Unregistered how's it going?

jmcg.insight.gardens · 6th April 2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

I like your horse Julie! lol!

what's wrong with my horse?............he's cheap to run and I've owned every other colour, 'cept grey, bout time I had one.

Kinda like him.

Julie

sueann · 6th April 2010, 09:32 PM

Holy smoke Ekka! none of those guys had any idea! so what chance do I have of working it out!

Julie your horse is lovely haha! and very fast too!

Increment core sounds vicious. Look at this lovely tree, it's not the biggest here by a long shot but it is one of my favourites.

sueann · 6th April 2010, 09:44 PM

[you] how's it going?-100-acre-paddock.jpg

I would love to know how old she is.

Eric Frei · 6th April 2010, 10:15 PM

What sort of tree is it?

sueann · 7th April 2010, 10:10 AM

I don't really know but next time I ride out that way I'll take some pics of the leaves as I have figured out you need the leaves to identify trees.

The reason I am fascinated with this tree is because I think, long ago, someone lived there and had a garden and some sort of house. I found 2 old old bottles there but this is in the middle of the bush, totally inaccessible by road, you can only get there by 4wd, motorbike/quad or horse.

You can see by these pics how wild it is there but there is a jacaranda tree right beside this big old tree, and I think the jacaranda has been pruned because of the way it has grown. Also, I know jacarandas aren't native, so in the middle of the bush, someone planted one once, and lived there. I have a close up of the trunk (I thought it might be an oak tree, but that's just a guess.

[you] how's it going?-100-acre-paddock-2.jpg

[you] how's it going?-100-acre-paddock-3.jpg

sueann · 7th April 2010, 10:12 AM

[you] how's it going?-100-acre-paddock-4.jpg

There is history there, I just know it!

windthrown · 7th April 2010, 10:52 AM

Boring trees for aging does little damage to them, really. Neither does pounding nails into them. Actually we hammer galvanized nails in trees here that have zinc deficiencies. Looking at your trees, they are about the size of the old oaks on my ex's ranch; California black oaks, and they are 600 years old. Very old for oaks. But not in the thousands of year old age group. Huon Pines can be 2,000 years old and are Australia's oldest living trees from what I have read.

Here in the western states we have several species that are really old, some the oldest known unique trees in the world. Bristlecone pines here are 4,000 years old (oldest known). Juniper trees, Cypress trees, Sequoias and Redwood trees, and some others are in the thousands of years. That is for unique trees though. We have redwood stands here that are clones of the original trees so they could technically go back tens of thousands of years.

The USA also boasts the oldest living trees currently verified, Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva). The largest recorded ring count for a Bristlecone Pine is 4,867 (Guinness World Records - Home of the Longest, Shortest, Fastest, Tallest facts and feats).

Australia can claim a little bit of glory in the age stakes in having the oldest genetically identical stand of trees. While no individual in this stand of Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii) in Tasmania is especially old by world standards, clones of the original tree have stood on the site for at least 10,500 years (DPIW - Native Conifers of Western Tasmania).

Australia may be set to claim the world's oldest tree record, as two specimens of the world's rarest eucalypt, the Mongarlowe Mallee (Eucalyptus recurva), which grow 40 metres apart, may be part of the same original tree. If so, they are estimated to be 13,000 years old! If not, the individuals themselves may be 3,000 years old, making them Australia's oldest trees (DECC | Eucalyptus recurva (a mallee) - draft recovery plan).

Tasmania may have the oldest living plant, King's Holly (Lomatia tasmanica), with a clonal colony possibly up to 43,000 years old (Parks & Wildlife Service - Kings Lomatia).

Fishman · 7th April 2010, 11:44 AM

Yo Ekka! Haven't quite figured out how all this works yet...but I'm a James Beam man all the way, in moderation. As far as the aboricultural industry here, it is in quite deep doo doo! Faced with a series of catastrophic hurricanes, a four year drought, a seventy percent topographical loss of overall tree canopy in S. Fla. and the global economic down turn and you can pretty much get the idea. Not to be a gloom and doomer though, I can jam a little more on me fiddle out in the swamp wit my cracker brothers. Long live my tree brethren!!! Fishman

Eric Frei · 7th April 2010, 11:52 AM

Fishman, sounds bad .... time to move perhaps unless you can do another job.

