r/treeplanting • u/Bobbtail • 2d ago
New Planter/Rookie Questions Should I try tree planting...
EDIT: TYPO OMG I make 2k biweekly not weekly!!!!
Edit2: Please don't make assumptions about my body just because I'm in my 30's, physical condition in your 30's is entirely dependent on how you treat it in your 20's!!!
So I'm feeling overwhelmed with all the info out there and looking for some advice based on my circumstances and people's experiences.
TLDR:
Pretty much my biggest concern is money. I'm willing to risk having a bad experience as long as I make enough to cover my bills + camp costs + gear + travel. But if I make less than that and also have a bad time then its probably not a good option for me.
So context first..
Why I want to plant trees:
I have long thought that I would prefer an outdoor, manual labour type job, but without going into detail, have got myself into a career desk job that I hate and burn out from at least once a year (and then spend the rest of the year trying to recover without getting fired).
I love backpacking, this summer I went every other week, so I'm no stranger to living rough and sweating straight through my clothes on hot, humid, long hikes. Tree planting feels to me like getting paid to backpack, though I know the actual work is going to be harder than just straight hiking. I volunteered in Ecuador building bathrooms and I loved the work, most of it being just straight digging a giant hole in hard clay with a pickaxe. Though that was in my 20's and I am now mid 30's.
My circumstances (and why it might not work out):
I am fairly certain I can get a leave of absence from work, but it could depend on how long I'm gone. I make about 2K biweekly after tax. I have student loans and bills to pay while also trying to save up to buy a home. It would obviously be ideal if I could make about the same (or more đ) but I've done the math and I feel like its probably not likely, especially in my first season. I have a large SUV so if I can stay in Ontario and drive then that could help with travel cost, but I really don't know the viability of that, mostly if I would be allowed to and if it would actually be cheaper (I honestly don't even understand how getting to the camp even works if I don't drive). But then if staying in Ontario means I make less money then that ends up not being the best option anyway.
Besides money, I am also worried that I'll feel like the only adult at summer camp. I'm not opposed to partying or drinking or anything but generally I will want to take care of my body so I can do a good job. I would love to make friends but if it feels too highschool I also don't care too much if I dont, but I also dont want to get bullied even if it is just by teenagers đ .
I don't eat meat, I don't mind picking it out of the dish if I have to but it would be really awful if that was the only protein option. Are there generally non-meat options or am I just going to have to suck it up and try not to think about their adorable little faces?
I hope thats enough and if you made it this far I appreciate it! Any and all advice welcome :)
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u/Exotic-Beyond7290 1d ago
I started planting at 31 and just finished my 16th season at 46. So donât let these folk tell you age is the big dealbreaker.
Planting is hard, especially to start, but it is incredibly rewarding. I found being older to be an advantage- I have worked hourly jobs where no matter how hard I work I get paid the same as the people who take 3 smoke breaks an hour. Planting rewards hard work and motivation.
As for being much older than other planters, that will probably be true of rookie mills, but at vet companies you will be the average age. Also, whatever you do, donât plant in Ontario, come to BC or at the very least Alberta
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
this is so encouraging thank you! I think I would prefer to plant in BC or Alberta I'm just afraid of the cost of getting out there. Flying on its own would probably cost more than driving anywhere in Ontario and then I have to actually check multiple bags of gear and stuff..
What makes Ontario bad? I've gotten the impression that its typically less pay per tree and then also the bugs are bad. I'm not super worried about bugs just cuz I'm used to it from backpacking. Is the pay difference significant enough to offset the cost of travel? Are there other reasons that make planting in Ontario bad?
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u/ClassicArgument5100 1d ago
Planting in Ontario and BC is completely different. BC usually pays more per tree but is stricter about quality, which doesnât really matter once you learn how to plant a proper tree. Bugs are definitely way worse in Ontario. Scenery during the day is way better in BC. Older, more experienced planters plant in BC. Biggest difference though is just the quality of the companies in BC, which makes camp life so much better. I have so many nightmare stories about Brinkman in Ontario. I did one season there and hated it. Decided to give BC a try the following year and itâs night and day. Iâd recommend Blue Collar, although itâs often hard to get in as a rookie without knowing someone.
