Summit Reforestation
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        • Fran S
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        • Ben S
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        • Riley T
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        • Madeline T
      • Ryan Vanderlinden >
        • Ryan V
      • Georgia Van Schie >
        • Georgia V
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      • Tim Tchida
      • Jason Krueger
      • Mat Stachura
      • Correne McGregor
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      • Jill Berry
      • Jonathan Brushett
      • Kyle Ellsworth
      • Taylor Fenske
      • Kathleen Fitzpatrick
      • Bryn Gabriel
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    • For First Year Planters >
      • What to bring?
      • Planters Handbook
      • What to Expect from Planting Videos
      • How to Plant Videos
    • Fitness >
      • Ergonomics Studies
      • Physical Demands Analysis
    • Links >
      • Planting Life >
        • What to Expect Planting - A Poem by Laura Luchak
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  • Clients

What to Expect When You Come Planting - A Poem by Laura Luchak


Congratulations, today is your day!
You’re off to great places, you’re off and away.
You’ve decided to tree plant in BC for the summer
Cause hanging at home would be such a bummer.
Plus you heard rumors it’s the thing to do
For good money, good times and a tight knit cool crew.
You have dreams in your head and boots on your feet
You can’t wait to get out there and plant lots of trees!


Except when you don’t, because sometimes you won’t...

There may be some things your friends forgot to mention
Though I’m sure it came from the greatest intention.
The problem is this, as you’ll start to see
It’s different then reminisced faint memory.
They forgot about thorn bushes, rocks, duff and slash
And the brutal hot days when you start to crash.
Or rainstorms and dampness for days on end
Where it hurts to wake up, tie your shoes, stretch or bend.


Then there are fill blocks with naturals galore,
You can’t anticipate that from your idealized dream store.
You’ll walk through grass as high as your chest,
And freeze in the rain if you stop to have rest.
You’ll be sun fucked and burnt till your body is red
Dehydrated as hell with an ache in your head.
Your body will be sore, your boots will be wet,
To wake up in the morning you’ll have to forget.


But it’s not just your body that tears and breaks down,
Your biggest inhibitor will be when you frown.
Your mind is a beast you just have to tame,
In a cyclical, unpredictable, unending game.


And it’s easy to get stuck in the deep scary dark,
Stay there all day, your body in park.
If you don’t take control, it will last even longer,
To escape from this rut, you’ll have to get stronger.


But then when you do, because you know that you will,
You’ll finally understand the great planting thrill.
You’ll start to move faster and sweat even more,
And remember exactly what you came here for.


Tree planting is tough, it’s not for the weak,
You’ll work like a dog till your bones start to creak.
You’ll start to go crazy and sleep not a lot,
You’ll itch and you’ll burn and you’ll wish to get shot.
But don’t be discouraged, it’s not all that bad,
You will be at peace… when you’re not really sad.


For real though, I’m serious, it’s one of a kind,
It’s the best and worst thing that you’ll ever find.


It’s a place full of misfits, weirdo’s like you,
Who think escape from the real world is the right thing to do.
If you’re lucky you’ll come across a Greg, Phil or a Dan
Who may strike you at first in how far off that they stand.
But soon you will realize that they don’t stand so far,
For they are unapologetically just who they are.
And that’s the kind of lesson we are rarely taught,
By some corporate suit or academic big shot.
Stay true to yourself, be honest, don’t bend,
Because who you are is cool as fuck, not something to amend.
Then there are people spreading love in all that they do,
Like the Hannahs and Zay Bears to name just a few.
You may even see moonshadows, full, bright and clear,
With cuddle puddles and smiles, they always bring cheer.


Tree planting is often a metaphor for life,
With many deep lessons about struggle and strife.
Expectations, for example, should never sit too high,
Things that look like cream can often make you cry.
Or taking time on your piece by throwing a plot,
Saves a lot of stress later, so repo you shall not.