Treemen need trees to work on.

Fishman · 8th April 2010, 05:12 AM

Ekka, I think I can pursue other avenues. I don't think the industry will ever be what it was but there are many things applicable to aboriculture that will be valuable commodities always. For example the many symbiotic poly- cultures that can and are being created and proven right now. Aquaponics,hydroponics,aquaculture, to name some . These will always need the knowledge and input from an aboricultural view point. It sounds like you guys are realy kickn some butt down there. The storms in the south eastern U.S. realy put some coin in the bank for alot of people in the industry. The biggest mistake I saw was the guys that thought it would keep up and who over expanded their equiptment bases, with alot of it financed or spent alot of storm generated revenue on same. Any how, take care. Fishman

jeffswede · 8th April 2010, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishman

Ekka, I think I can pursue other avenues. I don't think the industry will ever be what it was but there are many things applicable to aboriculture that will be valuable commodities always. For example the many symbiotic poly- cultures that can and are being created and proven right now. Aquaponics,hydroponics,aquaculture, to name some . These will always need the knowledge and input from an aboricultural view point. It sounds like you guys are realy kickn some butt down there. The storms in the south eastern U.S. realy put some coin in the bank for alot of people in the industry. The biggest mistake I saw was the guys that thought it would keep up and who over expanded their equiptment bases, with alot of it financed or spent alot of storm generated revenue on same. Any how, take care. Fishman

I know guys down there in Florida up to their neck in work. How are you marketing? Some adjustments to maybe make and then you can stop blaming the economy. Just my freindly opinion.

Jeff

Fishman · 8th April 2010, 11:58 AM

Where in Florida and what type of aboricultural sevices? I mean like, rural, residential, comm. proporties, geograpical areas of the state ect.

wannab12 · 8th April 2010, 12:50 PM

Just thought I'd drop in and say hello ! not too much going on here,just trying to pick up at little info. here and there. If I can help out I'll "chime in".
Thanks for the good site guys !!

Steve

Bruce Hopf · 8th April 2010, 12:53 PM

I'm just waiting for the weather to clear up, and dry up a bit, so I can get back into the bush again. Bruce.

dov · 8th April 2010, 02:23 PM

The one day that I don't check the radar maps on the bureau of maybeology website it starts pouring down as soon as I get to work. grrr!

jeffswede · 8th April 2010, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishman

Where in Florida and what type of aboricultural sevices? I mean like, rural, residential, comm. proporties, geograpical areas of the state ect.

Your question gives great insight to why you are where you are. Nothing is going to handed to you. With all due respect.
Jeff

tjmartin72 · 9th April 2010, 10:55 AM

Good! Having a frosty cold BEvERage figuring out the site. Looks cool!

Bruce Hopf · 9th April 2010, 09:02 PM

Got home from the hospital a couple of hours ago, after spending 9 hours there, being hooked up to heart monitors, chest x rays, and blood tests.
I have had sever chest pains, going on three days. Good news, is that they ruled out my heart, as the problem. Bruce.

windthrown · 10th April 2010, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjmartin72

Good! Having a frosty cold BEvERage figuring out the site. Looks cool!

Leme know if you figure it out. I have yet to...

I think its all lost in 'Merican and Aussy translation.

Fishman · 10th April 2010, 07:09 AM

Swede. You need to chill a little. I 've been in the aboriculturl industry sin

ce 1979. I built my customer base around high end residential clientel,along with other great associates in the industry. Now, I'll lay damn good odds if you look into the deal down here you'll find ninty some odd percent of the buisnesses are hurting bad,with the exception of a few select contracts, state, fed., ect. Name me a couple of local boys that are kicken ass down here off residential or comm. proporties.I will gladly give credence to your words then.Please don't take offense to my post. I am a peaceful friendly third generation "Forida Cracker". Fish

windthrown · 10th April 2010, 08:03 AM

Yah, its all but dead here. I have had very few jobs lately. I blame the economy, as there simply are far fewer people looking for tree work than there was a year ago around here, and far far less than several years ago. Also everyone that calls me whines about how little money they have, and how my prices are too high. Well, any lower and I may as well stay home and bang on the keyboard here all day.

