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Why do we love what we do....?

Started by islandlogger, October 30, 2010, 09:17:55 PM

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islandlogger

So most all of us on here make our living in or from the woods. Why do we do it? How did we get into it?

Logging skipped over my dad who went the educated route, he noted my early interest in working in the woods "like Grandpa done" and used to tell me loggers would beat their kids for not getting high marks in school cause they didn't want them to have to work in the woods....but nothing was goin to keep me from them thar woods! I remember when I was around 8 the wood lot next to us was being logged, I would listen all day to the whine and snarl of saws and the growl of the cats and the shouting of men at work. When they would call it a day I would wander over and check out the new skid roads and would find the cats parked by the decks and sit in them making chug chug noises ha ha...to be a boy again....
Anyway, I'm all growed up now, or at least I like to think I am, and I have worked in the woods in every way possible, mostly logging both commercial and private and running my mill as well. Today I was neck deep in slash cleaning up a home owners botch of a attempted clearing on his wood lot, it was one of those nice sunny Fall mornings and I was having fun just doing what we do. What do I love about it? Being in the woods and being my own boss by gawd, love the feel of my corks biting wood, love to feel my saw become a extension of my being, love making a tree go dead on down the line just where we want her, love the chug of a diesel straining a turn to the deck, love the smell of pitch, of saw dust, of saw gas, of the woods in general, love the danger and the rush, love to shut my saw down at break time and find a handy log to set on and roll a smoke and have a cup of dark black coffee and contemplate the job on hand and to remind myself that this is my office, this is what it's all about, freedom and work all in one. Heck I even love dodging Yeller Jackets and to hear the rain pattering down on my Tin Hat....I love it all and I think alot of folks here do to. Some where on this forum I saw a quote that read "if you love your job you havn't worked a day in your life" or something along those lines, that says it all, dang rite....

So lets hear it, what do you love about your line of work??

islandlogger

treefarmer87

i reckon it in our blood ;) wouldnt have it any other way :)
1994 Ford L9000
2004 Tigercat 718
1998 Barko 225
1999 John Deere 748G
FEC 1550 slasher
CTR 314 Delimber
Sthil 461
Sthil 250

Okrafarmer

I love opening up logs and seeing the breathtaking pictures God drew inside. I love the intoxicating smell of diesel smoke mixing with fresh dirt. I love the hearty rumbling of slow-revving equipment. I love finding, here and there, exemplary specimens of individual tree species-- variations on the theme of each type of tree. I love figuring out how to make my machines perform exactly the tasks I need for them to do. I love moving to new jobsites and not being in the same old place all the time. I love impressing customers with my company's ability to remove their trees in a skillful and responsible manner. I love the paycheck, too! ;D
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

chucker

    ?? theres really not a whole lot to say or add to your opener!! very few of us here would differ from you...........   most woodsman are born and bread as we are trained in the womb to the casket, we live and die for the freedom of the deep woods ! deep woods ? maybe be a thing of the past but our minds do wander far from out daily reality sometimes. liveing my life in the woods sceanery will heal wounds new an old physical and mental. for a liveing (money/security) i dont really give a hoot to weather i secceed in becoming a millionair or a wall street ceo. all i want to do is live and enjoy to the end of my days deep woods cutting. seeing a son or grandson wanting to follow in the steps of my father an their mentor will full fill my dreams of a full accomplishment!
respect nature ! and she will produce for you !!  jonsered 625 670  2159 2171/28"  efco 147 husky 390xp/28" .375... 455r/auto tune 18" .58 gauge

Okrafarmer

I don't remember exactly how it went, but when I was little, my grandmother used to constantly sing this song that had the phrase, "The woods, the woods, the fresh and green"

I grew up at the end of a rural road. Our house was surrounded by woods on all sides. We could not see the nearest neighbor's house (or any other houses) from anywhere on our property, even looking down the road from our mailbox.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

islandlogger

great answers folks, love the descriptions

keep it coming!!

islandlogger

sprucebunny

I enjoy seeing the paths that animals use and even though they were scars not that many years ago, I like seeing how the old skid trails have grown over with deep moss and tiny partridge berry plants. (Moose ate/stomped the trees in the trails.)

I spend hours imagining how my patch of trees and meadow; swamp and brook, might grow to have sawable trees, stunning vistas, streams that always run and aren't choked by mud, no balsam butt rot......



MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

Cedarman

I love the satisfaction from solving problems. 
Probrem:  I need grape stakes to put on a ceiling.  Answer: 2500 square feet of split wood with 2 straight edges and a flat back.
P:I need a hippogriff nest.   A:  Sent 100's of crooked 1 and 2" ugly poles  (Looks like a 15' diameter eagles nest at Harry Potter section of Universal Studios in Floriday)
P:We have millions of acres of cedar that no one knows what to do with. A: We figured out how to make a business out of making mulch out of fields of cedar trees.  No one else was doing it.
P: I need ERC planks  4"x8"x28'. A:  Did it.
Being a custom mill, we get all kinds of unusual requests.
There is great pleasure from hearing someone say," I wish I had found you 3 days ago".
You have solved my problem.
P:We need truck loads of specialized cedar sawdust.  A:  been doing it for 6 years now.  Just sent out 12 tons at 800 bucks per ton.  Not bad for waste material.  Low grade boards are air dried, run through the shaver, screened, oversize through granulator, screened into 2 sizes for 2 different markets, bagged.  One person job.  On a good day can make 3 to 4000 pounds.
I love the action.  Just about every phone call, and every e-mail gives us a chance to make something other mills in the country cannot or choose not to make.

Then there are the times when I go to the woods to log cedar.  No people stress, no employee stress, very little equipment stress.  Each tree a little problem waiting to be cut down, drug out and ready to load.  Birds, flowers, bees, air, sky, clouds, smells, freedom, danger, no clock, critters, insects, poison ivy, hills, rocks,  all neat stuff.
I have the best of both worlds.
I am in the pink when sawing cedar.

Autocar

I love the smells that spring brings, to hot summer days and smell the brused oak leaves and the great smell they give off. Sitting on a stump on a clear cool fall day as maple leaves fall gently to the ground. And even cold calm winter days with the promise of snow in the air with clouds that look like you could reach up and touch them. We our blessed to see the beauty every day. Every now and then you have to set back and forget what a tree is worth and think about the years it took to grow the storms it indured and how beautiful it is standing there.
Bill

Bobus2003

I got into it by working for my dad as a kid and through HS.. then when the oppertunity arose i took over my dads bussiness when he decided to start a second company (Contract Wildland Firefighting). He was still helping me out when needed.. Now with the market in the slumps my equipment is parked (Sad to see $65K worth of equipment parked in a field) and i'm Driving semi for a Construction company till I sell the equipment or the market turns around (Whichever comes first i suppose)

JHBC

I grew up here on the coast, the Island.  As a kid my dad was a forester, he had me out an awful lot with him for work, if I wasn't camping or canoeing or cutting firewood with him.  I just had too many people around who did it, not to.  At least part time.

Your descriptions are great.  I know nothing beats being out in some fog choked valley just before the sun rises prepping for a day of falling Spruce or Cedar. It's great to hear you enjoy it as much.  San Juan's a stones throw from here.  Likely Doug Fir heavy around there.  Great feeling getting into a stand of 100+ year D. Fir if you can find it.

I felt like starting up my saws in my living room, reading your post.  Thanks
MS460 28"    MS660  36"    MS441 20"/24"    394XP 32"/36"    3120XP 32"/42"

islandlogger

JHBC yeah San Juans are just down the water from you folks, have always wanted to wander up to your island and check it out, used to get a kick out of watching the Heli Loggers show that was based out of there, you have some nice looking sticks in them woods! Yes lot's of Doug Fir, most common age from 60 or 70, nut I tangle with plenty that are 100+

Start your saw up in your living room, spot on lol I like that...

Safe falling, run or die eh?

islandlogger

Coon

I cut my teeth working for both sets of my grandparents and my father in the woods as a youngster.  We also spent many a day out in the woods cutting firewood, logging, snowmobiling, skiing, atv'ing or whatever.  Not a day don't go by that I don't think of this, thinking about the scenery and the wildlife.  I enjoy the woods just as much today as I did back then. Just being there out in the wilderness relieves the stresses of the civilized world we live in.  I don't take to the woods as much as I'd like to but that is going to change.  I don't need the big money to live happily.... just give me the woods and a few tools and I'll be set.  ;D  I am done working for others to earn a living.  I have the back of an eighty year old man due to injuries of years past.  I can not work a full time job any longer as no one will hire me as crippled up as I am.  I can work 10 hours on a good day but on a bad day maybe an hour or two at most.  So why not take it to the woods and work at my leisure........ maybe I will cut some firewood today..... nah I'll slice up a log instead. I need some 4x2 slabs  ;)  :D  Kinda like an early retirement I guess....  ;D
Norwood Lumbermate 2000 w/Kohler,
Husqvarna, Stihl and, Jonsereds Saws

