Our Roots

Tree to Table community meal

Here’s the story in an acorn: Tree to Table began when Vilppu and Ryan met in 2017. Vilppu was getting married and Ryan helped him build the tables for his wedding. At the time, Ryan was just a beginner woodworker. We began sharing meals together each week and found ourselves dreaming of an integrated life where our work, family, and community fit together towards a bigger purpose. That is when the acorn sprouted.

A couple years later, the Lord blessed us with the opportunity to apprentice under Virgil Otto, Master Craftsman, with over 60 years of experience, in his state-of-the-art workshop. Virgil taught us how to turn a rugged tree into a beautiful table - hence the name Tree to Table.

Since then, we’ve moved into our space down the road, and have completed over two hundred projects in the last three years alone. We’ve fortunate to still get to work with Virgil and to lean on him for experience and wisdom when we need it.

You can find more of Virgil’s work on his website, VirgOtto.com.

Two people sitting at a large wooden table in a cafe, with a dark wall and artwork in the background, and others sitting nearby.
A group of people gathered around a wooden table enjoying a meal together. The table is set with plates of varied food, glasses of water, and a pitcher. The scene depicts a communal meal with adults and children interacting, suggesting a family or social gathering.

Our hope is to see many oaks of righteousness (Isaiah 61) take root across the nation: Families and couples inviting others into their lifestyle of gathering to create and experience life and community the way it was designed and intended. It all starts with one shared meal.

Meet the Team

Person sitting outdoors, smiling, wearing a green t-shirt, with arms crossed. Background includes a metal fence, lush green grass, trees, and a brick column.

  • Vilppu grew up in Finland and met his wife Hannah while studying engineering at Miami University. They got married right out of college and still live in Oxford with their four amazing children ages 0-7. Vilppu is an avid outdoor enthusiast and lives his life to the fullest. When not building tables, you can find him biking with the kids, jumping into frozen creeks, and sharing meals with family and friends. He keeps in touch with his Finnish roots by sauna-ing weekly and baking traditional dark rye bread. To learn more about the saunas, visit RealFinnishSaunas.com

Person in gray hoodie with baseball cap standing in a forest with autumn foliage.

  • Ryan grew up in Cincinnati and moved to Oxford with his wife Kelsay in 2018. They have three energetic children ages 4 to 7, love all things sports, spending time outdoors, and sharing meals with friends and family. Most recently, he built a real Finnish sauna in his backyard and hosts weekly men’s sauna nights for young dads. Learn more at realfinnishsaunas.com

Join the Story.

Build your gathering place today.