The Art of Firewood

Hailing from Jamestown, Pennsylvania, Joshua Crawford has turned firewood into both a business and an art form with Cashiers Firewood, established around 2010. After moving to Cashiers in 1996, Crawford began harvesting firewood as a hobby and eventually grew the venture into one of the most well-known firewood distributors on the plateau.
Combining hard work with creativity, Crawford crafts impressive firewood designs for the Cashiers Festival of Trees and Cashiers Christmas Parade. He utilizes recycled logs that undergo an eight to 12 month natural-aging process in three climate-controlled barns, storing up to 600 cords at once. 
The recycled logs typically arrive from home and highway construction sites. Employees cut them up and store them in the barns, rotating locations depending on available space. The logs are then dried through forced air induction systems or in a kiln when demand is high. Cashiers Firewood offers seasoned, kiln-dried and green firewood. 
“It’s a lot of bark, sawdust and scrap, and people don’t account for things like that,” said Crawford. “It’s just a brutal business, but I love doing it.”
Crawford first found inspiration for his business when he sold excess firewood from the smoker at On the Side Barbeque, part of the Cashiers Farmers Market, which his father founded. His passion for firewood, however, began long before that. 
“I’ve done firewood all my life. I like to be in the woods, and I was always intrigued with chainsaws and firewood equipment,” said Crawford. 
Crawford turned his passion into a reality thanks to his inexhaustible work ethic, which he credits for his success. He expects the same dedication from his younger employees, instilling the values of hard work and commitment. 
“It’s really cool to be able to mentor young boys into being young men and let them learn lessons,” said Crawford. “You work for three or four years, you grow and you evolve, and then you move on, and it’s kind of like your basketball or wrestling coach in high school…he always told you that you’d come back and thank him, and that’s pretty much what usually happens to me.”
In addition to molding boys into men, Crawford strives to make a broader impact on other parts of the Cashiers community. His festive firewood designs impress and inspire residents and visitors alike at holiday events.
“As a centerpiece of the Festival of Trees, I’m the first thing that people see when they pull up and it just gets everybody’s mind right where they’re like ‘hey, this is cool. I want to be here’,” said Crawford. 
In 2025, Crawford secured his first sponsorships from Bennett Equipment and Supply and Takeuchi, each contributing $2,500. With their support, he created arguably his best designs yet—a skid steer and crawler excavator—which were featured in the Cashiers Festival of Trees and Cashiers Christmas Parade. Crawford has also designed a house, a train and Can-Am buggies in recent years. 
Although his team doesn’t begin building until the end of October, Crawford already has a design in mind for this year’s Festival of Trees. For now, he’s keeping it a surprise. 
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Cashiers Firewood has seen a significant increase in cords sold, rising from 254 to 600 per year. With more people moving into the area, Crawford said that about 30% of his customers are new clients. 
“It’s good to know that you’ve got a good product and great service and that there’s a future for a lot of people working for me here,” said Crawford.

Editor’s note: We’re excited to launch “Getting to Know the Plateau,” a new series from The Highlander that shines a spotlight on the people, places, and stories that make the Plateau so unique. Each feature will explore the vibrant lives, hidden gems, and rich history that define our community. From longtime residents to newcomers, local legends to unsung heroes, join us as we discover what makes the Plateau such a fascinating place to call home. If you have suggestions for future features, please let us know by calling 828-526-4114 or emailing editor@highlandsnews.com.

- Mitch Stone
reporter@highlandsnews.com