You can only bleeds rocks for so much. In areas like California, Oregon, Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, things absolutely suck in any industry. In the timber industry here, all but a VERY FEW mills have shut down completely. Arbor work is thin at best. The Mexicans are undercutting everyone for jobs. My last job as an engineer was off-shored to India. Business are shutting down here left and right. Auto dealerships are gone or empty. Banks are failing left and right, and my bank in Maryland was just taken over by the FDIC and the FDIC sent me a check for the money I had in there. In California and Arizona whole towns are boarded up. Literally.

But yah, we should all blame ourselves and get on with it, eh?

LeifR · 10th April 2010, 08:37 AM

Finally spring!

Leif.

jeffswede · 10th April 2010, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishman

Swede. You need to chill a little. I 've been in the aboriculturl industry sin

ce 1979. I built my customer base around high end residential clientel,along with other great associates in the industry. Now, I'll lay damn good odds if you look into the deal down here you'll find ninty some odd percent of the buisnesses are hurting bad,with the exception of a few select contracts, state, fed., ect. Name me a couple of local boys that are kicken ass down here off residential or comm. proporties.I will gladly give credence to your words then.Please don't take offense to my post. I am a peaceful friendly third generation "Forida Cracker". Fish

Sorry Fish, didn't mean to come off offensive. I was just wondering how you are marketing. The whole country is dealing with this economy and some are doing great, I know we are. I was raised in New Smyrna Beach, lived right along the Indian River.
Jeff

Eric Frei · 10th April 2010, 12:53 PM

It's all supply and demand.

If the demand for services drops, and the number of businesses out there remain the same then there's a lot less for all to have.

But what happens in times like this is the number of businesses out there in unregulated work like this industry increases. Johnny who lost his job and Benito who just arrived all migrate to things like odd jobs, dog washing, lawn mowing, tree work etc .... lots more blokes having a crack working out the back of a ute.

Then you get smart and think you'll do what they cant, you'll out market them. So your advertising costs increase, so does your running around and overheads but what you actually get is more of the same, sure a few more quotes to do but "HELLO", the same rock bottom pricing to win the jobs.

Now you get even smarter, you don't want the shotgun style marketing approach that blasts away at the entire market place competing against every man and his desperate hungry dog. You decide to target your marketing, select better clientele, so you target the leafier wealthier suburbs.

But what you find is that this market is also not so buoyant, and well guarded by existing business, you may pick up itinerants in that market but most of it is already spoken for and as they are not price shoppers they generally wont leave their existing tree service unless they are wronged etc.

Now you say, bugger! You still wont give in, you wont be beaten. what is the Holy Grail that can pull you through? No matter what you think of or do I assure you others are either onto it or will copy. If the person who copies has more money they'll blow you out of the water with it and simply do what you do but better as they can afford it.

If you were like most businesses that ran Yellow Pages, Local Papers, dropped flyers etc and the phone rang, you went out and quoted and got the jobs .... well, fact is you will be suffering as the volume of quotes fall along with the prices of winning the jobs.

What is the answer?

1/ Dump your ego.

2/ Dump your pride.

3/ Lower your overheads:- Dump lavish expenses like secretaries, office workers who polish seats so you can go fishing while they work etc. Refinance at lower rates, try to 'cash up" and get out of monthly debts, if you can sell something of low use and use the money to pay off something of high use ... do it. Dump non effective advertising.

4/ Comb your client base for more work.

5/ Every quote you do, talk or drop a flyer to neighbouring homes, same for every job you do.

6/ Raise your education level, try to get into a market that some-how does not allow the hacks to operate in it.

7/ Network with other businesses which may provide work.

