The majority of the wood destined for Ross Commons was sent across the state to St. Johnsbury to dry. Here, at the Caledonia Kiln, the roughly milled boards were prepared for several weeks in the kiln. For the wood to dry evenly, it is essential that the boards be stacked in such a way to allow the dry air of the kiln to circulate. Thus, the rough wood that arrived in a mismatched bundle from the mill must be carefully stacked and spaced with scrap boards, such that no two pieces touch. The stacking process, and the destacking once the wood is removed from the kiln, are the... 
Checking the moisture content of yellow birch in the kiln at Caledonia Kilns.
...most labor-intensive aspect of the drying process. However, once the wood is staked, the job gets easier, for the wood will sit in the kiln until the moisture is literally baked out. But there is still work to be done. Jeremy Jacquet, son of Henri Jacquet the owner of Caledonia Kiln, measures the moisture content in sample boards almost daily to determine when the wood should be removed. Once the wood emerges from the kiln, it is destacked and prepared for shipping. Though no visible transformation has occurred, the drying treatment will help preserve the integrity of the wood long into the future. 
Jeremy Jacquet prepares to enter the kiln to check on the boards.
An overview of the Caledonia Kiln complex in St. Johnsbury.
Preparing wood for the kiln.
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