Medina Mesquite
From the Medina countryside to Salt Shaker Woodworks, Medina Mesquite carries its story forward.
The Story
A friend of mine who owns a WoodMizer sawmill called with an offer: if I helped him fell and mill four mesquite trees, we’d split the lumber fifty-fifty. My answer was easy — “yes.” Those trees were standing on land about to be cleared, destined to be bulldozed into a pile and burned. Thanks to my friend’s connection with the man overseeing the project, we were able to step in and save the wood before it was lost.
We dropped the trees and began milling when the saw suddenly dulled mid-cut. The reason? A Civil War musket ball buried deep in the wood. Not long after, it happened again — another log, another ruined blade, and this time the culprit was a Comanche flint spear point. My friend ended up losing two blades but gaining remarkable artifacts, and together we gained a haul of beautiful mesquite.
It felt fitting that this happened in Medina County — the site of the last battle of the Civil War. The land itself seemed to be holding its stories within the wood. I named it Medina Mesquite, after the place where it grew and was reclaimed — lumber saved from destruction, carrying forward not just the story of a tree, but echoes of the history it bore within.
About the Tree
Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) is a true child of Texas soil. With roots that can plunge more than fifty feet deep, it anchors itself in places where rain is scarce and summers are unforgiving. Its branches twist against the sky, bristling with thorns, and its gnarled form marks pastures, creekbeds, and fence lines across the state.
Beyond its rugged look, mesquite has long carried more than shade. For centuries it provided fuel, fence posts, and forage — a tree woven into daily life on the frontier. Inside, its dense heartwood reveals warm tones of gold, red, and chocolate brown, making it one of the most prized native hardwoods of Texas.
The tree shown here is simply an example of the species — not one of the exact mesquite trees reclaimed in Medina County.
About the Wood
Medina Mesquite is dense, stable, and richly colored — a wood that shows its Texas roots in every board. Its heartwood ranges from honeyed golds to deep reds and browns, often streaked with dramatic figure that gives each piece a presence all its own.
Though its toughness can test sharp edges, Medina Mesquite rewards the effort with a surface that sands smooth, holds detail, and finishes to a natural glow. Unlike many hardwoods, it stays remarkably stable once dried, resisting warping and movement even in changing climates.
For the craftsman, that balance of beauty and reliability makes Medina Mesquite as practical as it is striking — a wood equally at home in cutting boards, furniture, or turned pieces meant to last a lifetime.
Why It Matters
Every board of Medina Mesquite carries more than the grain of a Texas hardwood — it carries the fact that it was saved from fire and waste. Those four trees were marked for clearing, destined to be bulldozed and burned, until they were milled and reclaimed instead. What might have ended in smoke now lives on in the pieces I make from it.
Mesquite itself is a reminder of resilience. It thrives in hard ground and harsh sun, growing dense and strong where other trees would fail. Paired with the choice to preserve it rather than discard it, Medina Mesquite becomes more than material — it becomes a record of endurance, stewardship, and the value of giving good wood a second life.
Made From Medina Mesquite
Texas Rangers whiskey topper, handcrafted from Medina Mesquite — available now.
U.S. Air Force whiskey topper, handcrafted from Medina Mesquite — available now.
Veggie board handcrafted from Medina and Dreyer Mesquite with Purpleheart accents — available now.
The Medina Mesquite pieces above are available now and linked to their respective product pages. More will be added as they’re made, and if you have an idea of your own, you can always request a custom order.