It's poll time 😊 This week it's about your age when you started in Arb 🌳

[KateH]

Hi all, time for another question... we're grateful to all who can take a moment to let us know the number of rings on your tree when you started out.

If you have any comments to add about your age, your journey in arb or anything else please do 😊

Many thanks, Kate & Beccy 👍🌳

Edited December 7, 2022 by KateH

[htb]

38 when I started 61 now and still climbing.

[maybelateron]

Started at 41, now 63 and still climbing. Only because usually climbing is easier work than dragging brash uphill🤣

[MattyF]

16 when is started .. coming up to 45 now.

[Pete Mctree]

22 when I had the misfortune of stumbling across Arb - just turned 50 and don’t feel a day over 60 😎

[Dionysus]

Was 17 going on 70, feel younger now at 33 than I did then.

[devon TWiG]

I went to Merrist Wood at 24  for a one year course from 85-86 , did a bit before then , but there was not really much of an Arb industry then !!  by today's standards anyway.. still do a bit , climb most weeks still and have my own woods to play in 🙂

[Stubby]

I was found in the woods , being not much more than an embryo , nibbling at the base of a hairy Spruce . It all took off from there ....

[Stephen Blair]

Grew up helping my dad do firewood and getting sent up trees to tie a big rope on for the tractor.  Made my first coin at 14 pruning a big cherry tree for an old guy called Mr Grant, he just pointed and that’s where I cut. Did my felling ticket at 19, mucked about on garden small trees until I was 22 then bought my first harness and spikes and went from there teaching myself in the woods around my shack.  Word got about I was the lad who cut trees, got my first job that year for a tree surgeon, lasted 5 weeks as he was an idiot, then got a start as a climber for a better company and that was it, 6 months there on the dead elms then started myself in 1999.  Finally did my climbing tickets in 2008.  Still on the saw and climbing when I can’t get the young ninja subby out.  But prefer sitting in a machine now.47 now.

[gand]

Started hedge laying at about 12 at a local scout camp. Got the bug for trees etc. Started working and getting formal training at 16. Got climbing tickets at 18, and retired from arb work at 38. I now stand behind a counter flogging chainsaws and climbing gear, talking shite about jobs gone by. Generally complaining about how much my body aches now I've stopped climbing and getting fat. So retired life's not treating me to bad.