Z, there must be a great deal of satisfaction in felling a tree, trimming it, ripping lumber and building something substantial. I can't think of anything that compares.
One of the Foxfire books has a story about an Appalachian woman that sheered the sheep, spun the wool into thread, wove the fabric, dyed it with black walnut husk stain and sewed her husband's wedding suit. She buried him in it about 50 years later. That sorta' compares.