Mike Yaker has been a professional carpenter, woodworker, and timber framer for over thirty years. He is an artist, writer, poet, and sculptor who brings his passion, talents, and vision to teach and inspire the application of creativity and skill with imagination to Craft through Chop Wood Make Stuff Know Tree. In business for 25 years as Wood Joiners Mike honed his craft first as a finish Carpenter before moving his focus to Timber Framing and Barn Builder, restoring old barns, raising new barns and unique Timber Frame Structures thru out Wisconsin and beyond. Attention to detail in restoration techniques led him to hewing with an Axe. A natural and efficient method for processing logs into workable timbers and objects of rhythm texture and beauty. It quickly became an addictive passion changing the trajectory of Method and Materials on the creative path.