My name is John Witte. I am an avid gardener, woodworker, and nature enthusiast. I love getting my hands dirty, working in the rain, and exploring the vast natural landscapes throughout Dupage county. I live with my family about 40 minutes west of Chicago on an acre and a half that has become our natural playground.
I believe that absolutely everyone should have a garden to tend. My first garden was very humble. It consisted of a lone tomato plant in the window of a third story walkup on Chicago's far north side. This modest beginning sparked a deep fascination that seems to grow exponentially every year.
From starting my own tomato seeds in that second year to my current efforts of restoring large swathes of my yard to it's former native glory, gardening has been an ever evolving journey towards responsible sustainability of Mother Nature..
Gardening and woodworking both feed that same innate draw towards a oneness with nature. Woodworking takes over where one form of gardening comes to an end... with the death of a tree.
A standing tree may continue as a home for bats or a food source for insect eating birds. A fallen tree will slowly relinquish to the forest floor to become a source of nutrients for future generations of the local flora.
A dead yard tree should be so lucky! My goal is to enable these otherwise nuisance trees to continue on a path similar to their forest dwelling cousins. Recycling yard trees into bat houses, birdhouses, and other useful implements for the conscientious gardener has been a rewarding hobby that I am eager to share.
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