This Love/Hate Relationship

First tree planting contract of the season completed! We spent over a month at 100Mile house contract so this is pretty exciting! It looks like we might be around half way through the season. Currently, we are working out of a camp near Edson Alberta, and then we will be returning to Hinton Alberta which is just outside of Jasper.

There are some moments when I really hate this job and other moments when I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Like some mornings, for example; Day off, sunny, my tent flaps are open. I'm lying on the floor of my tent journaling, sipping coffee, and snacking on bark thin chocolate! A stark contrast from working mornings when I am trying to avoid bashing my head against the truck seat as we drive down super bumpy and sketchy logging roads to the block.

It's the same with planting. Some days I move through the land nimbly and gracefully. The trees go into the ground quickly, flagging is done subconsciously. It's cool, I hear birds, see little frogs, and feel totally at peace and happy!

Then there are days when I trip, step on land I think is solid and it crumbles right under me. Step in a puddle that goes over my boot top, have a stick jam under my finger nails, bug spray wears off and I'll have an array of multiple biting pests chase me around the block. The list of possible discomfort is endless!

However, hard work on a good or bad day is truly satisfying and even on the not so great days I still make money. It was worth coming back to this job!

(Some photo creds Leslie Dart)

The Mental Aspect of Tree Planting

There is a line my foreman said in one of the films from the Tree Planting Film Festival. "In tree planting, your highs are really high, and your lows are really low." You can check out the films at this link https://treeplantingfilmfestival.earth/?fbclid=IwAR0mNkOTUOJ_28fLOxuvtSmR3Bgw3Yv5WeowGr7R0RNUNdMVsUZj1yVQfvA

This statement is so true! One of my previous shifts this season was amazing! I made $500 one day which meant I got my Summit hoodie! Summit Reforestation gives out swag to planters when they hit certain milestones. $200 you get a buff, $300 you get a hat, $500 you get a sweater, $1800 in a shift you get a jacket. The remainder of the shift I made over $400 each day and hit my PB(personal best) number of trees planted in a day; 3525.

Then the shift after was one of the worst shifts in my planting history. On day one, my foreman said that my trees from a previous shift had a lot of open holes and I had to go and repo. Repo means go and fix your trees and not get paid. I was pretty upset for many reasons. Mainly, because I wasn't going to make any money. Then I felt bad that I had disappointed my foreman, and then I was also disappointed in myself for doing a bad job. I spent the rest of my day sulking around the block where I had planted, making the 1400 trees there better. The following day I did not make my average amount of money because I took care to plant my trees perfectly.

However, good experience and bad experiences I learned a lot! I learned how to better close holes in difficult land, I learned how to learn from my mistakes and move on and that there is always room to improve oneself. I learned that I can push myself hard to achieve my goals. Most importantly, I learned that bad days only last for a time and to enjoy good days to the fullest when I have them. Planting trees is physically demanding, but its also mentally demanding in many ways.

The crew I'm on makes every day a little better! COVID restrictions are lessening each day so we get to interact more and have a good time. Its isolating out here, and weird to think I will go most of the season without seeing a town or other people. Being isolated with this group of people is pretty sweet though, so is not having much of an opportunity to spend money!

Stay safe and healthy everybody! Miss you all!!