By J.O. Parker
 
       If you are looking for a unique gift or a way to spruce up your yard, consider an engraved rock from Crawford Rock Designs in Grinnell.
        Founded 35-years ago by Jerry Crawford, the business is now under the direction of Jerry’s son, Kane, and his wife, Whitney.
            When selecting a rock, customers have many options from picking the rock size or bringing their own.
            The family business works on all sizes and shapes of rocks with many options.
            “They can pick everything that goes on the rock down to the font,” said Whitney.
            The rocks are engraved using a sand blaster.
            Whitney said rocks vary in prices drastically based on size and how much is engraved.
            Many of their rocks come from farms and new construction job sites. 
Turnaround time on a finished rock typically takes a few weeks.
       Jerry and Kane engrave the rock and do all the heavy lifting. Whitney works with the customers in ordering and creating designs.
           “We’ve been engraving headstones more recently,” said Whitney. “We can cut rocks if they don’t have a smother surface or if they are too large for what the customers wants.”
            The business can even create rocks using the handwriting of deceased family members.
            “What a wonderful memory to see when pulling into their farm,” noted Whitney.
            Other rock designs include a favorite pet, a hunting, fishing, racing or a farm scene, address, welcome, favorite college sport’s team such as the Hawkeyes or Cyclones, business name and other artwork.
            The business can also provide plain large rocks for landscaping without an engraving.
            “If a rock is too large to bring to use, we can engrave on site,” she said.
            The business uses a skid loader and trailer with a hoist to move most of the rocks. However, one of the biggest projects the company has done is engrave the large rock at the entrance of Bayer Crop Science (formerly Monsanto) east of Grinnell on Highway 6.
            A crane and a semi was used to move the large rock.
“The next generation (Kane and Whitney’s sons) Walker, 6, Warren, 4, and Kolt, 2, are always up for helping where they can,” noted Whitney. “It’s great to be able to teach ours boys a good work ethic.”
            The business has a 50-mile service area unless a customer is picking up.
   For more info, Whitney said to check out Crawford Rock Design on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CrawfordRockDesigns to see what they’ve been working on lately.
            Whitney can also be reached at 641-990-4811.
           “We occasionally run sales,” she said.