# Christmas Tree Work



## slowp (Nov 6, 2011)

I was wondering if there were any jobs in nearby Christmas tree farms. Wow. I had no idea you need to be able to heft 75 pounds. Are they talking bundles? Why would a Christmas tree weigh 75 pounds? 

I guess it is obvious I know nothing about Christmas trees. 


https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/worksource/ShowJobDetail.aspx?JobID=2180023&SearchID=395853466&Sort=&Direction=&PageSize=25&PageIndex=0&RecordCount=27&Sender=Employment


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## MacLaren (Nov 6, 2011)

I dunno about out there slowp, but my home county of Avery is/was the largest Christmas tree grower in the world. And prolly the hardest work a person could ever get into. I believe they grow Fraser Firs. You may wanna think about making wreaths.


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## 2dogs (Nov 6, 2011)

$8.67 per hour!!? That is an insult!

I will be delivering trees again this year for the SC Host Lions Club and yes the bigger trees, 10' plus, get dern heavy. We sell nice trees and get to see some nice houses.


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## Rounder (Nov 6, 2011)

I was conned into cutting xmas trees for my wife's office today. I think I got ####ed......I didn't get paid anything. As a matter of fact, I know I got ####ed, I had to start a saw on the weekend.


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## Sport Faller (Nov 6, 2011)

mtsamloggit said:


> I was conned into cutting xmas trees for my wife's office today. I think I got ####ed......I didn't get paid anything. As a matter of fact, I know I got ####ed, I had to start a saw on the weekend.



They save out alright? :hmm3grin2orange:


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## 2dogs (Nov 6, 2011)

mtsamloggit said:


> I was conned into cutting xmas trees for my wife's office today. I think I got ####ed......I didn't get paid anything. As a matter of fact, I know I got ####ed, I had to start a saw on the weekend.



Maybe that red truck looks like Santa's sleigh.


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## Rounder (Nov 6, 2011)

2dogs said:


> Maybe that red truck looks like Santa's sleigh.



I'm pretty sure it looked a little silly with a bunch of little fir trees hanging out the back.


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## slowp (Nov 6, 2011)

While driving back from town yesterday, I was wondering if they were having problems like the apple growers on the eastside. The normal source of workers went home and the orchardists were having to hire residents. They claimed to have a shortage of workers, but a newspaper article said they wanted to hire only experienced pickers. I'll try not to get political, but the orchardists did seem to snub the usual labor force that picked prior to 1980, and went to cheaper labor. Lots of us teenagers picked fruit to make school money.

Some of the Christmas tree farms have also used exchange students. Our county is the biggest grower of Christmas trees in the state.


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## Gologit (Nov 6, 2011)

slowp said:


> While driving back from town yesterday, I was wondering if they were having problems like the apple growers on the eastside. The normal source of workers went home and the orchardists were having to hire residents. They claimed to have a shortage of workers, but a newspaper article said they wanted to hire only experienced pickers. I'll try not to get political, but the orchardists did seem to snub the usual labor force that picked prior to 1980, and went to cheaper labor. Lots of us teenagers picked fruit to make school money.
> 
> Some of the Christmas tree farms have also used exchange students. Our county is the biggest grower of Christmas trees in the state.



Go for it. You'll get _paid_ to exercise and it won't last long enough to drive you crazy. If you don't like it you can tramp...you're retired, remember? 

You can practice your Spanglish.


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## slowp (Nov 6, 2011)

Gologit said:


> Go for it. You'll get _paid_ to exercise and it won't last long enough to drive you crazy. If you don't like it you can tramp...you're retired, remember?
> 
> You can practice your Spanglish.



I can lift my the 77 pound Used Dog a half at a time. So, unless a tree has legs and can help some, no can do.


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## floyd (Nov 8, 2011)

Been a spell since I was in the Hood Canal area. Guess alot of those plantations did not replant due to new tax regs on xmas trees plantations.


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## Samlock (Nov 8, 2011)

> JOB REQUIREMENTS:
> *Able to lift 75 pounds on a regular basis
> *Able to work outside in all weather conditions
> *Stand, walk, bend and stoop for the entire shift
> ...



I wonder what kind of criminal background they may require? Would a burglary and a couple of drunk-and-drives do?

I did the Tännebaum work once as I was a kid in Denmark to raise some funds for travelling to the South. Worked in pairs, other half did cutting and hauling, the other half put the tree into a "sock" and threw it on the load. There was 4 different size categories we needed to sort them, the largest mansion size 7-8 feet tall I think might have well weighed 75 pounds. But you had to carry more than one if you wanted to make money. And yes we wanted to! Honestly, I can't imagine how one can expect to get any work out of people paying them by hours! 5 € per hour? A Mid Mongolian one-eyed horse milker will make half more than that! Well, I recall we made it alright in Denmark that winter, although the quality standards made us crazy and we had to pay fee for every not so good tree found in inspection...


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## 2dogs (Nov 22, 2011)

Our trees were supposed to arrive at 08:00 this morning but the only arrivals were Cody and I. The trees are still in Oregon due to a storm. Couldn't get the truck loaded over the weekend. So now the trees won't be here till 08:00 Friday, two hours before the lot opens for business. Friday will be a crazy day trying to have the non-English speaking... exchange students read the tags and sort the trees into species and height. Wish me (my back actually) luck.


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## slowp (Nov 23, 2011)

What? They don't work in the rain in Oregon? You should have ordered Warshington trees. I got stuck behind a Dodge cummings outrageous pickup towing a trailer stuffed full of bundled trees. I've been seeing them go out for a couple of weeks. I now see how those stunted, open grown, large diameter saplings could be heavy. Some look to be almost of a merchantable diameter.


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## 2dogs (Nov 25, 2011)

OK now the trees won't be here till 10:00. Exactly when the tree lot opens! Gonna be a madhouse.


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## jamaicabraden (Nov 27, 2011)

I know Oregon does. I didn't had the chance to visit Oregon but I know that's a great place to go. Anyway, both artificial christmas tree and real trees are great at home.


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## slowp (Nov 29, 2011)

2dogs said:


> OK now the trees won't be here till 10:00. Exactly when the tree lot opens! Gonna be a madhouse.



Is this one of your shipments?

Truck hauling Christmas trees crashes into overpass abutment | OregonLive.com


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## OregonSawyer (Nov 29, 2011)

Ha, they just finished getting that cleaned up as I drove by there this morning on my way to class. Pretty messy.


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## 2dogs (Nov 29, 2011)

Patty the delivery trucks come from the area around Sacto so it could be ours. The next delivery is scheduled for tomorrow at 08:00 so I'll let you know if it happens.

BTW the last delivery was terrible. Broken trees, poor driving, mad drivers, flying turbans. I will explain when I have more time.


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## slowp (Nov 29, 2011)

I guess I could load about 5 into my little pickup and head south if you are desperate. :biggrin:


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## madhatte (Nov 29, 2011)

Noticed an incongruity yesterday. On one side of the freeway, forest. On the other side, a gravel lot full of neatly-bundled Christmas trees. Traffic divided the scene by zero.


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