What drew you to treework?

[Scars2prove-it]

I started cutting trees when I was fourteen. My parents were divorced and my mom needed some trees cut down at our house. I asked my mom to buy me a chainsaw, a homelite with 16" bar, and I cut them down. Later, when I was in college, one of my fathers patients needed help with tree work. My father was always wanting to expose me to different aspects of life so he volunteered me. I ended up working for a very talented climber and arborist and was very lucky to learn from someone like him.

I started my own business because I enjoyed the work and the potential for making decent money. If I had to start my life over, I would listen to my parents and become a doctor like all of my brothers and sister did. Tree work has been too rough on my body and I am really feeling it now. At least I have a finance degree that I can fall back on although that is unlikely to be needed. I have grown wiser when it comes to running my business and it gets more successful every year.

 

[John Stewart]

Hey
I hate to admit it but it was the money!
I do it for a living now but I care more for the trees now than the cash!
Pinky swear!
Later
John

 

[Eagle1]

The reason that I choose tree work was because I loved the taste of advil. You know the average tree worker eats Advil like skittles. I hate the job, but those little expensive Advils......oh boy..

 

[NickfromWI]

Careful with those advil. they don't fix the prob, they just make you feel better.

Address the prob, not the symptoms.

love
nick

 

[Eagle1]

The Advil thing was somewhat of a joke. Nick I love you man. You are a concerned person who make slings. That is trust

 

[a_lopa]

i like the noise and everyones pissed off attitude on the job,only thing i dont like is when your at the top of the pissed off list.the day goes quicker when someone else is more pissed.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Advil does more than just make you feel better. When the aggravated area is chilled down from the action of the ibuprophren, it actually helps it to heal. Or at least that's what my VA doc tells me...

 

[Eagle1]

True That MB.

 

[xander9727]

I like Naproxen (aleve) better than ibuprofen. Like MB I also utilize the VA. It's a great deal for me. If I have anything more than a routine check up they send my to UC medical center to a specialist.......and it's free.

 

[NickfromWI]

...When the aggravated area is chilled down from the action of the ibuprophren, it actually helps it to heal...

Another discussion for another thread.

 

[Froggy]

I'd like to say that climbing trees is what drew me to tree work. I was working high rise construction and saw this dude up in a tree. Watched him dissassemble this tree like magic. Thought to my self WOW that might be neat to try. Went to all the tree services in town and got a job with this dude that was willing to train a climber. Got lucky he was an excellent climber and an arborist. Looking back now he's still the best all around tree man I know. Been doing it every since. Still love it. BB

 

[BRCCArborist]

Began my career in horticulture and turf care/landscaping. Was pursuing a degree in landscape design, when I decided to get a 1 yr certificate in Arboriculture on the side. The certificate curriculum included many of the same classes i was already taking, such as Plant Pest Management and Horticultural Botony. Enjoyed the climbing class a lot, but I didnt really form a real interest until later in the semester when the class attended the Plant Health Care workshop in Waynesboro Va and I listened and watched Rip Tompkins from Arbor Masters speak and I was hooked. Been a "tree man" ever since.

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Not 100 % clear.

I started on country clubs. I would have bailed out in about 2 years.

One guy went to college to take 3 classes, so I wasn't going to let him show me up. I went to take turfgrass, pesticides and evergreen ID.

It stunned my awareness that there is science and technology to grass and trees.

That salvaged my career with horticulture.

While working at the country clubs, I enjoyed pruning trees more than the other greenskeepers, so I always volunteered to prune the entire country club.

I did one 3 times. Was hired at another just for the purpose of pruning the entire golf course. And then did about 1/4 of the trees at another club.

Hundreds and hundreds of trees. All I know, is that pruning is one of my favorite parts of this job.

I like consulting, and some designing (don't like getting trapped inside for too long). And a bit of installation.

But I love breathing fresh air and I love pruning.

 

[Xtra]

I was the Eastern North America Marketing Manager for one of the largest mid-market business solution consulting firms. Then I became a victim of Internet communication technology. The company consolidated all their marketing departments into one location - San Jose (I'm in NJ and really couldn't relocate).

