CONTACT: Julie Martinez
512-593-2590
TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE JOINS HANDS
WITH GROWERS TO PROMOTE MESQUITE
(EDITOR'S NOTE: There is a photo opportunity at a sawmill in Kingsville as Los Amigos Del Mesquite members view a sawmill demonstration from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24. To get to the sawmill traveling south on U.S. Highway 77, turn right on County Road 1356 (Gen. Cavazos Blvd.) heading west 1.2 miles. At the intersection of County Road 1356 and Business Highway 77, look for Mesquite Sawmill sign just beyond railroad tracks on southwest corner of intersection. Follow the signs to the sawmill.)
KINGSVILLE (Sept. 2, 1998) -- Have you ever thought that wood you throw in the barbecue pit might be good for something besides making the brisket tasty? Los Amigos Del Mesquite is trying to spread the word that mesquite wood makes quality wood flooring and furniture, as they gather for their annual meeting Thursday and Friday, Sept. 24-25, in Corpus Christi.
Texas A&M University-Kingsville is one of the principal sponsors of the meeting along with Los Amigos Del Mesquite and the Wray Charitable Trust.
In addition, the groups will show off the fine attributes of mesquite at their annual Mesquite Exhibit in conjunction with Bayfest '98 Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 24-27, at the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center.
The Los Amigos Del Mesquite organization has taken the mesquite tree under its wing,
working to promote its use as fine hardwood lumber, rather than just a barbecue pit timber.
Mesquite supporters hope to convince furniture and lumber industry leaders that our
native tree can be substituted for hardwoods found only in the tropics.
"Mesquite wood has proven to be as high quality as the fine hardwoods found in the tropical rainforest," said Dr. Peter Felker, mesquite expert and research scientist for the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. "This is a resource that we have right here in Texas. We only need to develop the mesquite industry and we can help our own economy and the rainforests at the same time."
This year Los Amigos Del Mesquite has invited several important people in the flooring and furniture business to their conference.
Suzanne Anderson, furniture buyer for Neiman Marcus in Dallas, will speak to the group about ways to market mesquite woods. She also will act as judge for the furniture and art projects during the wine and cheese reception Thursday night.
Two internationally known hardwood floor experts, Bill Price of Floormasters International in Standish, Maine, and Birgir Juell of Birgir Juell Ltd. in Chicago, will speak during the Sept. 25 meeting.
Price is the founder of the National Hardwood Floor Association. His topic is The Key to Selling Hardwood Floors. Juell was recently called to The Versailles in Paris to refinish a problem wood floor. He will discuss pre-finished hardwood floors.
"Having speakers the caliber of Price and Juell is important to this meeting," Felker said. "They are two of the most important leaders in the hardwood flooring industry in North America. Both are interested in obtaining mesquite flooring suppliers. This is a tremendous opportunity for
mesquite lumber and flooring people and ranchers who have mesquite to find markets for their
mesquite hardwood products."
The group recently held a state-wide contest to find tall and straight mesquite trees from which to develop future trees. Seed pods from the winners will be gathered to develop a future stock of tall, straight mesquites suitable for lumber and furniture use.
"It will be sometime before we develop our tall, straight mesquites from the winners of our contest, but we currently have many trees that are 20 inches in length we can use for flooring," Felker said. "Mesquite is worth $40 per ton as barbecue wood and $2,000 per ton as a finished floor product."
Bill Lea, vice president of Los Amigos Del Mesquite, will give a short introduction to open the meeting.
During the conference luncheon, awards will be given out in the Mesquite Furniture, Craft, Sculpture and Turning Competition. Prize money totaling $1,500 will be awarded in five areas of expertise as well as a product of the year.
Robert Ohm, research associate for the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, will talk about Leads and Marketing Progress with NeoCon Trade Show. Dr. Wayne Hanselka of the Texas A&M Extension Center in Corpus Christi will speak on a brushbusters program for mesquite management.
Other speakers include Robert Garza and Mel Miller -- Management, Logging and Procurement of Mesquite Lumber and Jim Robinson from the Grazing Lands Technology Institute -- Mesquite on Crop Reserve Program Lands.
Ken Rogers of the Texas Forest Products Laboratory will speak about Drying
Mesquite/Technical Properties Revisited. He will be joined by Garza, Miller and Marie Wood to
discuss Management, Logging and Procurement of Mesquite Timber in landowner information meetings.
A panel discussion addressing the needs of the landowner on prices and specifications of
mesquite logs will come toward the end of the day.
Just before the day's closing remarks, Ohm and Dr. Robert Morgan, assistant professor of agronomy and resource sciences at Texas A&M-Kingsville, will announce the results of the Texas Tall and Straight Mesquite Tree Contest and award the $100 prizes. Seed pods from the winners will be gathered to develop a future stock of tall, straight mesquites suitable for lumber and furniture use.
The mesquite exhibit will be open in the Bayfront Convention Center from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sept. 24, from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 25, from noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 26 and from noon to 6 p.m. Sept. 27.
For more information on Los Amigos Del Mesquite call Robert Ohm at 512-593-3957.
-TAMUK-