A video from a landowner

A letter from another satisfied landowner

Deciding to harvest our trees was not an easy decision. My family owns over 25 acres of woods that my parents bought over 50 years ago.  What is unique about our woods is that we have spent a lot of time making maple syrup from over 800 hard maple trees. A year ago I installed permanent tubing to collect the maple sap from about 500 maple trees. I am very passionate about the woods and especially the maples. I had to very careful to find the right people that I could trust to do the job.

I had four timber buyers walk through our woods and allowed them to bid on many walnuts, a few oaks, and a few cherry. I continued to look for other options because I was not satisfied with the offers I was receiving and did feel like they understood how important it was not to damage the maple trees.  I did some more research and learned that Tri- State had won an award for the best logging in the state of Indiana in 2010.

I made of phone call and talked with Jeff Page. He understood that I needed to make a decision soon so that I would have time to clean up the woods after the harvest and be ready to make maple syrup in February. Jeff told me that Al Meyer would stop by and look at the trees as soon as possible. I talked with Al about the situation of the maple trees and their importance. Al was very understanding reassured me that the loggers were talented enough to avoid damaging most of the trees.  Al and Jeff were also helpful to advise me from a buyer’s perspective and also a forester’s perspective. Education along with experience can make a big difference.

After reaching an agreement, within three weeks the harvesting was to begin. Brett Franklin introduced me to the logging crew and we talked about the importance of the maple trees once again.  There were a few options on where to load the logs and were to skid them out. By this time I was really getting nervous. I thought to myself, “This is the woods that I have walked through all my life and now I am turning these strangers loose with chainsaws and skidders – what was I thinking!”

We ended up having to skid the logs right through the heart of the sugarbush (maple trees).  Which made it even more stressful. I tried to stay out of the woods because of my fears and worries. Al was good to remind me that they were going to do their best.  But I could still hear the chainsaws buzzing and the trees crashing all day long. The roaring of the skidder made me cringe time after time.   But each day after the loggers had packed and gone, I went to look around in the woods at what they had done. Each day I was pleased with their care and accountability. I believed they were truly doing the best that they could.  There were a few situations where I was totally surprised that certain trees were not wiped out. They really had done a great job.

I would strongly recommend Tri-State to anyone wanting to sell timber. I believe that they will do their best for you. Give Al or Jeff a call and let them advise you on your timber and your forest. I really appreciated working with them on a decision that was not at all easy for me to make.

Bill Stockberger
Stockberger Sweetfarm
Hagerstown, Indiana