Not much left...

[jd540b]

Just did all my paperwork for last week.  After paying trucking, stumpage, fuel and helpers....boy oh boy...not much left for numero uno.   On the other hand, had the boys clear a house lot as well and made pretty good money.  Frustrating that actually managing and taking care of the resource is a pretty grim financial return-where molesting it for development pays big bucks.  ??? That's the game, I guess.  Cut wood and work for pennies, yet do tree work or residental stuff and it's all time and materials.  That's the game here anyway.  Good to have the other stuff to do-allows a guy to keep cutting wood!  Imagine if we could get paid for what we're really worth in the woods for our skills and machines...hourly say...like construction?  Be nice, wouldn't it. :D

[cutter88]

i here u there i spend the summers clearing lots and taken danger tree down hardly have anything invested and make good money... then in winter i work my skidder for a contractor cutting on crown land... by the time i pay my fuel and maintenence there isnt even enough left for me to draw a full wage its sad...

[WindyAcres]

Hey there,
you want to talk about forestry in Nova Scotia? :-) Doing the right thing and making money- good luck :-). I have a 65 acre woodlot and I am working a lot in it. I am guessing that I clear about 5$/h. I am 30 years old and in good shape.. I look at it as a hobby and try to concentrate on the positive things. I am hoping to improve my woodlot and.. and I dont know.. :-) I try to find ways.. maybe some day increase to 10$/h. But then 10/h is worth as much as 5/h now.. so.. Yeah, I dont know..

[JohnW]

Very interesting, but not very funny.  I guess you have to decide about making money and providing useful service.  I've heard other puzzlements about capitalism like, why does Judge Judy get paid more than a supreme court justice? or shouldn't a man who wears a helment and defends our country get paid more than a man who wears a helmet and defends a football?

[redprospector]

Hmm. Personally I don't want to go to work by the hour. I mean, if you work by the hour...that's all you can make. If I'm working by the acre, ton, bd ft, cord, or whatever other piece work there is I have the option of putting on my thinking cap and modifying something to make me more efficient, and increase my income.
I guess it's a gamble, but that's why they pay us the big bucks.  :D

Andy

[timberjack 450]

I used to work on a percentage (50 percent)20 yrs ago when wood actually paid good. Now you can't work for that. A very sucessfull logger in my area said,why are you making the landowner a partner? Does he pay half of your fuel and breakdowns? I took a hard look at my expenses and what I could comfortably pay outright for the wood. For a long time the firewood was most of the profit. Not good. You have to get paid a good wage for hard work. If a plumber or an electrician can get $100 an hour with not much overhead and not much danger,so should a logger.

[Green Acres]

Here in Canada Newbrunswick the Goverment gave the crown forest to a few big company then gave them money to set up huge mills.  The rest of  us are trying to compete against free standing timber that the rich have access to.

[lumberjack48]

I could make money in the 60's and 70's, i though those days would never end. 1980 they pulled the rug from under neigh us, happy days were over. After that logging was just another job with poor man wages.

[Green Acres]

Once the Goverment gets there nose into something you can count the small guy out. They should not be allowed to interfere with people's livelihood.  Free country my a?!*