At the end of the season you won’t even believe,
Your bank account and friendships, you may start to grieve.
Because the real world, its lame, its stale and redundant
Where treeplanting brings change that's rather abundant
You'll open your mind, your perspective will grow
Your comforts and judgments away you will throw
There’s something to be said about this simple way of living,
In a commune like ours you must be forgiving,
Of different types of people, moods and behavior,
And little things like grilled cheese make Nolan your savior.


Though the money does come with patience and time,
On the days in between you stay at peace with a rhyme.
Like this one, for instance, I wrote in my land,
Instead of pounding through a swollen, cut-up, bruised hand.


So here’s to you rookie! and all you vets too,
To management, owners and all of the crews.
We got through another year… how the fuck?
Back to “real life” now, well that’s going to suck.
We conquered the bush, so raise your glass for a cheer,
And if we’re stupid enough, well, we'll see you next year!


 


Our Services

Tree Planting
Brushing and Spacing
Beetle Probing
Pile Burning
Vegetation Management
Site Reclamation

Planting quality surveys
Silviculture surveys
Camps and Equipment
Rentals

Our Company

Contact Us
Summit News
Information for Clients
Information for Planters


Employment

Experienced Planters 
New Planter Application
Brushing and Spacing
Beetle Probing
Camp Cooks
Crew-boss
Checker

Employees

Payroll questions
Employee feedback
2019 Season Summary
Summit Planter Handbook
Step By Step: A Tree-Planters Handbook
Planting Fitness
For New Planters
Safety Reporting


info@summitreforestation.com

Picture
Picture
  • HOME
  • COVID
  • 2021 Season
  • Earnings
    • 2020 Season Summary
    • 2019 Season Summary
    • 2018 Season Summary
    • 2017 Season Summary
  • Our Team
    • Our Team
    • Crew-Bosses >
      • Nic Brown >
        • Nic B
      • Liam Carroll >
        • Liam C
      • Scott Caruso >
        • Scott C
      • Olivier Chagnon >
        • Olivier C
      • Kelly Clark >
        • Kelly C
      • Steve Dahl >
        • Steve D
      • Tucker Dandenault >
        • Tucker D.
      • Camilla Daniels >
        • Camilla D
      • Klara Goettke >
        • Klara G
      • Jake Gillette >
        • Jake G
      • Owen Lee >
        • Owen L
      • Oliver Lonkay >
        • Oliver L
      • Andrew MacKinnon >
        • Andrew M
      • Jackson Moores >
        • Jackson M
      • Sarah Peacock >
        • Sarah P
      • Cole Roelofsen >
        • Cole R
      • Ezra Saunders-Scholes >
        • Ezra S
      • Quincy Saunders >
        • Quincy S
      • Cory Scott >
        • Cory S
      • Fran Smyth >
        • Fran S
      • Ben Stuart >
        • Ben S
      • Riley Tchida >
        • Riley T
      • Madeline Thiffault >
        • Madeline T
      • Ryan Vanderlinden >
        • Ryan V
      • Georgia Van Schie >
        • Georgia V
    • Management and Office >
      • Tim Tchida
      • Jason Krueger
      • Mat Stachura
      • Correne McGregor
    • Supervisors >
      • Jill Berry
      • Jonathan Brushett
      • Kyle Ellsworth
      • Taylor Fenske
      • Kathleen Fitzpatrick
      • Bryn Gabriel
  • Resources
    • Management Login
    • Safety Reporting
    • Planter Resources
    • Expectations
    • Leadership
    • Safety
    • Ergonomics
    • Comfort
    • Celebration
    • For First Year Planters >
      • What to bring?
      • Planters Handbook
      • What to Expect from Planting Videos
      • How to Plant Videos
    • Fitness >
      • Ergonomics Studies
      • Physical Demands Analysis
    • Links >
      • Planting Life >
        • What to Expect Planting - A Poem by Laura Luchak
    • Contact Us >
      • Planter Feedback
  • Join Us
    • Experienced Planter Application
    • New Planter Applications
    • Apply Directly to one of our crews
    • Support or Checker
    • Planting Camp Cook
    • Crewboss
    • Brushing
    • Assistant Supervisor
  • Clients