To begin…

July 4, 2016

On a chilly October day in 2015, we planted winter rye seeds in our garden to improve the quality of the soil. Despite frigid weather that autumn, we watched the seeds sprout and grow fourteen inches before the first snow fell. In the months that followed, while the rye was quietly nurturing the soil, we spent our time cultivating a plan to merge our disciplines and start a business.

On walks in countless prairie restorations and forest preserves near home, we considered a name that would affirm our commitment to craft - a practice rooted in materials and processes; an activity that moves at a pace that cannot be hurried; a product that delivers a satisfaction known only to those who work with their hands.

Like tending the soil, practicing a craft forces us to be patient; it reminds us that we are part of a long history of knowledge; it demands that we wait and during that time allows us the luxury of focused thought. Welcome to Winter Rye.