8/ Finally, get rid of any staff that undermine you, your business, blab to others ... they're sending out negative messages that need to be severed. Many a company now has fired workers who crap on with their Facebook posts etc.... you need everyone to be positive and promote your business.

This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging periods to go through. The people who think "she'll be right" and it will all get better one day will suffer most. Those who act quickly and adjust have best chances. Go back on the tools yourself and save money plus dramas.

You always hear of people who brag about how great they're doing, do not always believe what you hear. Do not share your tough times or good times with other competing businesses, anything you show will be used against you by some people .... I have heard them, "Oh so you got a quote off bla bla bla, yeah I heard they're going bust be careful" type of stuff, people are self centred greedy pigs for most parts, be very careful.

jeffswede · 10th April 2010, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ekka

It's all supply and demand.

If the demand for services drops, and the number of businesses out there remain the same then there's a lot less for all to have.

But what happens in times like this is the number of businesses out there in unregulated work like this industry increases. Johnny who lost his job and Benito who just arrived all migrate to things like odd jobs, dog washing, lawn mowing, tree work etc .... lots more blokes having a crack working out the back of a ute.

Then you get smart and think you'll do what they cant, you'll out market them. So your advertising costs increase, so does your running around and overheads but what you actually get is more of the same, sure a few more quotes to do but "HELLO", the same rock bottom pricing to win the jobs.

Now you get even smarter, you don't want the shotgun style marketing approach that blasts away at the entire market place competing against every man and his desperate hungry dog. You decide to target your marketing, select better clientele, so you target the leafier wealthier suburbs.

But what you find is that this market is also not so buoyant, and well guarded by existing business, you may pick up itinerants in that market but most of it is already spoken for and as they are not price shoppers they generally wont leave their existing tree service unless they are wronged etc.

Now you say, bugger! You still wont give in, you wont be beaten. what is the Holy Grail that can pull you through? No matter what you think of or do I assure you others are either onto it or will copy. If the person who copies has more money they'll blow you out of the water with it and simply do what you do but better as they can afford it.

If you were like most businesses that ran Yellow Pages, Local Papers, dropped flyers etc and the phone rang, you went out and quoted and got the jobs .... well, fact is you will be suffering as the volume of quotes fall along with the prices of winning the jobs.

What is the answer?

1/ Dump your ego.

2/ Dump your pride.

3/ Lower your overheads:- Dump lavish expenses like secretaries, office workers who polish seats so you can go fishing while they work etc. Refinance at lower rates, try to 'cash up" and get out of monthly debts, if you can sell something of low use and use the money to pay off something of high use ... do it. Dump non effective advertising.

4/ Comb your client base for more work.

5/ Every quote you do, talk or drop a flyer to neighbouring homes, same for every job you do.

6/ Raise your education level, try to get into a market that some-how does not allow the hacks to operate in it.

7/ Network with other businesses which may provide work.

8/ Finally, get rid of any staff that undermine you, your business, blab to others ... they're sending out negative messages that need to be severed. Many a company now has fired workers who crap on with their Facebook posts etc.... you need everyone to be positive and promote your business.

This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging periods to go through. The people who think "she'll be right" and it will all get better one day will suffer most. Those who act quickly and adjust have best chances. Go back on the tools yourself and save money plus dramas.

You always hear of people who brag about how great they're doing, do not always believe what you hear. Do not share your tough times or good times with other competing businesses, anything you show will be used against you by some people .... I have heard them, "Oh so you got a quote off bla bla bla, yeah I heard they're going bust be careful" type of stuff, people are self centred greedy pigs for most parts, be very careful.

Well, that was a mouthfull, I bet it took alot of time and compassion to put to words. I don't know if you were addressing me, but, trees are a liability and if you target market and perform to standards at reasonable rates and have a quality product ( tree work ). the customer will choose quality over a cheap bid. If not, they are not the customer base you are marketing to. We dont have a Yellow page ad, no flyers, not going to drop my ego or my pride, actually none of that crap you said! We don't worry about the the future because we are not paranoid and we are a great company! I just asked about his marketing and you got all pissed! Whats the matter with you?

