Close to the GroundOne Treeplanter’s Geography

Close to the GroundOne Treeplanter’s Geography

Howard Horowitz

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Slightly different versions of “Mapleton”, “Hebo”, “Coos Bay”, Oakridege”, and “Detroit” first appeared in various issues of Together, the quarterly publication of the Hoedads Cooperative, Inc., during the 1970’s.“Idaho” and “Montana” were included in the anthology Working the Woods Working the Sea, Empty Bowl, 1986

THANKS TO: Special thanks to Tamara Kidd and Sidney Rust of Hulogos’i Publishers for their enormous contributions to this volume. Also to Alan Trist, Sheila Showalter, Steve Van Strum, and Jim Stiak also of Hulogos’i. Thanks to the many treeplanters who shared a decade of the highs and lows of treeplanting contracts; especially the Logrollers crew of Hoedads for five memorable years, 1974-1979. To Florence and Lou Wexler, and Ruth and Norman Horowitz, for un-ending encouragement and support.And finally to Ann, partner in treeplanting and in life, and to the kids, Sascha and Homer, who vaguely remember yellow crummies and the night the tent blew down.

ARTWORK:Cover and Book Design: Tamara KiddCover Photo adapted from: Susan Klein and D.H. Carson

Illustrations:Sidney Rust All illustrations, except:Rick Sherman page 4Howard Horowitz map

Photography:Joe Earp page 28, 32

A YEW BOOKPublished by Hulogos’i Communications, Inc.Electronic Copy recreated with permission by Carlyne Lynch

Copyright 1986 by Howard HorowitzAll Rights ReservedISBN 0-938493-07-8First Edition printed 1986, Electronic Copy 2011Hulogos’i Communications, Inc.

This book is dedicated to the treeplanters.You may not make much money,

and are not always welcomed in roadside motels,but you have earth on your fingers,

and land at your feet.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

In the Coast Range and the CascadesSteamboat 3Coos Bay 5Mapleton 6Oakridge 7Shelton 8Wynoochee Swarm 9Blue River 10Gold Beach 11Detroit 12Dorena 14Hebo 15

Spring ToursIdaho 19Montana 20Kaibab 22Colorado 23St. Helens 25

Finishing the BagLowell 29At the End of the Road 30At the Bottom of the Unit 32Cutting Brush on the Fourth of July 33Just Planting Fools 34Trying to Reforest a Cut-over Heart 36

Treeplanting Terminology 38Note Regarding “Mapleton” 39

In the Coast Rangeand the Cascades

Spring Tours

Finishing the Bag