Pound for Freedom

 

The 2020 tree planting season is over; What a season it was!

From blocks burnt by forest fires, we began planting among the skeletons of burnt trees. 100 Mile house contract was our home for the first month. COVID policies were enforced at the start but lessened as the month went on, allowing us the special opportunity to interact closely with our crew as well as with other people in the camp. 

From there, we went to Hinton Alberta under the shadow of the rocky mountains. The first shift was tough as the block was littered with rocks and hard ground to crack with a shovel. Spirits began to drop but the crew stuck together. 

For our break between spring and summer trees, we went to Edson Alberta. Despite flooding, and a tonne of rain we still made bank! Plus, my good friend Sarah (who had been stranded in Argentina)  joined the crew which brightened all our moods. 

After Edson, it was back to Hinton which turned out to have decent land. Hit my PB of 3630 trees planted in a day. Lots of creamy land, some overgrown pieces, but lots of good times with the crew on and off the block. 

We thought we would finish our planting season in Hinton, but suddenly we found ourselves in Fort St John mid-August. Grass as tall as us, sudden temperature changes, cold mornings, and helicopter rides. We were having a blast! lol. 

That last tree in the ground was one of the most satisfying moments of my life. I didn't feel the rush to put it in, there was no more pressure for high numbers. This was my last tree. I stared at it for a couple seconds as the hum of the helicopter buzzed above me; Then walked away and that tree became just another tree out of thousands on a hellish block - but for me, it was that last tree to freedom. Financial freedom, freedom from doubt about what I'm capable of, freedom from the bush, freedom from addiction to material things. "Pound for freedom," is a popular saying in the industry and that's what we do. We push through mental and physical exhaustion; Endure bug bites, thorns, cuts, bruises; Fight mental battles within ourselves; all for many reasons but afterward, I feel confident to say that all of us feel a special sense of freedom and accomplishment. 

I'm going to miss my crew the most probably. We go through a lot together and that makes us grow closer and become more like family than friends. I'm going to miss waking up and seeing their faces. I'm going to miss having meals made for me, making $370-$450 a day, being covered in dirt like everyone else, the environment of low judgment that the tree planting culture offers, being outside all the time, and going to remote places in western Canada that many people don't get to see. 

That said, I will not miss sleeping in my tent. It's starting to fall apart after its second season in the bush. I won't miss being cold, heat exhaustion, severely cut up fingers, nerve damage, mental frustration with my production, or the bugs. Still, as the offseason progresses you begin to forget about those things and remember the good times. Will I be back in the bush come 2021?!

Hell yeah!