If you are gonna boot me for this- ok- but I am not dis-respectful.
Jeff
Jeff (swede)
,

sally · 16th April 2010, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Hopf

Got home from the hospital a couple of hours ago, after spending 9 hours there, being hooked up to heart monitors, chest x rays, and blood tests.
I have had sever chest pains, going on three days. Good news, is that they ruled out my heart, as the problem. Bruce.

Hope you get better soon, amazing what they can do to day with new tecnology regardind heart problems.
I was just wondering if you have an intruction manual for a chain saw
mcculloch mac 110 :

Bruce Hopf · 17th April 2010, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sally

Hope you get better soon, amazing what they can do to day with new tecnology regardind heart problems.
I was just wondering if you have an intruction manual for a chain saw
mcculloch mac 110 :

Thanks Sally.
I do appreciate the concern. It turned out to be my Asthma had flared up, and was causing the chest pains.
I was chatting with another person, and she had mentioned to me, about her son having Asthma, and as soon as she had said that, I went and took my inhalers, and after a couple of hours later, the pain started to subside.
I had completely forgotten about, my Asthma, and taking the inhalers (took as I needed them). But now I'm taking them more regularly, almost daily now, which I probably will have to take them, on a daily bases.
As for the instruction manual, I do have a copy of one, that I can scan, and send it to you, by email. Send me a PM, with your email details, and I'll get it scanned, and sent to you. In the mean time, have a great weekend. Bruce.

Treeson · 19th April 2010, 12:36 PM

Had a busy week last week for me anyway.. four days of work and and a couple of kilo's lighter I feel a lot better for it. Had a cracking weekend shame the weather didn't carry on to the saturday my partner and I went for a walk around Cramond which is a great wee fishing villiage just north west of Edinburgh. The best part was finding Samuel Smith's Ales on tap in the Cramond Inn and at a reasonable price.

Will definately make a trip back as we missed the chance to walk out to Cramond Island due to the tidal access and the beer is so good!

Looking forward to a trip up north in two weeks to see the Isle of Skye and explore a bit of the highlands.

Bruce -hope you get a better bill of health and the asthma doesn't play up too long!

Marto · 19th April 2010, 04:26 PM

Hey Ekka,

Things are going well over here but the winter season is creeping in, not good

I noticed that your from Brissy. Do you have any contacts on the Gold Coast? I'm mainly doing line clearance over here but slowly learning how to do tree climbing - challenging but fun! I've been trying to find line clearance contacts on the net but no luck so far.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Cheers,

Marto

sueann · 20th April 2010, 12:19 AM

I'm glad you're feeling better Bruce, chest pains are such a worry.

6th April 2010, 09:32 PM	#1742
sueann Former Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Australia Posts: 599	Re: sueann how's it going? Holy smoke Ekka! none of those guys had any idea! so what chance do I have of working it out! Julie your horse is lovely haha! and very fast too! Increment core sounds vicious. Look at this lovely tree, it's not the biggest here by a long shot but it is one of my favourites. Last edited by sueann; 6th April 2010 at 09:42 PM. Reason: because I want to.

6th April 2010, 09:44 PM	#1743
sueann Former Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Australia Posts: 599	Re: sueann how's it going? I would love to know how old she is.

6th April 2010, 10:15 PM	#1744
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Ekka how's it going? What sort of tree is it? __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

7th April 2010, 10:10 AM	#1745
sueann Former Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Australia Posts: 599	Re: sueann how's it going? I don't really know but next time I ride out that way I'll take some pics of the leaves as I have figured out you need the leaves to identify trees. The reason I am fascinated with this tree is because I think, long ago, someone lived there and had a garden and some sort of house. I found 2 old old bottles there but this is in the middle of the bush, totally inaccessible by road, you can only get there by 4wd, motorbike/quad or horse. You can see by these pics how wild it is there but there is a jacaranda tree right beside this big old tree, and I think the jacaranda has been pruned because of the way it has grown. Also, I know jacarandas aren't native, so in the middle of the bush, someone planted one once, and lived there. I have a close up of the trunk (I thought it might be an oak tree, but that's just a guess.

