Location: Strafford, Mo.
County: Webster
Owners: Jason & Brittany Morton
History of the business: Jason Morton’s interest in carving started in 2009 when he saw another carver in action and thought he might be able to do something like that himself. He began practicing in his back yard, and although those early attempts weren’t fancy, he was hooked! By 2010, he and his wife Brittany had turned that interest into Eagle Ridge Chainsaw Carvings and began traveling to craft shows to share his work. What started as a personal creative hobby quickly grew into a full time family business. Today, Jason is proud to be sponsored by Crader Distributing, the exclusive distributor of STIHL Outdoor Power Equipment across Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Southern Illinois.
What are the products and services offered? If you can picture it, Jason will do everything he can to carve it. Over the years he’s made just about everything from bears and eagles, personalized name signs, benches, totem poles, abstract pieces, and plenty of creatures people dream up. He also takes part in carving shows and auctions. But the work he’s best known for is the on site stump carving that takes him all over the country, turning old tree stumps into finished pieces right in front of customers’ homes and businesses.
Future plans: The future remains strong for Eagle Ridge Chainsaw Carvings as the business continues to grow. Jason and Brittany plan to keep operations rooted in Strafford, Missouri, where Jason grew up, and they’re committed to offering some of the most competitive prices around. The next generation is already stepping in, too! Their sons, Drew (15) and Jett (11), have both taken an interest in the trade, with Drew recently beginning to carve alongside Jason.
Business philosophy: Our philosophy is pretty straightforward: put God first, treat people right, and run the business with honesty at every step. We keep our work family friendly and make safety a priority no matter what we’re carving. Jason will always look for ways to improve, seeing every project as a chance to push himself a little further. And above all, we remain grateful for our sponsors, for the people who support us, and for everyone who’s helped us grow along the way.
