The official "Welcome New Members" thread!

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Allow me to introduce: Forest Keepers Tree Care

Well, I guess we're due for a "formal" introduction to this informal bunch!

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<spiel>We started providing quality tree care to the Cape Cod, Massachusetts area in 1997 as a group of talented, highly skilled individuals from all backgrounds in the tree care industry. "Forest Keepers" was the name we chose, because it summed up the essence of what mankind is meant to do: keep the earth, tend it, cultivate it. One of the key founders had worked for Davey Tree as a climber doing line clearing and residential work. He has over 30 years of climbing and arbor care experience, and has passed on that knowledge & wisdom to his son. His son worked on the tree crew in Mass. for a number of years as a climber, before heading westward to start a new "branch" of the business in the Kansas City metro area.

So now Forest Keepers Tree Care is a local family owned company based in Lawrence, KS. We run the gamut, from large and hazardous removals to fine pruning of ornamentals. We specialize in climbing which enables us to access trees in any location; in fact, we don't even own a bucket truck yet! We also have years of experience in technical rigging (with our GRCS, blocks, lowering ropes, winch, etc.). In many cases, trees grow in places that can be very challenging when it comes time to prune or remove them, but our climbers can access anything when a bucket truck is of no use. We have extensive knowledge and experience when it comes to high risk situations (power lines, roofs, structures, or dead & decaying trees). We tend to get the mid to high-end jobs in our area, especially challenging removals that other companies don't want to touch (dangerous, difficult, dying trees).

We have done specialty work from California to Massachusetts, and hurricane relief and storm cleanup from Florida to Michigan. We are now offering world-class arboriculture at affordable prices to the residents of Lawrence & Topeka, KS, and the greater Kansas City metro area (50 mile service radius).</spiel>​

Equipment
2004 International chipper truck (33,000GVW, custom dump body)
1986 Western Star log grapple truck (64,000GVW, 10,000 lb. lift capacity)
Vermeer BC1800XL chipper w/winch
Vermeer SC252 stump grinder
Stihl MS 200T, 201T, 020 climbing saws
Husqvarna 346XP, 372XP, 395XP ground saws
Stihl HT133 power pruner
Silky hand saws, Marvin pole pruner
Full complement of climbing & rigging gear
Petzel helmets with Sena communicators

We're looking to acquire a 75' Terex bucket truck next, as well as upgrading our F-150 truck to an F-250 diesel, with a dump trailer and a mini skid steer (Vermeer or Ditch Witch) with log grapple.

As for me personally, my initials are G.P. and we joke that it stands for "general purpose." I drive the chipper trucker, run the equipment, grind the stumps, buck up logs, do equipment & saw maintenance, and more. I don't climb due to foot & joint issues (I'm fully in the over-40 club), but I have a love and appreciation for the art & skill of climbing. Our team is tight-knit and we aren't locked into fixed job roles. At any point, we meld into functioning in whatever capacity is needed at the moment to get the job done. Once on the ground, our climbers jump right in with the ground crew, hauling brush and logs as needed. It's really a great team we have, and we have a good time together.

I also do web hosting on the side and put together web sites and handle SEO, manage servers, and do general IT work. I put together our Forest Keepers web site amongst a handful of others.
Glad to be up in The Tree House with everyone here!
 
That's a long ass name to type out... I'm sticking with GP.
It's funny, our company initials are FK -- which can be an abbreviation for something else. In fact, there are a lot of cars around here with the white oval initial stickers LFK. It's supposed to be for Lawrence F****** Kansas, but we joke that it's Lawrence Forest Keepers.
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to introduce myself. Been lurking for a while and decided to join so that is could see more of the cool pics and videos that everyone posts. I grew up cutting wood and work in a saw shop part time. I have become more interested in everything tree related and have found lots of interesting information on this forum. Don't know that I have much to add, but you can be sure I will be lurking on here checking it all out.
 
Dig into the Achives (bottom right of most pages) if you get bored...some really valuable info in threads there.

Welcome.
 
Hey, Burnham! Thanks for the tip about the archives link. As long as I've been coming here, I never even noticed it. Like having your own personal "way back" machine. Pretty cool, and thanks again.

Tim
 
Thanks everyone. I have already spent many hours browsing the different threads. I have learned a lot and had many laughs as well. Keep up the good work everyone and thanks for posting. Gives newbies like me a window into your world.
 
Probably not a necessary reason. Haha. But I would love to try it out. The saw shop I work at part time has all the gear, so it would not be hard to get outfitted. I have been talking with one of the local tree removal companies that does business with the shop about getting waste logs from him. I have an Alaskan sawmill and am thinking of purchasing a small bandmill. It would not be too big of a step from getting logs from him to maybe helping in the process. I like to try new things and am always looking to expand my talents. You never know what skills might come in handy in the future.
 
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