7th April 2010, 10:12 AM	#1746
sueann Former Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Australia Posts: 599	Re: sueann how's it going? There is history there, I just know it!

7th April 2010, 10:52 AM	#1747
windthrown Former Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In the Great Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,211	Re: windthrown how's it going? Boring trees for aging does little damage to them, really. Neither does pounding nails into them. Actually we hammer galvanized nails in trees here that have zinc deficiencies. Looking at your trees, they are about the size of the old oaks on my ex's ranch; California black oaks, and they are 600 years old. Very old for oaks. But not in the thousands of year old age group. Huon Pines can be 2,000 years old and are Australia's oldest living trees from what I have read. Here in the western states we have several species that are really old, some the oldest known unique trees in the world. Bristlecone pines here are 4,000 years old (oldest known). Juniper trees, Cypress trees, Sequoias and Redwood trees, and some others are in the thousands of years. That is for unique trees though. We have redwood stands here that are clones of the original trees so they could technically go back tens of thousands of years. The USA also boasts the oldest living trees currently verified, Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva). The largest recorded ring count for a Bristlecone Pine is 4,867 (Guinness World Records - Home of the Longest, Shortest, Fastest, Tallest facts and feats). Australia can claim a little bit of glory in the age stakes in having the oldest genetically identical stand of trees. While no individual in this stand of Huon Pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii) in Tasmania is especially old by world standards, clones of the original tree have stood on the site for at least 10,500 years (DPIW - Native Conifers of Western Tasmania). Australia may be set to claim the world's oldest tree record, as two specimens of the world's rarest eucalypt, the Mongarlowe Mallee (Eucalyptus recurva), which grow 40 metres apart, may be part of the same original tree. If so, they are estimated to be 13,000 years old! If not, the individuals themselves may be 3,000 years old, making them Australia's oldest trees (DECC \| Eucalyptus recurva (a mallee) - draft recovery plan). Tasmania may have the oldest living plant, King's Holly (Lomatia tasmanica), with a clonal colony possibly up to 43,000 years old (Parks & Wildlife Service - Kings Lomatia).

7th April 2010, 11:44 AM	#1748
Fishman Sappling Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: S. fla. USA Posts: 12	Re: Fishman how's it going? Yo Ekka! Haven't quite figured out how all this works yet...but I'm a James Beam man all the way, in moderation. As far as the aboricultural industry here, it is in quite deep doo doo! Faced with a series of catastrophic hurricanes, a four year drought, a seventy percent topographical loss of overall tree canopy in S. Fla. and the global economic down turn and you can pretty much get the idea. Not to be a gloom and doomer though, I can jam a little more on me fiddle out in the swamp wit my cracker brothers. Long live my tree brethren!!! Fishman

7th April 2010, 11:52 AM	#1749
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Ekka how's it going? Fishman, sounds bad .... time to move perhaps unless you can do another job. Treemen need trees to work on. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

8th April 2010, 05:12 AM	#1750
Fishman Sappling Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: S. fla. USA Posts: 12	Re: Fishman how's it going? Ekka, I think I can pursue other avenues. I don't think the industry will ever be what it was but there are many things applicable to aboriculture that will be valuable commodities always. For example the many symbiotic poly- cultures that can and are being created and proven right now. Aquaponics,hydroponics,aquaculture, to name some . These will always need the knowledge and input from an aboricultural view point. It sounds like you guys are realy kickn some butt down there. The storms in the south eastern U.S. realy put some coin in the bank for alot of people in the industry. The biggest mistake I saw was the guys that thought it would keep up and who over expanded their equiptment bases, with alot of it financed or spent alot of storm generated revenue on same. Any how, take care. Fishman

8th April 2010, 11:58 AM	#1752
Fishman Sappling Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: S. fla. USA Posts: 12	Re: Fishman how's it going? Where in Florida and what type of aboricultural sevices? I mean like, rural, residential, comm. proporties, geograpical areas of the state ect.

