[Tayook]

Wow, this turned into quite a thread huh!!

We ran into a hiccup with selling the car. I’ve decided I hate eBay: ) But now that the dust is settled looks like we will end up having a buyer, so it is all working out.

After reading all these posts I have what maybe a testy question……..so here goes………

Being that we are just starting out in this and do not know the viability of this, should we start out by ground skidding? Like I’ve said before, I’ve only ever ground drove. The guys that is willing to help up out has only ever ground skidded logs, he’s driven all kinds of other things, but never hitched onto a cart to skid logs.

Let me know what you guys think, I’m sure you will have lots of feedback!

[Tayook]

Did either of you find an electronic version of the contract you use?

[Tayook]

Found a welder that will give me a quote!!! Woooo Whooo!

I already forwarded the plans from Healing Harvest and am waiting on the others.

I think I am leaning towards the arch that Carl posted. Not sure if this will open a can of worms, but my reasoning is that my daughter would be able to ride along when skidding logs.

How do you guys feel about having children out in the woods with you? Ari does everything with us and we intend on bringing her along.

lol, should I start a new post.

[Tayook]

We are in north central PA, very north, about two miles from the NY border.

[Tayook]

I thought it was odd they wouldn’t take the job either. I know nothing about welding or fabricating so all I did was forward on the plans and ask if they could build the arch. One was a business that did ornatmental staircases and gates, maybe it wasn’t thier thing and the other was a repair shop. I am rather rural and only searched for welders locally. I am sure there are plenty of people who do this in thier shops, but I do not know any welders. We know a few that can do some spot repair work, but would be intimdiated by blueprints, not to mention to busy with farm life: )

On a happy note, I’ve contacted the folks at Farmer John’s, they are actually only about and hour and 20 minutes north of us! Hopefully they will be able to help or point us in the right direction.

I have googled Forest Manufacturing before and have not found anything related to horse logging? Do you know if they have a website? I have read though a few pieces that have featured thier arches.

[Tayook]

When you say contract do you mean an actual hard copy contract or do you mean verbal/handshake?

If you mean hard copy contract are you willing to send or post an example of what you use?

Back to the liability lawsuit. What are some things that can happen to allow a land owner to sue you? I can think of some obvious things like felling a tree on thier house.

Also, do you have “rules” for the land owners when you are working on thier land. Like don’t come out to chat when the saw is running or things of that nature?

[Tayook]

Getting the LLC looks like it will be a pretty big expense. Just a quick click through of the LegalZoom LLC wizard popped out a $702 fee for filing and what not.

[Tayook]

I was just on thier website and there is nothing about draft being available. Sent them an email.

[Tayook]

We went and talked to the retired guy on Friday night. We were there for 3 1/2 hours and only left because little one was giving grandma a hard time: ) It was very informing and interesting. He is 72 and has been driving horses his whole life. He had photo albums of all the horses he’s had over the years. It was awesome! His very first team when he was a kid was a pair of jacks. The only reason he is not still in the woods is because he doesn’t trust himself anymore, says his body just don’t keep up with his mind anymore: ) I was a bit sad for him, I can’t imagine not being able to do what I love so much.

Anyway, he offered to help set us up with everything we need to get started, aside from another saw. He has so much equipment that he no longer uses. He said a lot of it he would just give to use because it is just going to go to waste and he would rather see someone use it. His brother still trains and sells drafts too! It is a total one stop shop if we decide to pursue it. We left very excited. He even offered to allow us to harness and drive one of the teams he still has and come out in the woods with us when we first get started.

The conversation left us with a couple more questions that he couldn’t answer.

1. He mentioned that some log buys require you to have licenses before they will buy from you. Do any of you need licenses to fell and skid logs?

2. What is the ideal size saw to use? We have a Husky 455 Rancher (56cc). It has an 18 inch bar, but can go up to 20.

[Tayook]

So a loggign arch is not needed? Is there something else that can be used to make skidding easier when only using one horse?

[Tayook]

lol, forgot to post the link.
http://www.tworiverstimber.com/

Another question. How are sawlogs sorted? Does each truckload of logs need to be the same species and grade, or do the trucks just get loaded with everything and then sorted at the mill?

[Tayook]

Thank you for the replies!!!

To answer a few questions. We live in northcentral PA right on the NY border, so we would be operating in norther, PA, southern NY. We do not have any of the equipment needed to start a logging operation, only the means to house the horses.

We have been in touch with someone that logged with horses a little while back. He stopped doing it because he reached retirement age, not because he was out of work, which seems like a good sign. We were told about him through the repair place we take our saws, we have yet to talk directly to him, but it is in the works. He may even be willing to sell the equipment to us, Toby is going back sometime this week to see when we can chat with him.

Presently, my husband is the one with the benefits package through work, so him keeping his job while I do this does not seem feasible. I don’t think we would be able to do this seperately anyway, it would lead to resentment.

I am posting a link to a local mill in our area in hopes of getting some feedback on thier operation and log prices they offer. There is another that is relitively close that I am trying to get info on. Do you usually have a few mills you sell to depending on where you are working or do you use just one. I am also looking into trucking companies, I have info on a couple, but have not contacted them yet.

[Tayook]

Wow! I just spent an hour and a half reading this entire post. My head is spinning, I love it. I think I will need to read through it at least one more time to truly appreciate it.

My initial conclusion is that charging by the hour/day is the model that will provide the most stability. But I am drawn to the sliding scale because of the interdependence it will create between me and the land owner.

Charging by the hour/day leaves to door open for the land owner to treat me as an employee and dictate how I do my work, where as the sliding scale means that the land owner will need to trust and respect me enough to effectively do the job and eventually create a profit for all involved.

A major reason Toby and I want to make this a reality is that we are tired of working FOR someone. I hate going to my office, making someone else money, and at the end of the day feeling like I have accomplished nothing. Instead we want to work WITH people to actually accomplish something and make and impact.

At the end of the day I want to be able to say—look! I did that, and the work I did today will have an impact on the future…………and actually making a living doing it would be nice!

One can always dream: )

[Tayook]

I have no idea how I have not come across your website!! I am sure I must have, but for some reason didn’t look around! So much to read!

Looking forward to your reply!

[Author]

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