Aethertoast, I've lived in the valley and there are lots of trees there that you can obtain staves from. Hackberry, ashe juniper, and elm (except cedar elm) are all plentiful there, for example.
If you keep your eyes peeled and are constantly looking for staves, you can pick up free wood from public roadsides, trash piles of tree trimmings, and railroad clearing/cuttings.