Career – Independent Harvesting Contractor

John has been doing this job, commercial thinning and selective harvesting, for 15 years. His training has been on-the-job, beginning by working with his father in various woods operations. Now an independent owner-operator, John and his crew work in shifts on his harvester. This machine works 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. John owns his single-grip harvester, and has its cost worked into his 8 year business plan. He’s also the mechanic for the machine. His wife, Anne, does the bookkeeping and plans out the site’s cutting map for him according to the prescription and check list the forester has given him.