indiaxman1

While not a full time logger, islandlogger expresses my feelings on the woods, and how it can heal your head and sooth your soul.   Working in the woods in every season makes you appreciate the privilege we have....yeah even when the sweat is pouring off you in July...for the woods.   Pausing after getting a full load on...seeing the fruit of your work...just sitting, watching, and listening....yeah nature is a blessing....all the more reason to be good stewards...add to that the hiking, hunting, trapping...let those folks keep their hand held electronic toys...we got the real world

Buck

A bad day in the woods is still far better than a good day in many places.
Respect is earned. Honesty is appreciated. Trust is gained. Loyalty is returned.

Live....like someone left the gate open

JohnG28

Think everyone here has touched the best points pretty well.  I can't think of a better place to be when life gets tough to clear your head and just enjoy the world.  Have had trying times recently with the passing of my grandmother, so past Sat spent the day in the woods....just me and saws running for hours.  Best I've felt since my wedding.
Stihl MS361, 460 & 200T, Jonsered 490, Jonsereds 90, Husky 350 & 142, Homelite XL and Super XL

Meadows Miller

Gday

Theres not much to add for me as I know the feelings that you get afer a good stint of work out the bush or at the mill when you just sit back look at what you have done relax and take it all in  ;) ;D ;D 8)  I started going to work with my dad out the bush and to the mill when i was only 18 months old  ;) ;D My grandmother warned my mum that they would regret it as I would end up going into the game like the three generations before me and I and i think i could speak for my cousin thats up in QLD near sigidi and weisy are both proud to Be the 4th generation of McMahon,s in the Industry  ;) :D ;D even though its been tough going and you get your bad runs of luck sometimes  I wouldnt be dead for quids  ;) :D :D

I think the saying you are thinkn of is Find A Job You Love and You Will Never work Another Day In Your Life Mate  ;) ;D 8) That means that ive never worked but my body sure feels like it bloody has  ;) :D :D :D ;D 8)

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Ron Scott

~Ron

motif

because wood smell great and maybe because JC did it too?  ;)

Okrafarmer

Logging, sawing, and building are and have been integral with a down to earth existence and honest profession. A few of the others are farming, cooking, fishing, hunting / gathering, and medicine. Jesus Christ was a carpenter, and so was my favorite ancestor, Noah.  ;D
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1

Operating a 2020 Woodmizer LT35 hydraulic for Upcountry Sawmill, Dacusville, SC

Now selling Logrite tools!

Writing fiction and nonfiction! Check my website.

tyb525

LT10G10, Stihl 038 Magnum, many woodworking tools. Currently a farm service applicator, trying to find time to saw!

saxon64

Once you get saw dust in your blood your hooked.

Meadows Miller

Gday

And Welcome to The Forum Saxon  ;) ;D  ;D  8) 8) 8) 8) Where about's are you located Mate  ???

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

captain_crunch

My Dad owned a Gypo Logging co in the early 50's and was bound and detemined his son was going to go to college and NOT be a logger. Well I went to school and wound up in the woods anyway. He passed when I was 12 so I did not have to argue with him, But Mother on the other hand wasn't too happy. But I told her I was a logger by choice not because I could not do anything else. And was till the Owl won out  Now I fix well pumps  And play Logger on Ranch logging about 8-10 loads a summer and run my Sawmill When ever I can
M-14 Belsaw circle mill,HD-11 Log Loader,TD-14 Crawler,TD-9 Crawler and Ford 2910 Loader Tractor

Maineloggerkid

I love the solitude. Theres nothing i enjoy more than shutting the saw/skidder off at lunch and hearing absolutely Nothing....

Beyond that, I get great satisfaction from looking at the wood piles and seeing my hard work ready for the mill. Everyone in my family has worked in the woods since we came from Scotland. Theres something to be said for carrying the family torch one more generation.
JD 540D cable skidder, and 2 huskies- just right.   

Loggers- Saving the world from the wrath of trees!

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