Pitcher Wood Designs' wooden bowls, a decorative but useful item that belongs in every home! Fred and Shirley Pitcher, ranchers in the Sandhills of Nebraska, are the owners of Pitcher Wood Designs. Fred came up with the idea of making bowls of this style when he was visiting a neighbor who lives in a log home. She had an original Native American dough bowl displayed on her kitchen counter. Fred mentioned the uniqueness of the bowl and that there were many similar bowls, hiding in the fallen trees in the Sandhills community, just waiting to be carved out and turned into a rustic treasure. And that’s how it all began. In the winter of 1995, as Fred was cutting wood for their wood burning stove, he decided to try his hand at making a bowl. He had been building cabinets and bookshelves for years but this would be something new and distinctive. The present bowls are not as large as the original bowl Fred saw but have a finish that is government approved, “food safe”. Folks who have purchased the bowls use them for a variety of things. They make a wonderful fruit bowl; an attractive holder for onions and potatoes; a nice twist to a bread “basket”; a serving bowl for popcorn; a beautiful way to showcase your seasonal arrangements; just to name a few. The wood used to make these bowls is gathered along and near the Niobrara River in north central Nebraska. Fred uses several species of trees for his creation, such as elm, cottonwood, locust and cedar. Each bowl is hand crafted. Each bowl is unique. The characteristics of an individual piece of wood will determine the shape and size of each bowl. Most of the bowls are stained to help accent the grain and other patterns found in the wood. Fred never knows what a completed bowl will look like until he as applied the last of the three coats of finish. These bowls make an excellent gift and they are also a great way to treat yourself to a unique and decorative piece of art.