Taking the plunge

[Farmertan]

Well, I've finally done it. I submitted my letter of resignation and this will be my last year as a teacher before embarking on my third career as an arborist. I know tree biology, id, insects and all that from my education. I'm a good rock climber and have a good understanding (and experience) with ropework, so I'm going to slowly work myself into climbing, but don't really expect to do a whole lot of that for the first year or two. I'm taking a course through my CT Cooperative Extension to prepare me for the exam (pesticide, safety and other regs) and I'll take the exam in December. Rather than start cold, I'm teaming with a friend who owns a successful landscape company but does not have a licensed applicator or arborist on staff, so he presently farms out all of that work. He has agreed to take me on and provide capital for application equipment and an aerial lift (probably a Nifty), because it is his company we are expanding. My goal is to split from him in about 5 years and go out on my own once I have acquired more experience and capital. In the meantime, I'll also be helping him with plowing contracts, signing up for substitute teaching in case the winter gets too slow, and having my wife carry the benefits. I'm pretty excited about this upcoming new career, and really, really happy about being able to work outdoors again after 11 years teaching science. Wish me luck!

 

[jefflovstrom]

Well, I've finally done it. I submitted my letter of resignation and this will be my last year as a teacher before embarking on my third career as an arborist. I know tree biology, id, insects and all that from my education. I'm a good rock climber and have a good understanding (and experience) with ropework, so I'm going to slowly work myself into climbing, but don't really expect to do a whole lot of that for the first year or two. I'm taking a course through my CT Cooperative Extension to prepare me for the exam (pesticide, safety and other regs) and I'll take the exam in December. Rather than start cold, I'm teaming with a friend who owns a successful landscape company but does not have a licensed applicator or arborist on staff, so he presently farms out all of that work. He has agreed to take me on and provide capital for application equipment and an aerial lift (probably a Nifty), because it is his company we are expanding. My goal is to split from him in about 5 years and go out on my own once I have acquired more experience and capital. In the meantime, I'll also be helping him with plowing contracts, signing up for substitute teaching in case the winter gets too slow, and having my wife carry the benefits. I'm pretty excited about this upcoming new career, and really, really happy about being able to work outdoors again after 11 years teaching science. Wish me luck!

Keep us posted.
Jeff :msp_biggrin:

 

[TheJollyLogger]

Is that science teacher's job available? I was thinking of changing careers too. I mean, how hard can it be?

 

[jefflovstrom]

Is that science teacher's job available? I was thinking of changing careers too. I mean, how hard can it be?

Hey Jolly Jeff,, this guy could be the FTA opposite.
Jeff ,,never Grumpy.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I know you're not. How could you be? You live in San Diego, where the weather's always great and the women have all their teeth!

 

[bustedup]

Best of luck to ya...............however ya might be better sticking to regular teacher pay check .....the tree/arb/logging world a hard one .............not to mention a whole lot more dangerous

 

[Pelorus]

As a teacher, don't you have weekends and summers off? And a half decent pension plan, and benefits, like sick days off with pay, etc, etc, etc?
I think you have gone stark raving bonkers, but that is just my opinion.

 

[twochains]

opcorn:







i've always wanted to do that! pftt

 

[Frank Boyer]

I TAUGHT FOR 32 YEARS AND FINALLY RETIRED. I did contracting from Easter to Thanksgiving. Ran heavy equipment on weekends during school time and full time all summer. Keep the teaching job and when the arborist job gets to busy, THEN think about leaving teaching. After 50 you aren't superman any more. After 60 your as+ is whipped most of the time. I had to make a choice in my 50's and I'm very glad that I stayed with teaching.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I think I would be a awesome shop teacher. "You go get a trash bag, You give me your pot lighter and you go get the acetylene............ going to show you how to make some noise" "It will be on the test"

 

[derwoodii]

after 11 years teaching science. Wish me luck!

science huh so what is the speed of gravity acceleration? and then how fast will you be going from 60 feet :msp_rolleyes:

I's been a tree hack for 30 years but as of late i been teachin billy lids a few tricks i have learnt.
It actually great fun and quite the task to chew it and re spew it in manner that others can follow.