So, after unemployment ran out and getting tried of going on too many job interviews and being offered novice/strater pay, I went to work at my stepfather's tree business for some extra cash. I was a groundworker (I had done this type of work while in college).

Well, I had just spent 10 years working in a cubicle with no windows and seeing the inside of way too many hotel conference rooms. The only people I knew were from e-mails or the telephone. I spent 1.5 years dragging brush and observing a very skilled climber. Then my stepfather and his business partner split. That was my chance to move up the ladder. I took the ArborMaster classes and became a climber (and business partner). This past August I launched my own company. I run two crews and help my stepfather with large jobs and overbookings.

I used to have a lot of job related stress . . . commuting 3 hours a day (leaving at 7am returning at 8pm). I'm putting in more work hours now but the stress is gone and I get to see my family more. Before my kids were sleeping when I left for work and sleeping when I got home. I now get to spend some time with them some before bed (two boys - 18months and 6yrs).

While doing the groundwork I noticed customer service was really lacking with most of the tree companies by me. I had just spent many years learning all about marketing and customer service, that coupled with my love of the outdoors and not afraid of sweating or getting my hands dirty, made my transition easy.

My old co-workers think I'm crazy . . . 42 and starting a new career in a physically demanding field? But now I feel alive and I'm in the best shape of my life!

[sorry for the long reply]

 

[Husky288XP]

When I was a little kid, I always used to run outside upon hearing power equipment. One day I saw a tree crew working in my neighbor's backyard and became hooked. I remember seeing those guys and thinking that this is the type of career I wanted to pursue. Lets forward ahead, a few years later one of my neighbors across the street was the head of Pittsburgh's Parks Dept. One day when helping my neighbor I met one his good friends, the City Forester, Dale. Dale and I hit it off and became very good friends, in which he instilled a great deal of knowledge into me. Now I run a small tree service part-time and attend Penn State, working toward a B.S. in Urban Forestry.

 

[MasterBlaster]

My old co-workers think I'm crazy . . . 42 and starting a new career in a physically demanding field? But now I feel alive and I'm in the best shape of my life!

Ahh yes, I remember my younger days! :blob5:

 

[a_lopa]

xtra,youll do great i predict :blob5: office job no way a

 

[Curtis James]

I was a gopher for my uncle Dusty building retaining walls and such (landscaping). I did that till I turned sixteen. then I moved on to work for an Arborist with a forestery degree. He started asking if I was interested in climbing and I was all over it. I went in to the service three years seventeen weeks then back to the trees. I would come home on leave and go try climding for my old boss. I went back to work for him and now here i am. Line clearence for a while also. I''l do this and then hopefully teach others in the far off future.

 

[GlennG]

I used to cut firewood with my dad as a kid. We would cut in the forrest that bordered our property, only taking dead trees, never the live ones. I became interested in nature and mechanical devices. I wound up being an aircraft mechanic . For many years I had a nice career untill 9/11 and the downward spiral of the US airlines. I found myself unemployed. With much free time I started doing tree removals for a neihbor with a lot of property. I attended seminars to learn climbing. I started develping a reputation as a dependable tree guy and the phone started ringing on a frequent basis. I was making a living wage doing removals and enjoying the whole enterprenuer thing buying equipment and living the American dream. Though I was starting to know my way around a tree removal I new I didn`t know jack about proper tree care. I went to the local Bartlett Tree Experts shop with my climbing gear and a handfull of photos of me in a tree. I got hired. There I learned proper pruning techniques and tree biology and diseases. I got the chance to work on high $ properties doing "tree care" and not just tree work . I learned IPM and instalation too. I absorbed everything I could in the short time I was there. It was like a college education that I got paid to learn. 50+ hours of tree work is hard on an old guy so I resigned when I was offered another aircraft mechanic job . Currently I perform tree care as a legitamate side proffesion. Refferals only and I have a waiting list. Two days a week keeps me in shape without wearing me or my equipment out. I take great pride knowing that I am doing it the right way. A couple of local tree companys call me for help on big jobs or for special pruning. That makes me feel good. I am thankful my dad had a big respect for nature. Had he not, I may not have concerned myself with learning proper tecniques when I was already making $$$. Have fun , be carefull .

Glenn

 

[xander9727]

That's a cool story Glenn.