Chris Lubkemann's tiny carvings are something to crow about - a majority of them are roosters or other fowl. But Lubkemann also creates letter openers, tiny brightly colored flowers, and a variety of animals, including a few unusual creatures reminiscent of Dr. Seuss characters.

During the winter months, Lubkemann carves in a back room of his Lancaster home, but from April through October, he spends three days a week at the Amish Farm and House, 2395 Covered Bridge Drive, Lancaster. Lubkemann - who can carve flowers from a toothpick - is no lightweight in the craft, having authored close to 20 books on the subject, many published by Fox Chapel Publishing in Mount Joy.

The child of missionaries, Lubkemann was born in Brazil. His earliest memory of carving was of making dental picks in the jungles of Peru at age 7, but he did not begin to whittle seriously until he was given a summer assignment to help an older pastor in Glendale Springs, N.C., while still in college. "The mountain people ... carved little roosters and pheasants," said Lubkemann. "The minister ... knew how to carve these things." Lubkemann quickly got himself a country store pocketknife and started to learn. "I was tickled because I always enjoyed working with wood," he said. "My first rooster ended up looking like it got into a fight and lost," he recalled. "I kept working at it."

Back at college in South Carolina, Lubkemann thought he could help pay his tuition with his carving. "I decided to try to be self- employed by ... carving roosters to sell to students or whoever," he said. "I was probably the first college student in U.S. history who literally whittled away most of his senior year to pay for it."

After graduating in 1967 with a degree in biblical education, Lubkemann attended graduate school and then got married. He and his wife became missionaries in Portugal in 1972. "My wife is an incredible puppeteer," said Lubkemann, who built puppet theaters for programs the couple would put on in parks, at marketplaces, and outside churches. The country also offered Lubkemann a unique opportunity to use his carving skills to connect with people. "One of the national symbols of Portugal is the rooster," he said. "So I taught people how to carve these." Lubkemann gave classes at the folk-art museum and was spotlighted on television, becoming known as the Rooster Man.

In 1987, the couple relocated to Lancaster County, where eventually Lubkemann opened his shop at the Amish Farm and House. He has also done demonstrations at malls, at schools, and for civic clubs. For 25 years, he was a regular feature at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

In his own home, Lubkemann displays roosters he has collected, alongside games he has invented, including his Team Maze, which requires ultimate cooperation between two partners to complete.

"I have been carving for 55 years," said Lubkemann. He shows no signs of putting down his knife anytime soon.

Readers who would like to know more about Lubkemann and his craft may visit https://woodcarvingillustrated.com/blog/category/videos/whittling-with-chris.