Perhaps it is because you are closer to the source but no lumber yard that I have ever seen would have the equipement needed for this kind of work. A typical lumber yard would have a radial arm saw and/or panel saw and nothing else around here. Even the rare shop with a lathe on the premises would be hard put to find someone to run it after having dusted it off. I suspect that laminated stock would be a better choice than solid stock for a turning blank. Solid stock can crack and is more prone to distortion.
Paul Patzkowsky
Longmont, Colorado