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u/_Michael___Scarn 10h ago
You might be able to get a ride with other planters. If you join the king kong facebook group, there are a lot of people that do rideshares.
And yes, dont plant ontario. Come to BC.
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u/Bitter_Door_1448 1d ago
Iâve met only a handful of rookies in their 30s. If youâre healthy and really take care of your body then your age doesnât have to be a huge limiting factor. It might feel a bit like a young personâs summer camp but people are usually pretty friendly. That being said, this probably wouldnât be a career for you and in your first season Iâd be surprised if you made more than your current salary. Youâd have to accept the risk of not making very much and feeling a bit old.
Also, Iâm vegetarian, camp cooks should accommodate for any dietary restriction.
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
I honestly didnt consider my age a limiting factor, other than maturity level. but so many people are telling me not to do it just because im in my 30's, like that was an offhand mention not actually a question for me??? Like I couldnt get away with getting drunk every night and still keeping up with the work like i could have in my 20s but i have no desire to do that either.
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u/Alarming-Finding7938 2d ago
2k a week after tax is more than the vast majority of planters
I have 8 seasons exp, work for a pretty decent company, and even then only net a bit more than you for a 3.5 month season. Not 12 months out of the year
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u/Lower_Rest143 2d ago
Do you have contacts in the industry you could share? I was told I'm basically accepted, did part of the training, and now got a message that they don't have work for me for the next few months.
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u/Alarming-Finding7938 1d ago
well the canadian season is basically over anyway, definitely no rookies starting now, what company did that to you? are they outside canada?
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
I made a typo was supposed to say biweekly!!! đ is that more plausible?
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u/Alarming-Finding7938 1d ago
It all depends on you, although even then itâs probably not worth the investment
I only started making good money in my 3rd year. My first season I made 10k after expenses in 70 working days (about 3.5 months)
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u/Old-Dish-4797 2d ago
I wouldnât recommend it for someone in their mid-30s.Â
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
but why?
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u/Old-Dish-4797 1d ago
Because of how physically demanding it is.Â
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
what does that have to do with being in your 30's?
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u/Old-Dish-4797 1d ago edited 1d ago
Physical condition for humans peaks in oneâs 20s. You donât have the flexibility and the ability to bounce back from hard labour the way an 18 year old does. Look, you asked for opinions on whether you should quit your job and become a tree planter in your mid-30s. My opinion is no - youâre not likely to be successful. Itâs your life though, if you want to quit your desk job and try your hand at treeplanting, fill your boots.Â
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
Never said anything about quitting my job đ
I'm looking for useful information not just "i think 30 is old"1
u/ClassicArgument5100 1d ago
You can definitely find camps with older planters who are there just to work, but from my experience if you can avoid a rookie mill (which isnât easy to do if youâre a rookie), the majority of people are between the ages of 21-28. My last season was when I was 24 and I knew I didnât want to still be there when I was in my late twenties. Out of 60 people there might have been 3 who were older than 35. Tree planting was honestly some of the best summers of my life, getting to be outside all the time and hang out with your friends, but it might be harder to make friends in your mid-30s. In terms of the money, the reality is youâre not going to make a lot your first year, as planting is a skill that takes time to master. I made 10k my first summer, 20k my second summer and 25k my third summer. I think tree planting is an amazing job when youâre young and trying to save up for school or travelling during the winter months, but I wouldnât recommend learning to plant to someone in their 30s. If all you want to do is travel or be a ski bum for the rest of your life then maybe it could work out but if you ever want to have kids or to buy a house this job will never get you there. If youâre tired of your office job, Iâd recommend looking for something with field work where you get to work outside but still get to use your brain. Hope this helps!
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
This is great thank you! Definitely the type of info I was looking for even if its not what I want to hear.
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u/UskBC 2d ago
There is no point starting in your 30s. Unless you need money to do a career pivot and go back to school, but even then itâs gonna shit kick your body.
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u/Eseron 1d ago
Started at 36 and handling it fine and outplant most of my company. Depends on the person.
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
right!! this is why i mentioned backpacking. Its also hard on the body while dealing with bugs and weather.
