Rebirth of an Owego icon: Elmira chainsaw carver to craft new strawberry for village

Elmira chainsaw carver Roy Barber doesn’t need much to make magic happen.

A few photos and his saw will usually suffice. Some hours later, a beautiful wood carving will emerge from a nondescript log.

“If I have pictures of it, 99.9% of the time I can create it,” said Barber.

Next month, though, Barber will have an existing creation upon which to model his latest project. Barber has been enlisted to recreate Owego’s famed strawberry.

The bright-red, wooden carving, featured in countless selfies, artistic renderings and advertising, has been an Owego fixture for many years. It has sat on the Front Street riverbank since the 2011 Susquehanna River flood, save for special appearances in several Strawberry Festival parades.

The strawberry has lost some of its shine in recent years due to age and damage from water, ants, and woodpeckers.

“Professional assessment has determined that we are losing it, and that it cannot be repaired,” said Kim Trahan, who owns the property where the strawberry resides.

How new Owego strawberry will take shape

Trahan is leading a campaign by residents and businesspeople to replace a strawberry that “has become symbolic of the beauty and energy of Owego,” popular with residents and guests alike in the Tioga County village.

Barber, who operates JR's Chainsaw Creations in Elmira, will craft the new strawberry on June 15 during the Strawberry Festival. It will be shaped from the trunk of a damaged tree removed from the Pumpelly House on Front Street. The original strawberry was also carved with a chainsaw out of black walnut by arborist Chris Eberly.

Barber estimated the job will take between five and six hours. The new strawberry will likely stand between four and five feet tall.

“It’s going to be big,” he said. “It will be hard to miss.”

A new Owego, NY sign will be sandblasted into the concrete base in work by J. Hulslander Custom Concrete Inc. and Richards Monument Service.

How to support Owego strawberry project

Altogether, the project is expected to cost over $5,800. A “Save the Strawberry of Owego” GoFundMe campaign to support the rebirth of the local icon has raised around $2,000 to date.

No municipal grants or funds are available because the strawberry sits on private land, organizers said.

Any extra funds will support the Historic Owego Marketplace’s annual Strawberry Festival. The 42 ^nd annual event is scheduled to start June 13 at Hickories Park with a Rock N Run 5K Race, followed by events June 14-15 in downtown Owego.

Elmira wood carver has worked across Southern Tier

Barber has been carving creations with his chainsaw for about five years after getting hooked on the “Carver Kings” TV show. He quickly found he had a knack for the craft.

“A lot of it is visual. I can picture it before it’s even done,” he said. “I think I was meant to do this.”

Barber’s largest carving was an eagle in Avoca that stands about 7.5 feet tall and 5.5 feet wide. The most unique, for a Horseheads family, incorporated 12 different animals in a single design.

JR’s Chainsaw Creations can be reached at (607) 425-0581. Barber often performs at public events.

“I’m really excited to do the strawberry for them,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

This article originally appeared on Elmira Star-Gazette: Rebirth of an Owego icon: Elmira chainsaw carver to craft new strawberry for village