Ok, I'm new to this game...tell me crafting doesn't always take this long...

So, I've had the game for 3 days now. I've managed to get my character up to level 12, but only after grouping. Solo as a 12 scout/ 10 cleric seems to be...lacking. It is really easy to get your secondary class up though by gathering up and killing alot of monsters that can't hurt you. But anyway, back to the subject.

So I got my crafting up to 11, after doing what seemed like 800 or so runs from the wood fields to the blacksmith completing the 2 cedar shortbow quest over and over again. ( I would harvest as many boards as I could carry, run back, craft 2 bows, hand in, get quest, craft 2, hand in...etc.) This is the quickest way I could find to get past the first 10 levels. Now that the blacksmith doesn't give item quests, I have to craft 35 boards and teleport back to get credit. It's taking forever. Is there a quicker way?

Oh, and when do I get to work with Elm? Oak? (Whatever is next)?