Table of Contents

September 2008 Classifieds

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The Lighter Side of Logging

National Eating Habits

For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health…a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies.

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the Canadians, British or Americans.

‘You’re Never Done’ by Tonya Cooner-Vots

It’s another warm, humid day in the South Carolina low country. Richie Peterson’s logging crew, doing business as RB Forest Products, is working away from home. This job finds them northwest of Charleston. They’ve just relocated on this 300 acre plantation tract where they’re performing a fourth-row thin. Sixteen-year-old stems with a diameter averaging 8 in. are business as usual for this eager, productive crew.

The tract is part of a 45,000 acre holding owned by Mac Rhodes, and Peterson and crew are top choice for Rhodes’ harvesting needs. “We’ve been fortunate to return several times to cut Mr. Mac’s land,” the 41-year-old Peterson says, grinning. “He asks for us.”

Custom Handiwork by TonyaCooner-Vots

Philip Sparks says he’s seen ups and downs in the lumber industry and, eventually, everything sorts itself out. “I think next year will bring a good change,” the bright-eyed 71-year-old says with a smile. “But not before the end of this year.”

Sparks is the President and owner of Sparks Lumber Co., tucked away in the scenic town of Ellijay, Ga., in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. He, along with his daughter, Sandie, and son, Danny, manage this small sawmill that has found a survival niche making specialty timbers. This niche has helped them ride out market slumps over the years, including this one that presently has many mills curtailing production.

Good Teachers by David Abbott

Daniel Duren, 33, is the owner of Daniel Duren Trucking Inc. That was the name of his company when he started contract trucking while still working for his dad’s logging crew. When he struck out on his own, he kept the name. Like many loggers, Duren, a rare young man in this business, grew up working the woods, and learned the lay of the land from his father and grandfather, who also helped him get his start. “I had good teachers,” he says.

Since getting that start four years ago, Duren has remained faithful to his favorite brands: Prentice loaders and Caterpillar skidders. Recently, however, when Duren had need of a fourth skidder, he decided to explore other options.

Strong Ties by Jennifer McCary

Market demand for wood has not been a problem this year for principals of John O. Cook, Inc., who contract through local timber consultant and wood dealer Irwin Timber Co. and produce 120 to 140 loads per week on average.

Father John Jr., 70, and sons, Clay, 42, and Todd, 38, enjoy a rare 25-year business relationship with Irwin Timber’s owner, Dennis Rich, who keeps a steady supply of tracts for them to harvest. “We cut for a lot of private landowners and have a lot of repeat business year after year,” notes the elder Cook. “We have a good relationship with several private landowners and that gives us a good base for our business.”

Current Industry News

Caterpillar Forest Products recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the latest expansion of its world headquarters in LaGrange, Ga. Approximately 17,000 sq. ft., including a new office building, was added to accommodate additional administrative and operations personnel.

City and county government officials, local news media and OSHA representatives attended the event. Cat Forest Products President John Carpenter and LaGrange Mayor Jeff Lukken spoke during the ceremony, which also marked the facility’s 10-year anniversary.

Dealer-Driven News and Issues

John Deere’s new D-Series swing machines includes three purpose-built models—the 2154D, 2454D and 2954D, featuring “next-size-up” swing systems, a new boom base design, and a smart cooling package.

Each D-Series model features a swing system sized with larger components for extended life and Deere’s smart cooling package which includes a hydraulically-driven, on-demand fan with reversing option for debris management that keeps the machines productive. The fronts have been re-designed, the upper frames strengthened and the boom pin tolerances have been improved.

Crew Foreman Severs Finger While Dismounting Loader

BACKGROUND: A logging crew foreman was working at the logging deck on a hot, dry spring day in the Southeast. He had just completed greasing the knuckleboom loader as part of its normal maintenance.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The 35-year-old crew foreman had been employed by the logging contractor for eleven years. He was considered fully trained, had no accident history, and was wearing personal protective equipment (but not work gloves).

Feller-Buncher Drops Tree Onto Road

BACKGROUND: On a cool winter day in the South, a feller-buncher operator was cutting timber near a straight and flat two-lane state highway. The state highway’s right-of-way, or distance from the road to the tree line, was 50 feet.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The feller-buncher operator was 38 years old and had 15 years of experience. He had participated in ongoing safety training and had never been involved in an in-woods accident.

Logging Entertainment by Tonya Cooner-Vots

It seems that the History Channel’s Ax Men series received mixed reviews from the logging community, at least according to a web poll conducted few months ago by our sister publication, Timber Harvesting and Wood Fiber Operations.

Some found it a chance to tune in to see how western logging is done, others condemned it as “Hollywood sensationalism,” where negative aspects were played up too much and safety literally tossed out the window. Others saw it for entertainment only. My thoughts on it are the same as other reality shows; it can be edited to create the story line desired. That’s got a lot to do with what’s left out versus what’s left in.