8th April 2010, 12:50 PM	#1753
wannab12 I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: canada Posts: 4	Re: wannab12 how's it going? Just thought I'd drop in and say hello ! not too much going on here,just trying to pick up at little info. here and there. If I can help out I'll "chime in". Thanks for the good site guys !! Steve

8th April 2010, 12:53 PM	#1754
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,176	Re: Bruce Hopf how's it going? I'm just waiting for the weather to clear up, and dry up a bit, so I can get back into the bush again. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

8th April 2010, 02:23 PM	#1755
dov Over mature heritage tree Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Melbourne Posts: 651	Re: dov how's it going? The one day that I don't check the radar maps on the bureau of maybeology website it starts pouring down as soon as I get to work. grrr! __________________

9th April 2010, 10:55 AM	#1757
tjmartin72 I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: California Posts: 1	Re: tjmartin72 how's it going? Good! Having a frosty cold BEvERage figuring out the site. Looks cool!

9th April 2010, 09:02 PM	#1758
Bruce Hopf Veteran Heritage Status Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North of Sebringville, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,176	Re: Bruce Hopf how's it going? Got home from the hospital a couple of hours ago, after spending 9 hours there, being hooked up to heart monitors, chest x rays, and blood tests. I have had sever chest pains, going on three days. Good news, is that they ruled out my heart, as the problem. Bruce. __________________ McCulloch chain saws 1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's, 2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener, 1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver 2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10 Stihl chain saws 2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084, Strunk chain saws 1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

10th April 2010, 07:09 AM	#1760
Fishman Sappling Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: S. fla. USA Posts: 12	Re: Fishman how's it going? Swede. You need to chill a little. I 've been in the aboriculturl industry since 1979. I built my customer base around high end residential clientel,along with other great associates in the industry. Now, I'll lay damn good odds if you look into the deal down here you'll find ninty some odd percent of the buisnesses are hurting bad,with the exception of a few select contracts, state, fed., ect. Name me a couple of local boys that are kicken ass down here off residential or comm. proporties.I will gladly give credence to your words then.Please don't take offense to my post. I am a peaceful friendly third generation "Forida Cracker". Fish

10th April 2010, 08:03 AM	#1761
windthrown Former Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: In the Great Pacific Northwest Posts: 1,211	Re: windthrown how's it going? Yah, its all but dead here. I have had very few jobs lately. I blame the economy, as there simply are far fewer people looking for tree work than there was a year ago around here, and far far less than several years ago. Also everyone that calls me whines about how little money they have, and how my prices are too high. Well, any lower and I may as well stay home and bang on the keyboard here all day. You can only bleeds rocks for so much. In areas like California, Oregon, Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, things absolutely suck in any industry. In the timber industry here, all but a VERY FEW mills have shut down completely. Arbor work is thin at best. The Mexicans are undercutting everyone for jobs. My last job as an engineer was off-shored to India. Business are shutting down here left and right. Auto dealerships are gone or empty. Banks are failing left and right, and my bank in Maryland was just taken over by the FDIC and the FDIC sent me a check for the money I had in there. In California and Arizona whole towns are boarded up. Literally. But yah, we should all blame ourselves and get on with it, eh?

10th April 2010, 08:37 AM	#1762
LeifR Mature tree Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Norway Posts: 285	Re: LeifR how's it going? Finally spring! Leif. Attached Thumbnails __________________ My place - Bjørndalen. http://www.youtube.com/user/MultiVoff

