Grayson County, Texas -- The Grayson County Historical Society will be holding their meeting Tuesday April 09, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at Frontier Village located at Loy Lake Park. Our guest speaker is John Baecht who is known for his magnificent work of axe handles and bow carving out of the Osage orange tree or as most of us know it as "horse apple".
John Baecht, family man, artist, bowyer, handle maker and historian lives in Fannin County city of Ravenna, Texas. John runs a family ranch with cows, chickens and watermelon production. Also you may find him at the family carpet store (Gold Star Carpet) in Denison, Texas.
John performs live Bois d’Arc demonstrations for axe handle and bow carving at locations across the Red River valley. Tuesday evening John will share his knowledge of Osage orange along with the Historical Society.
Osage orange also known throughout the United States as Hedge apples, Bow-wood, Horse apples, Monkey Ball, and Mock orange.
Some facts I have learned of the tree are used for (forever fence posts), sometimes used as a natural insect repellent, the wood from the tree can also be made into sawdust and boiled into a fabric dye. Early settlers in the United States made wagon wheels and mine support posts. In the '30s osage was used for windbreaks and for prevention of soil erosion.
Osage oranges belong to the Moraceae family, along with jackfruit, mulberries, fig and breadfruit. The family is characterized as having milky or sometimes watery latex. The tree is fast-growing and can reach 25 to 35 feet or taller in height, and begins bearing fruit about ten years after planting.
The osage orange tree is famous for its dense wood and orange color, faint orange-like scent and round shape. Some of those 150-year-old fence posts are now being harvested by Fannin County resident John Baecht. It is known as one wood you have to use extreme caution when burning in a fireplace on account of wild sparking. But it will make a forever axe handle.
John will be showing some of his beautiful art pieces at our meeting Tuesday evening. We will be looking forward to a great gathering with friends and neighbors.
The location for the Historical Society is the Judge R.C. Vaughan Community Room of the museum at Grayson County Frontier Village at Loy Lake.
The Park is located midway between Sherman and Denison off Hwy. 75, Exit 67. For the ones interested in the history of Grayson County all are welcome to attend.
Any questions please call 903-647-5674.