Today, while planting, I stabbed myself with a stick. I now have a small circular hole in my side in addition to the bruises and scratches. And a sunburn.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Tree Planting, the First Shift (Prince George)
Holy mother of Zeus, tree planting is ridiculously hard. And though I imagined it would be back breaking work I willingly admit that knowing that it will be hard and going through the motions of tree planting are vastly different. One involves the frustration and pain of Mother Nature trying to fuck you over with every twig, rock, root and red-rot she can cram into your dibble. But I'm determined to keep on trying my best, and so far, despite being probably my crew's low-baller, I am slowly gaining surety in my work and speed.
Here is description of what my day is like: I get up at 4:15 am and make breakfast (high in complex carbs for energy) gulp down a cup of instant coffee, pack a lunch and lots of water, change into my dirt and mud-streaked gear and then head out to the trucks for 5:30 am. Once everyone on my crew has gathered we load up the trucks with trees, numerous boxes of spruce and pine and then drive 45 minutes on winding bumpy roads to our block. The ride is always filled with laughter and good music, pumping up for the upcoming day.
Now, I want to make a point of explaining what a "block" is. Imagine hell, where every flickering flame is instead a sharp thorny sticks. Sometimes there are giants piles of logs and bush that you need to scramble over. Technically, a "block" is an area that's been clear-cut; it's land stripped of all it's surviving healthy trees, and what's left behind are stumps, debris, rocks. I'm 100% sure that the people who created the term purposely did it just to fuck with any naive tree planters to be. And I work on one four days on, one day off. For at least 10 hours.
My body, due to my attempts at trying to plant as many hours as possible my body is littered with bruises and scratches. My hards are have blisters and sores. For the first three days I wrapped them in ducts tape, hearing that many planters preferred it. The result was my fingers and knuckles being shredded. They're still healing.
Additionally, if you muck up, which is ridiculously easy because there has to proper spacing between trees no matter the shape of the block and the trees need to be planted properly, you have to replant. Which means you plant trees for free. For hours. the EXACT same ones you already did.
So, basically, I'm tired sore, and covered in dirt and bruises ALL the times, and absolutely loving it. I'm not really making any money though.
Here is description of what my day is like: I get up at 4:15 am and make breakfast (high in complex carbs for energy) gulp down a cup of instant coffee, pack a lunch and lots of water, change into my dirt and mud-streaked gear and then head out to the trucks for 5:30 am. Once everyone on my crew has gathered we load up the trucks with trees, numerous boxes of spruce and pine and then drive 45 minutes on winding bumpy roads to our block. The ride is always filled with laughter and good music, pumping up for the upcoming day.
Now, I want to make a point of explaining what a "block" is. Imagine hell, where every flickering flame is instead a sharp thorny sticks. Sometimes there are giants piles of logs and bush that you need to scramble over. Technically, a "block" is an area that's been clear-cut; it's land stripped of all it's surviving healthy trees, and what's left behind are stumps, debris, rocks. I'm 100% sure that the people who created the term purposely did it just to fuck with any naive tree planters to be. And I work on one four days on, one day off. For at least 10 hours.
My body, due to my attempts at trying to plant as many hours as possible my body is littered with bruises and scratches. My hards are have blisters and sores. For the first three days I wrapped them in ducts tape, hearing that many planters preferred it. The result was my fingers and knuckles being shredded. They're still healing.
Additionally, if you muck up, which is ridiculously easy because there has to proper spacing between trees no matter the shape of the block and the trees need to be planted properly, you have to replant. Which means you plant trees for free. For hours. the EXACT same ones you already did.
So, basically, I'm tired sore, and covered in dirt and bruises ALL the times, and absolutely loving it. I'm not really making any money though.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Eating Dirt (Peachland BC and late)
Everyone seems to have either an opinion or story about tree planting and wants to share it when they discover why I've been traveling to Prince George. Anyone who has lasted longer than a season will say is a horrible and wonderful experience. Anyone who didn't last a season will look at me and tell me blankly that it is horrible and then wish me luck. These words always follow brief summaries as to why they had a good or bad time in the bush. Charlotte Gill tells a story with all the grit; from being a soft rookie to being an experienced planter. To the parties to the bugs.
When my grandfather picked me up at the airport Thursday night he greeted me with a big smile, wide eyes, and a book he had heard about on CBC. It's title was Eating Dirt and the author Catherine Gill was doing an interview about her experience as a planter (20 years!) and what made her want to write about it a few hours before he was due to meet me. Impressed by Gills words and those of the planters who called in to relate their own perspectives he picked up the book on his way to the airport. I think he believed that reading another person's experience may save me from the shock from what I'll go through in the upcoming weeks.
Though I don't believe any number of books will do so, I think he has bought me a treasure. Eating Dirt is beautifully written, spinning a striking image of tree planting that is certainly not creamy.
When my grandfather picked me up at the airport Thursday night he greeted me with a big smile, wide eyes, and a book he had heard about on CBC. It's title was Eating Dirt and the author Catherine Gill was doing an interview about her experience as a planter (20 years!) and what made her want to write about it a few hours before he was due to meet me. Impressed by Gills words and those of the planters who called in to relate their own perspectives he picked up the book on his way to the airport. I think he believed that reading another person's experience may save me from the shock from what I'll go through in the upcoming weeks.
Though I don't believe any number of books will do so, I think he has bought me a treasure. Eating Dirt is beautifully written, spinning a striking image of tree planting that is certainly not creamy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)