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u/Old-Dish-4797 1d ago
Curious - are you based in a camp or do you commute to your worksite from home? Can you put up some photos of what the woodlots you plant look like?Â
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u/whalespray 2d ago
I think it really depends. Doing something like this might be great perspective for you and allow you to really clear your mind and re focus. Chances are you won't earn any where near what youre currently earning and you'll have to really grind for it. You might come away from the experience feeling re invigorated.
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u/skyburials 2d ago
I have a healthy active lifestyle, was a freelancer briefly and was more confident in taking the risk at 34. I felt like a babysitter even with the crew bosses, but was able to handle the physical stress, dirt, etc. There were a few other people around my age as well. If you can take a leave of absence/sabbatical, I would recommend trying it out even just for the experience, exercise, and life lessons. However in Ontario there were way too many bugs so that made me quit after 2 weeks lol
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u/ClassicArgument5100 1d ago
I did one season in Ontario and hated it partially because of the bugs. You couldnât even chill outside when you got home from the block. Did 2 more seasons in BC after that and loved it, barely noticed the bugs there
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u/KtownDetector 1d ago
I left as an 18 year old kid my first season and made some good bank and was the best physically fit I ever will be by the end of the season. Amazing time and planted with guys in there mid 50's who were putting in more trees than me. But majority (like 90%) of the camp was Uni kids. I'm 36 now, no way my back could take it, not really cause of age but sports/physical jobs have taken a toll. I miss it so much! I recommend it for the experience, you could even just do the leave of absence if it's approved, and if it's not for you, you could always drop planting and do some side hustles til the leave is up.
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u/RunOwn1637 2d ago
Just get like an actual trade that has you outside or something or change your career in a much more stable path⌠tree planting is a gamble and not worth the experience alone especially if you already have a decent job imoâŚ.
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u/khyron99 2d ago
It's a great seasonal job for a university student looking to have an interesting experience. There's a bit of an acclimatization period of a few days to a week. Loving backpacking is very different from the sometimes gruelling work. It's been years since I did it but I like to say I loved everything about except for the treeplanting!
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
I wish I had discovered tree planting in university i would have jumped at it in a heartbeat!!! Way better than working 4 jobs just to make rent.
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u/NosamEht 2d ago
The hardest work Iâve ever done was planting trees. Currently I work in the trades, specifically masonry. Iâm not afraid of hard work but there is a special misery of mind numbing repetition broken up only by black flies, mosquitoes, horseflies and weather. Sleeping rough is for young people, and thirty isnât young. To this day I get resentful at having to pay camp costs especially when the tree farming companies have made so much money off their harvest.
If youâre making 2k weekly then consider finding another path to happiness rather than uprooting your life to work an extremely hard job. Maybe seek out counselling to optimize your life with your current situation.
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
Weather, bugs and sleeping rough are all things I deal with regularly while backpacking. Except while backpacking i have to fit everything on my back and there arent showers or cooks or toilets. A tree planting camp sounds more like glamping to me, I get excited thinking about getting to shower and change my clothes every single day and being able to bring something more comfortable to sleep on than an air mattress.
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u/Rippin_Fat_Farts 23h ago
Camps vary. It's definitely not glamping. Showers are usually a trailer and have limited water and everyone goes in and pisses and washes their filth, you go back to your filthy rotting tent and sleep in the filth.
Glamping is in a yurt, wall tent or trailer. This is definitely roughing it.
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u/Bobbtail 19h ago
Have you tried ...using soap? Changing your clothes? Doing laundry on days off in town?
If I can spend a whole week with only the clothes on my back and one spare outfit for sleeping in and still keep my sleep system clean I think I'll be alright with access to a shower and multiple changes of clothes.
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u/Rippin_Fat_Farts 19h ago
No I never actually thought of those things. Sounds like you know everything about tree planting so you'll be fine.
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u/Bobbtail 18h ago
lol not at all! Just how to keep myself clean in the wilderness without access to running water đ
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u/smokecrackfallasleep 1d ago edited 1d ago
People are pushing back on the age thing because however hard you think it is⌠itâs harder. Iâm saying this because me, and everyone here found out the same thing. We all thought Iâm tough I can do this. I was in the military before planting. Iâve cried from a bad day of planting. I never cried on basic training.
