Our Story
From California Roots to the North Carolina Forest
Beautiful oak, hickory, and pine forests cover the Pickard Mountain natural area outside Chapel Hill, NC. Down the hill and through those woods lies a forest meadow cleared and settled by the Stuetz family. Blackhawk is the name affectionately given to this special place in the forest (Blackhawk was actually a racehorse, but that’s another story).
Adam Stuetz, founder of Blackhawk Forest LLC, was born on a backwoods Ozark Mountains farm in Missouri. His parents, Kent and Debbie, had fled Los Angeles to join friends in a back-to-the-land adventure. Lush vegetable gardens, farm animals, Dad repairing a big old barn, and Mom canning produce for the winter were parts of Adam’s early life. Although the family ended back up in California, the hippie spirit and love of nature remained in Kent and Debbie and was sparked in their son.
Working the Land: The Sawmill and the Farm
The family dream to return to the land was rekindled in 2015 when Blackhawk was founded. A now grown-up Adam set out to establish a new homestead with his family. Adam and Kent cleared trees for vegetable gardens, an orchard, and a pasture for animals. It was apparent the fallen trees were a great natural resource and not to be wasted. A sawmill was purchased for building a small cabin from the timber on the land…unknowing the future impact it would have.
The Birth of Blackhawk Forest LLC
The COVID-19 pandemic left Adam without a job and looking for a new way to make a living with his new wife, Ruby. Sawing logs for other people had only been occasional up till then. That was about to change as Adam began mobile sawmilling professionally full-time. Then Adam teamed up with his longtime friend Brad Brittain to acquire a 4,000bdft capacity wood drying kiln to dry hardwood lumber. In 2023, the creation of a legitimate woodworking shop (still in progress) began.
Along with the birth of Blackhawk Forest LLC and two children in the forest came the passing of Adam’s best friend, his father, Kent. He was the driving force behind Blackhawk and its conservation-conscious development. Kent’s love of gardening, the outdoors, woodworking, and God is a continuing inspiration at Blackhawk.
Forest Conservation
Our forests and wild places are sadly being developed out of existence. Blackhawk is committed to replenishing the forest by replanting hardwood and pine trees on the land. Over 400 trees have been planted so far. Blackhawk supports the use of downed urban trees that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill or buried in the ground.
Join Our Journey
At Blackhawk Forest, we invite you to be a part of our story – a story of passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of harmony between human endeavor and the natural world.