At 59 What type of tree job would you take?

tomstrees

tomstrees

Participating member
I have been working part-time at Home Depot.

This is the busy season, though I have limited my hours to the weekend generally.

I put in some applications at tree work companies and landscaping. One is a groundsman; another is landscaping maintenance company with 100 accounts; another was True Green which is more of a lawn application company from what I have seen.

I just turned 59; I'm tall and in good shape. Emotionally I am going through a situation with a sister who was refusing dialysis and is now in a rehab/rest facility where she is pretty touch and go. I want to help her within reason when I can with visits.

What type of work would you be comfortable with this set of background circumstances? This is Fairfield County CT, high income demographic, average household income around $200K. When I was running my own tree and landscape company I could make good money. Most of these jobs are around $15 an hour. I don't want to get worn out always working, or just doing busy seasonal work and then find myself in a different situation during the slowdown.

Also how about supervisory vs. non-supervisory labor positions. How do you get the former with less drudgery and better pay? Thanks for any input.
 
There are 100 ground jobs but only 1 climber job. If you are in good physical shape and sturdy on your feet, a good ground man does 99 different jobs. Make yourself indispensable by being mechanically proficient in fixing trucks, saws, trailers ect. Know how to sharpen saws and blades. Be the ground man that has both hands full of work, never waiting around yammering . Always busy doing something that looks like forward progress. Pulling the most foliage with both hands and a rope drag. I'm 62, I trim coconut trees yet ive done it all. The most valuable co-workers are fast, accident free, drive safely,complaint free, bad habit free, quiet, anticipate the climbers needs well, are mechanically inclined, tie knots good and quick. Don't stand around with their hands on their hips, come to work fully equipped with food water-extra clothes-equipment-money ect. It's real easy to be invaluable, this line of work doesn't attract societies finest. You'll no doubt work with morons, pot heads, tweekers, drunks and jailbirds. Just be a normal responsible person and you'll shine
 
Why not look for a job doing bids for a larger company? Talk up your experience. You ran your own conpany, so you know better than most what a company needs to thrive. If no one is advertising for sales openings, call around or send out resumes and get on their radar.
 
Would you ever want to get into landscaping, if you are skilled and prefer tree work? I interviewed for one last weekend. There is something about having to babysit lawns, spring fertilizing with chemicals, many of them unnecessary, that turns me off.
 
Maybe get the study material and focus on learning and becoming a certified arborist. Sure couldn't hurt, and if your area is like mine, it could separate you from alot the competition and likely open up some other paths in tree care besides just the skilled labor part.
 
I took the course and the test once; actually the services have more licensed arborists than they need, it's the climbers they need. Many of the courses now are done in Spanish as most of the tree workers are Hispanic.
 
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