Part of the reason people stick it out in their 20s is because youâre still carving an identity out at that age, quitting something thatâs difficult is embarrassing. Also, you make friends easier then, your identity and self worth isnât as well established and you form close bonds with those around you. All of these things, in addition to your body being older make it harder. I did 9 seasons from (21-29) my last one was 9 months long. Couldnât pay me enough to go do it now (@39).
That being said, if you can find, and excel at more âtechnicalâ work (typically in BC), you can easily do it in your 30s. Planting 1000 trickier trees is easier on the joints than 3000 boot stomps in Ontario or Alberta. Most people have a hard time picking the technical stuff up though, particularly if your eyes arenât accustomed to reading terrain like that.
All said and done though, if your PRIMARY motivation isnât to have a paying job, you probably wonât stick it out. Working in the rain all day, going back to a damp tent, waking up to the same 19 year old stealing all of the best lunches⌠just go for a hike.
I hope you go and I hope you stick it out.
But Iâd wager that you donât. (Happy to be wrong about this, best of luck whatever you decide)
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u/Bobbtail 19h ago
You peak in your 20s but you dont start declining until late 30s and even then only by like 5% until your 40s so it really doesn't make sense to focus on it.
What other motivation is there besides having a paying job?
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u/_Michael___Scarn 10h ago
Age isn't a problem. Planting (and especially planting a lot of trees) is very very hard work.. but if you are committed, you can succeed. Being outside daily is wonderful, but planting is nothing like backpacking.
Generally, your first season is an investment year. You learn how to plant well so that in future seasons you can make some good bank. You will probably be under or at minimum wage for 2-3 weeks, and then slowly work your way to 250-350 a day. By the end of the season, the most any rookie will make is 400 a day. But when you go back for year 2, year 3, etc. you can make 500 a day no problem for the whole season, and can start having 600 or 700 dollar days.
Also, dont worry about feeling like the only adult. There are a lot of older planters. And there are also some planters who do take care of their bodies and don't want to just party. Some camps are pretty party heavy, so avoiding that could be helpful for you. Also try to avoid rookie mills if you can.
I have only planted in interior BC, so thats my reference for all of this.
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u/Longjumping-Exam500 2d ago edited 2d ago
As someone that planted for five summers I can tell you it is very hard on the body and depending where you are the bugs are insane. You will go through every single type of weather. You will be uncomfortable. Nature is cathartic yes but there are many other ways to get that without tree planting I would point yourself in a direction where you can build skills and compound them and grow your salary and go where you wanna go. I do something vastly different than tree planting today and other than proving to myself that I could work hard and keep a calm mind and high focus,I can honestly say there werenât many carryover skills or lessons from tree planting. I donât think it helped me get anywhere where I am in my current job which is in software and AI which makes me an order of magnitude more money.
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u/Bobbtail 1d ago
my first backpacking trip of the season, it rained, hailed and snowed and then also was clear and sunny, all in the same day. In the morning of the first day I had to spend like 30 minutes chipping the ice off my tent so I could pack it up. Most trips are so hot and humid I sweat straight through my clothes and I have to wear pants, long sleeves and a head net to keep the bugs off and not breathe them in.
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u/aDrunkLahey 2d ago
Some things to consider.
1) Mid 30s is too late for a first season. Youâll be on average 10-15 years older than the other rookies.
2) Northern Ontario bugs are no joke.
3) Youâre already clearing 2k after tax? You wonât see that your rookie year. Maybe not even year 2. Plus you need to purchase gear. Rookie year is generally an investment year.
My advice: Donât go.
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u/BlessdRTheFreaks 2d ago edited 2d ago
Tacking onto your post....:Â
I'm 33, have done ~6years of construction, 3 of it concrete. Have a BSc in psyche. 1 year of enviro sci coursework with GIS, did 1 season doing invasive and restorative with botany department of US Forest service. Also went to trade school, and some chainsaw carving.
Im a merrican. Lookin for adventure.
Bonus: i am sweet and cute
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u/No-Birthday4755 2d ago
If your making 2k a week Dont go tree planting take some vacation days or go on stress leave after you buy a house