Benches Carved From Basking Ridge's Great Oak Donated To Students

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — "Thank you old oak tree!" exclaimed young students at the Tree House Preschool in Basking Ridge on Friday morning.

Owners of Forged in Wood of Basking Ridge, Keith Keiling and David Schneck, donated three benches to the preschool as a way for the historic 600-year-old great white oak tree, that was cut down in April 2017, to live on.

One of the benches is for a teacher to sit and instruct while the two other benches are set up as stadium seating to allow students to sit back in the school's learning garden. The benches were cut from the same branch and the legs were new wood added on.

"We had originally asked for stumps and they did even better," said Lynn Wolf, a teacher at Tree House. "This is beyond expectations."

The students were able to learn about the tree and how the benches were made. They also were able to touch and sit on the benches.

"I miss seeing this tree coming into the school every day, but now we have a piece of it," said Wolf to the students.

Along with the benches, Keiling and Schneck also donated a large stump which includes some of the cement used to fill cavities of rotten wood in the past to keep the tree alive. The stump will serve as a memorial at Ross Farm.

Keiling and Schneck have an agreement with the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church to take responsibility for all expenses involved in the storage, processing and marketing of the wood from the tree.

To honor the tree, Keiling and Schneck are using every little piece of the tree, even the shavings, to craft a remembrance piece.

"No scrap gets discarded," said Schneck.

"The Basking Ridge Oak Collection" will be introduced at the Winter Market being held at Bishop Janes United Methodist Church at 2 S Finley Ave. in Basking Ridge on Saturday, Dec. 1 from noon until 7 p.m.

Some of the items that will be offered include wooden cheese boards, blocks of decorative wood, pens crafted using the wood, ornaments, candle centerpieces, pendant necklaces, and other pieces of unique art.

The exclusive retailer for The Basking Ridge Oak Collection will be The Rebecca Collection at 2 Mine Brook Road in the center of Bernardsville. On Thursday, Dec. 6 between 6 and 8:30 p.m. the Oak Collection will official be rolled out. Custom orders or requests can be sent directly to info@forgedinwood.net.

Items will also soon be sold online, once a web site is launched Patch will announce it for readers.

The tree was considered possibly the oldest oak tree in the country.

• See Related: Basking Ridge's 600 Year Old Ancient Tree Has Died
• Related: Tears Flow As 600-Year-Old NJ Tree Is Being Cut Down
• Related: A Slice Of History: Basking Ridge Oak Tree Is Full Of 'Surprises'
• Related: Basking Ridge Oak Tree Was 619 Years Old
• See Related: Film Preserving Memory Of Basking Ridge's Ancient Oak Completed

(Images by Alexis Tarrazi)

Photo 1 - Preschoolers touch and feel the wood of the tree.

Photo 2 - Keith Keiling and David Schneck show off a piece of wood from the tree that will be sold as wall art.

Photo 3 - The 3 donated benches.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

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