10th April 2010, 12:53 PM	#1764
Eric Frei Admin - Razor sharp and independent 2 X Diploma Level 5 qualified arborist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Brisbane Posts: 12,820	Re: Ekka how's it going? It's all supply and demand. If the demand for services drops, and the number of businesses out there remain the same then there's a lot less for all to have. But what happens in times like this is the number of businesses out there in unregulated work like this industry increases. Johnny who lost his job and Benito who just arrived all migrate to things like odd jobs, dog washing, lawn mowing, tree work etc .... lots more blokes having a crack working out the back of a ute. Then you get smart and think you'll do what they cant, you'll out market them. So your advertising costs increase, so does your running around and overheads but what you actually get is more of the same, sure a few more quotes to do but "HELLO", the same rock bottom pricing to win the jobs. Now you get even smarter, you don't want the shotgun style marketing approach that blasts away at the entire market place competing against every man and his desperate hungry dog. You decide to target your marketing, select better clientele, so you target the leafier wealthier suburbs. But what you find is that this market is also not so buoyant, and well guarded by existing business, you may pick up itinerants in that market but most of it is already spoken for and as they are not price shoppers they generally wont leave their existing tree service unless they are wronged etc. Now you say, bugger! You still wont give in, you wont be beaten. what is the Holy Grail that can pull you through? No matter what you think of or do I assure you others are either onto it or will copy. If the person who copies has more money they'll blow you out of the water with it and simply do what you do but better as they can afford it. If you were like most businesses that ran Yellow Pages, Local Papers, dropped flyers etc and the phone rang, you went out and quoted and got the jobs .... well, fact is you will be suffering as the volume of quotes fall along with the prices of winning the jobs. What is the answer? 1/ Dump your ego. 2/ Dump your pride. 3/ Lower your overheads:- Dump lavish expenses like secretaries, office workers who polish seats so you can go fishing while they work etc. Refinance at lower rates, try to 'cash up" and get out of monthly debts, if you can sell something of low use and use the money to pay off something of high use ... do it. Dump non effective advertising. 4/ Comb your client base for more work. 5/ Every quote you do, talk or drop a flyer to neighbouring homes, same for every job you do. 6/ Raise your education level, try to get into a market that some-how does not allow the hacks to operate in it. 7/ Network with other businesses which may provide work. 8/ Finally, get rid of any staff that undermine you, your business, blab to others ... they're sending out negative messages that need to be severed. Many a company now has fired workers who crap on with their Facebook posts etc.... you need everyone to be positive and promote your business. This is undoubtedly one of the most challenging periods to go through. The people who think "she'll be right" and it will all get better one day will suffer most. Those who act quickly and adjust have best chances. Go back on the tools yourself and save money plus dramas. You always hear of people who brag about how great they're doing, do not always believe what you hear. Do not share your tough times or good times with other competing businesses, anything you show will be used against you by some people .... I have heard them, "Oh so you got a quote off bla bla bla, yeah I heard they're going bust be careful" type of stuff, people are self centred greedy pigs for most parts, be very careful. __________________ Protect your rights to work - Join Australian Tree Association My businesses:- Qualified Brisbane Tree Lopping \| Stump Grinding Brisbane \| Brisbane - Gold Coast Consulting Arborist

19th April 2010, 12:36 PM	#1768
Treeson Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 177	Re: Treeson how's it going? Had a busy week last week for me anyway.. four days of work and and a couple of kilo's lighter I feel a lot better for it. Had a cracking weekend shame the weather didn't carry on to the saturday my partner and I went for a walk around Cramond which is a great wee fishing villiage just north west of Edinburgh. The best part was finding Samuel Smith's Ales on tap in the Cramond Inn and at a reasonable price. Will definately make a trip back as we missed the chance to walk out to Cramond Island due to the tidal access and the beer is so good! Looking forward to a trip up north in two weeks to see the Isle of Skye and explore a bit of the highlands. Bruce -hope you get a better bill of health and the asthma doesn't play up too long!

19th April 2010, 04:26 PM	#1769
Marto I'm new here so be nice Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: New Zealand Posts: 4	Re: Marto how's it going? Hey Ekka, Things are going well over here but the winter season is creeping in, not good I noticed that your from Brissy. Do you have any contacts on the Gold Coast? I'm mainly doing line clearance over here but slowly learning how to do tree climbing - challenging but fun! I've been trying to find line clearance contacts on the net but no luck so far. Any help would be much appreciated! Cheers, Marto

20th April 2010, 12:19 AM	#1770
sueann Former Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hunter Valley Australia Posts: 599	Re: sueann how's it going? I'm glad you're feeling better Bruce, chest pains are such a worry.

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