About me

Last year I ran a crew cab (aka: 6-pack, or shotgun-crew). I had a bit of bad luck and lost two planters by the time the first contract was over, one to severe tendentious in both wrists, and the other to unfortunate circumstance. Too bad because Jessica was going to be a solid quality planter with a great attitude and Heather was a pounder. That first contract was in Quesnel. Good spring ground with half of the contract being 11 cent trenches and the other half 12-14 cent straight plant. They wanted spot on density, a straight root, a nicely closed hole, and high spots in the trenches. It was a good contract to start on.

After Quesnel we moved camp to Minneret logging camp and then to our Lovell Cove bush camp, 3 shifts at each for a CanFor direct award contract. This was a 100% straight plant where they wanted good density with all stumps and high spots hit, hole loosely closed and the tree on the shallow side with a straight root. 11-14 cents/tree, but it can be a very fast tree. Pascal only had 4 weeks experience from the year before, but he caught on quickly and went from $150/day to about $240/day with more then a few $300 days by the end of the contract. Steve was often doing $350 and had a $450 day once. Tyler was doing about the same and had a $500 day (the day after Steve's $450 day). I had Humburto drift on to my crew part way through that contract, he was a steady $200/day planter for me. All and all a good contract with the end of June the right time to leave as it keeps getting hotter and the bugs start getting bad.

At the end of the Lovell contract it was time for a one week break between spring and summer contracts. Two more of my crew left at this time due to prior obligations. I wanted to make more money so I jumped onto a six-pack as a planter and went off to help finish a contract in another camp. Got 5 days of planting in, not bad for my vacation.

For the summer plant the company wanted to make sure that all planter who worked for Celtic for the spring would have a long summer season, so there was a hiring ban. As a result I had to give up my last two planters to top up other crews (there was no way Rory was going to let me drive around in a crew-cab with only 3 people in it!). So I was demoted to checker. No, it wasn't a bad job. It gave me a chance to see the camp logistics from a different perspective and see how other foreman work it.

For next season I'm determined to hire a full crew of 15 planters who want to work the full season. I want a good crew full of good people who know that we are all in it for the money.