Dave Kaiser leans on one of his hand-carved walking sticks in the wood carving shop at his home in Waterloo Monday, March 25, 2013. (BRANDON POLLOCK / Courier Staff Photographer) ...

STARTUP — Walking sticks line two walls in Art King’s eclectic workshop in Startup, a hamlet of 676 souls east of Monroe. The walking staffs are hewn from cascara, vine maple and diamond willow.