Enjoy you career change looks like a good plan so welcome to the joys of trees sweat thrills n labor and you may even make some money

 

[Guran]

Farmer; I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
And like grump.... eeeehh.. Jeff said; please keep us posted. I would really like to to hear how are doing with your new career.
Good luck!
Göran

 

[Zale]

Good luck. One question I have is who is going to teach you to climb? I would put off on buying the lift until you are comfortable climbing. Lifts will make you lazy though they do have their uses. Another thing to consider is just running a PHC program and leave the big nasty stuff to the subs. PHC will always have a better gross margin than tree work.

 

[Farmertan]

Jl and Pelorus: How hard can it be? Weekends and summers off, decent paycheck? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I didn't mention that I'm at a private school. Weekends? That's really funny.

Zale, I can climb a rope (using prusiks, should be a bit easier with ascenders), a skill I practiced out on the rocks and even a little in the trees in my backyard. I'm good with ropework, but will need more practice with rigging, as I've never done the big wall Yosemite type of climbing.

The arborist license is only one aspect of it. I'll also be an applicator, and plan to get my turf and ornamentals, right of way, and tick and mosquito control certs too. I don't expect to be lacking too much for good work. If it does get slow, like wintertime with no snow, I'll just substitute teach for $100/day. Better than nothing, and no papers to grade. Worse comes to worse, I'll pick up some side jobs doing auto/truck repair (my first career).

Thanks for all the support (and reality checks) guys! I'll definitely keep you posted.

 

[Farmertan]

Not to mention how nice it'll be to work with the trees and not get calls and emails from their parents asking why they're not the best trees in the state. :msp_biggrin:

 

[bustedup]

I do admire your drive etc.......however me thinks ya gonna get a bit of a jolt lol..........climbing for fun juss a bit different than when ya climbing and cutting ie time is money


sorry to be negative but me think ya be way better placed to stick where ya at esp in this uncertain economy

 

[pdqdl]

I think your plan is fine. Do what you like to do in life.

Abandon the lift expense. Let your revenue stream and work load pay for the equipment you need. Nothing sours a business relationship like the "money partner" spending all his profits on equipment payments that are not generating income.

I had a cheap, reliable bucket truck many years ago. I sold it because I wasn't really using it enough to pay for the insurance. At least 1/2 of your aerial opportunities won't allow the use of a lift, and the remaining work is nearly always "climbable" anyway. My next truck, however, is going to be a good forestry unit with an independent hydraulic power source.

 

[Pelorus]

Jl and Pelorus: How hard can it be? Weekends and summers off, decent paycheck? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I didn't mention that I'm at a private school. Weekends? That's really funny.

Thanks for all the support (and reality checks) guys! I'll definitely keep you posted.

Ahhhhh.......Private school. That probably ruled out just taking a leave of absence / sabbatical.
Last full time job I had while building my part-time tree biz into a full time gig, was running a debarker & loader at a sawmill. Would work (after work, lol) till dark most evenings, weekends, whatever it took. No family life, but it made the final career transition a lot easier, and by then I had acquired a lot of contacts and equipment.
Good luck to you, and all the best. At age 52 I feel like I've been in a car wreck by days end (most days), so I still think you're nuts!

 

[Farmertan]

Nuts, but happy!

 

[treeclimber101]

Good luck In your quest for many aches from pulled muscles ,bad knees , bad hips and tendentious ! Rock climbing is for fun ......... spend 5/6 hours a day 4 days a week in a tree and the fun grinds to a screeching halt . Good luck with it though .... And I forgot about the stitches , at some point you may wanna take a sutchering class to save time in the ER waiting room