Planting for a Minor

[GrB]

Hey, im from Toronto and considering a change in the form of planting out west (bc or alberta.) I'll be 16 years of age march 2005 and quite frankly the everyday school/city life is boring me as far as learning stuff I'll never use and soforth.. I've been mainly a city guy but when I have got out into the wilderness camping and soforth i've enjoyed it.

My plan as it stands, and I have already talked it over with my parents, is to take the second semester of 2005 off and do tree planting or some other outdoor work. I had been planning to take a year off before university to travel anyways, so I guess it'll be a half year. I have already read about every document on the subject online today, including all info on this site and I believe that I do have what it takes mentally and physically. And the money would be really great, I think i also have the ability to get into that "zone" everyone speaks of and get a good number of trees down just from my competative nature with myself. I'd be able to motovate myself to try and plant more trees then yesterday every single day which I think would give me an edge.

My question, after that long buildup, is if you or anyone here has had any experience with having a minor around camp and if you think it will be too much of a problem in a.) getting a job and b.) going through the camp social situations when everyone else is 10+ years older than me. As far as the first, there is a very good chance that I have an "in" in the form of my aunts best friend who has had all 4 of her children work in the treeplanting buisness for quite a number of years now.

Appreciate any advise and great site.

[Scooter]

Well, the first thing you should remember is that even though school seems like a waste of time, you'd be surprised at how useful it is later in life. Make sure you stick it out until you finish high school, at a very minimum, or you may find it very difficult to get jobs in the future.

As far as planting goes at the age of 16, it is pretty uncommon. I would guess that maybe only one in five hundred to a thousand planters start that early. Many of those are the children of company owners or camp supervisors, who almost "grow up" in the industry.

As far as your age is concerned, it shouldn't affect your ability to plant much, if you're in good shape. I've had four or five 16-year olds work for me over the years, after being placed in my camps due to various political connections. Although physically they might be, on average, less capable than the average 20-year old, they usually make up for this with their enthusiasm and their desire to prove that they can keep up with the big boys.

Your bigger problem will be in getting a job. I don't know if a lot of companies would take a risk on hiring someone that young, unless you had family members already working for the company. I can't think of any way around that for you, unfortunately.

As far as the camp social situation, I think you'd be ok. The average age difference wouldn't be as big as you think. The average age in my own camp is usually 23-25 years, a little less this past year, but I have a very "aged" camp compared to the norm. I think in a lot of camps, the average age would be 20-21. Some people would look down on someone that young in camp, but if you aren't arrogant or opinionated, and listen to others talking, they will probably soon come to respect you, maybe even more so than normal, considering the age difference.

So in summary, your age is an issue, but not something that makes it impossible. Work hard, accept the fact that you might not be as strong or fast as the other first-year planters who are a couple years older, and you'll do ok. In the long run, you'll have a head start because of the fact that you started young, since you'd have years of experience by the time you're at the age when most people are just starting. Your hardest problem will definitely be in getting a job.

Good luck ...

[GrB]

Great thanks a bunch.
And I do plan on fully completing high school and then university. In large part because i find alot of my classes quite trivial and non-challenging im kind of looking for a break, and aperantly sinse im already a couple of credits ahead I might not even have to fall behind at all im told. I've talked to both my parents and they dont have a problem with it, and even offered to give financial assistance as far as my startup gear.

I've also talked to my contact and it seems fairly probable that I will be able to get a job through her.

[Scooter]

If you get a job planting and stick it out for several years, it's one of the best ways to pay your way through school, other than scholarships.

[angharad]

so judging by what you have been saying, i, a 16 year old girl with no connections (other than possibly a friends father who owns hayes logging.. i dont think hire their own planters though) would be able to get a job. i believe (strongly believe... but not know because this is something i have never experienced) that i am fit and motivated enough to survive, but i am guessing that i really wouldnt be able to keep up with the rate at which everyone, even most rookies are planting just because im a girl, and im pretty young...
is there anything i can do to raise my chances of getting a job one summer somewhere in bc (i live here)?
this is unrelated to the age thing, but im also wondering if there are any other women who have gone tree planting who could give me a sense of what its like for us, because most of the personal perspectives i have read have been of men.
thanks

[Tessa]

hey, my best friend started planting at the tender age of 15. Planting has way more to do with motivation and your ability to mentally cope with doing the same repetitive task day in day out in the sun/ rain / snow than with your physical size or age. if you are small and unfit you may not be physically able to plant as many trees as a bigger fit person, but if you are more motivated than the bigger person then you can easily highball them every day. it's all mind over matter! I am not a very strong or big girl, and i highballed many a 'tough' guy who bragged about how much weight they could benchpress etc.

[hollyjk]

Im 16 this april and im thinking about going into the whole tree-planting thing next summer, as its a little late to be trying to get a job this year. but id like to know what im getting into, ive read pretty much all there is on the all powerful world wide web, but im still curious, is it a little too much to be asking employers to hire me, a not only young but female worker? i mean i know im a great worker, i grew up with a crapload of huge guys so i know how to handle myself there, im fit and all, really sporty. but still do i have a chance here? any ideas on where i should start?

[kingjames_2nd]

there are really only 2 differences between Male and Female planters.

1) Males are males and Females are females. (ask your parents)

2) girls have a better chance of being hired especially late in the season.

Be warned that testosterone powered meat heads will probably try to take advantage of you, especially if you look "old" for a 16 y/o. that being said you can probably handle your self, a good company and/or forman probably would look out for you, and it's generally not as bad as I am making it out to be.

i am sure you've read the other advice in here too, but a word of advice from a crusty bastard who's been in school way longer than he ever wanted to be, dont quit till you at least get your grade 12.

Ricky from The Trailer Park Boys only ever earned his Grade 10. Do you want to end up like Ricky? or Lucy I guess in your case.

Freedom 35!

- james

[hollyjk]

hahahahaha nice, yeah i can handle myself pretty well when it comes to those man-handling meat heads, not too worried about that.

i seem to find myself finishing school a little early each year, frances kelsey secondary is good that way, so long as you work your ass off. So i can probably start work somewhere anytime after april exams.

why is it easier for girls to get hired late in the season?

[kingjames_2nd]

Traditionally tree planting was predominantly a male only or male majority type avenue. Even now that more and more girls are signing up there tends to be on average more males than females. No one wants to be in a camp full of the same sex, whats the fun in that?

So, near the beginning of the season when most positions are filled and the employer has 2 options : a rookie female or rookie male all they have to do is look at the precentage of males to females in camp. the male precentage will almost always be higher, so they hire another female to even it out.

that is my understanding of it any way.

[Scooter]

I don't like to make generalizations without backup evidence, but it has been my experience, over the years, that first-year male planters are two to three times more likely to quit than first-year female planters. So for the foremen who think that they should try to hire males because they do, on average, tend to put in more trees than females, remember that females can be very valuable for their lower turnover ratios. And yes, a camp with an an even ratio of males to females tends to have better morale most of the time.

[skibum_]

I started planting my first year of university. So I was 18. I think that a lot of rookies are now 18 years old, which isnt that big of a difference from 16. My only recommendation is get in with a company that doesnt party too much. The christian companies are usually good for that and you'd probably feel safer and more comfortable in the atmosphere they provide. I know the son of the company I work for (Haveman Brothers) has been planting since he was 12. Usually he'll plant for a week or too during the spring contract every year. Last year he was 15 and putting in on average 2200 trees (at 10 cents a tree). It's below the camp average, but if you add up the number of days he's planted it equals about a full spring contract. so I dont think the age will affect your performance TOO much, but you may have troubles with the camp life.