packs is plenty for a family of four.

If you’ve ever planted lettuce in late summer for fall harvest (a great time because of the longer cool growing season), you may have been disappointed that the newly set transplants stretched and never made nice rosettes as expected. This is not usually a problem with lettuce grown in the spring. Spring lettuce makes nice rosettes until hot weather forces bolting, where the plant stretches tall, gets bitter and makes flowers. Some varieties are later to bolt, so they last longer. Last spring, Rouxai was the last of 10 different lettuces to bolt in our garden; it produced until the last week of May! When lettuces do finally get too bitter, it’s time to pull them up and plant something for the warm season. Another option is to abandon the plants and let them grow tall and bloom for syrphid flies and other beneficial insects that like the flowers.

On a trip to tropical Cuba in April 2016, we observed lettuce growing under 50% shade cloth to mitigate the heat. The Cubans harvest the plants while young, before they have a chance to bolt. I still have this on my garden bucket list of things to try. At home, we have used shade cloth to extend the life of our lettuce as the weather starts to warm in the spring.

Lettuce is one of the most worthwhile, quick rewards from the garden, and it doesn’t require much effort or space. Just give it sun (some shade is okay) and water with a diluted liquid fertilizer for fast growth. It also grows beautifully in a container.

Lois Chaplin is an accomplished gardener and author. Her work appears here courtesy of Alabama Farmers Cooperative.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to whip up something sweet for your sweetie. And while chocolate is usually the flavor of choice this month, I have a few extra ideas to throw into the mix. You can certainly keep it traditional and make one of my super-easy, decadent Chocolate Chess Pies. This is one of my all-time favorite desserts. The rich chocolate chess filling is perfect topped with a little whipped cream — or even ice cream. Using a store-bought frozen crust makes it even easier. Just opt for a deep-dish crust to make sure you’re able to get all that delicious filling in there.

If cake is on your mind, Pineapple Juice Cake is sure to hit the spot. This recipe quickly became one of the most popular desserts on SouthernBite.com and for good reason! It’s incredibly easy and delicious. A cake mix makes the prep a breeze, but the pineapple juice glaze the cake is soaked in makes it special. It’s amazingly moist and filled with pineapple flavor. Check out my notes about this recipe, as not all cake mixes will work.

If you’re looking for something a little different, give Cake Mix Cookies a

try. With your favorite cake mix and just a few other ingredients, you’ll be turning out beautiful cookies in no time. I’m a big fan of using strawberry cake mix with these. This recipe was given to me by a childhood friend, and we’ve been making them ever since.

Of course, there’s always my Caramel Sheet Cake. I skipped the fuss of a layered cake and turned the Southern classic into a sheet cake. And while this caramel frosting might be a little different, it always turns out perfect. A dear friend told me recently that if she had known how easy and delicious this recipe was, she would have been making it years ago.

Regardless of what you make, the special folks in your life will certainly appreciate a homemade dessert over anything you can buy at the store. So take a few minutes this month to show someone you love them by making something sweet. Y’all enjoy!

Stacey Little is a foodie, recipe developer and cookbook author whose Southern Bite blog helps families put simple, down-to-earth food on the table while preserving Southern cooking for future generations. See more recipes at southernbite.com.

Cake Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 1/3 cups sugar 2 eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Frosting Ingredients

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar Cake Instructions

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of the dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Add half of the milk and mix well. Repeat with the dry mixture and milk. Add vanilla and mix well.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set and the cake starts to pull away from the sides. You can also check the doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool completely before icing. Frosting Instructions

To make the frosting, combine brown sugar, salt, butter and milk in a small pot. Heat over medium-low heat until boiling, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Using a stand mixer or with an electric mixer, combine the cooled caramel with the powdered sugar and beat until combined and fluffy. You may find it necessary to add a little more powdered sugar if it’s too runny or a few drops of milk if it’s too thick to spread. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.

Stacey’s Recipe Notes If the dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate it for about an hour. That should help the dough firm up.

Pineapple Juice Cake Prep Time Cook Time Servings 20 mins 35 mins 8 to 10

Chocolate Chess Pie Prep Time Cook Time Servings 15 mins 45 mins 8 Ingredients

4 tablespoons cocoa powder 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 2 large eggs, beaten 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (9-inch) unbaked deep-dish pie crust (homemade or store-bought is fine) Whipped cream, if desired Instructions Heat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar and cornstarch. Add in the eggs, butter, milk and vanilla. Stir well to combine.

Pour mixture into the pie shell, being cautious not to overfill. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until a crust has formed completely across the top of the pie and it is mostly set. There will still be some jiggle to the pie.

Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving. This will allow it to set even more. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Stacey’s Recipe Notes If you find the pie too liquid-like after cooling, place it in the fridge for a few hours, and it should set right up.

Cake Ingredients

1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow or butter cake mix (I prefer Betty Crocker or Pillsbury) 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup pineapple juice 4 large eggs Glaze Ingredients

2 cups powdered sugar 3/4 cup pineapple juice 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Instructions

Heat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 10-to-12-cup Bundt pan.

Use an electric mixer to combine the cake mix, vegetable oil, pineapple juice and eggs in a large bowl. Beat about 2 minutes. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake is just starting to pull away from the sides. Allow the cake to

start cooling in the pan while you make the glaze.

In a small saucepan, combine powdered sugar, pineapple juice and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until the butter has melted, stirring frequently. Use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes in the cake. Pour warm glaze over the cake while it is still in the cake pan. It’s going to seem like a lot of glaze, but just keep pouring. Allow to cool 15 to 20 more minutes or until the cake is cool and most of the glaze has been absorbed. Invert the cake onto a serving platter. Stacey’s Recipe Notes Duncan Hines cake mixes do not work well with this recipe. I prefer to use Betty Crocker or Pillsbury.

Cake Mix Cookies Prep Time Cook Time Makes 15 mins 15 mins 24 cookies

Ingredients

1 (15.25-ounce) box cake mix (any flavor) 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip), thawed 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 cup powdered sugar Instructions

Heat oven to 325 F, and line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, whipped topping and egg. Stir until combined. The dough will be very sticky.

Pour powdered sugar into a small bowl. Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into the powdered sugar. A cookie scoop is very helpful. Roll the dough to coat with the powdered sugar. Place the sugar-coated dough onto a cookie sheet about 2 to 3 inches apart. Continue until the sheet is full. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven. Cool completely on the baking mat or parchment, then use a spatula to remove the cookies. Repeat until all batter has been used.

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