The Dirt: Confessions of a Tree Planter

Tom Miller is a photographer now working for TenTree, based in Vancouver, BC. Tom planted for 7 seasons in Ontario, spending most of those foremanning. I speak with Tom about his tree planting career in Eastern Canada, as well as how his love for photography started out on the block. And apparently his Dad just started his planting careers in his 50s, what?! A great interview with an old friend. Check out his amazing work on his website and instagram. Some of his photos are also featured in The Carrying Root Collective photo books, from Episode 18. LINKS Website www.nomad91.com Instagram www.instagram.com/tommymillz

22 Jul 202029min

Update from Fayre! These are her thoughts about her first camp move and how things went. We also chat about how things are going for her this season in terms of her body, her goals and her technique. I have been sharing some of her photos and updates on the Facebook page, so feel free to go check that out at the link below! STAY DRY EVERYONE (in BC)!! https://www.facebook.com/thedirtconfessionsofatreeplanter

12 Jul 202018min

The very first planter submission for Thoughts From The Block!!! I was so stoked to receive this from Josy earlier in the week. Ironically enough, she PB'ed the very next day! She discusses struggling a lot with planting numbers, and is so relatable as so many of us do. I know I have been there myself, many many times. Would love to continue getting recordings from all of you out there planting right now! I can pretty much work with anything, so even if it is a video send it along to erin@wildewords.ca ! Thanks for the support and may the planting gods be with you...I know its been a wet one out there this season...I'm in it with you all. PS. Excuse my air conditioner in the background...it was a hot one today.

26 Jun 20205min

The Carrying Root Collective is a project of Allison Henry and Kelly Zantingh focusing on drawing, video, photography and print-based media. Their work explores interactions between the body and landscape, drawing attention to our collective role in the climate crisis. Through their experience working as tree planters and wildfire fighters, they document the immediate impacts of forestry and wildfires. Capturing the otherworldly and uncanny nature of these areas, their work connects mythologies surrounding the female body to the landscapes of the Anthropocene. Since having formed in 2016, the collective has participated in several zine and book fairs, including /2 Edition Toronto, Kazoo Fest in Guelph, Ontario and Expozine in Montréal. They have curated two collaborative group exhibitions and participated in several group shows. They have also self-published two volumes of a photography book titled A Fresh Coat of Grit and a New Layer of Dust, a collaborative project documenting the experience of tree planting. The store website is currently not active, but the website still is! Check out the new photos series available at the link below! LINKS https://www.carryingrootcollective.com https://www.instagram.com/carryingrootcollective/?hl=en

19 Jun 202054min

In honour of mental health awareness I share this capture with you of some of my struggles. I hope for those who can relate it brings some semblance of peace, and allows the space for others to acknowledge it, speak out or ask for help with whatever you struggle with on the block.

1 Jun 20206min

Welcome back! Today Fayre reflects on her first shift of tree planting. She goes over how her body is feeling, how it felt to be planting, and how she is adjusting to everything especially amid the new covid rules.

24 Mai 202011min

In lieu of Mother's Day this Sunday I present an interview with my badass and wonderfully talented mother, Sarah Bros. She has been a registered professional forester (RPF) for nearly 40 years. Starting out as a planter herself when tree planting began in Ontario, she went on to run crews and camps, and eventually jumped onto the other side working as a forester in silviculture for many decades as the tree planting industry evolved and grew into what it is today. My Mom is a pivotal figure in tree planting as a whole, but especially within Ontario. She has seen the entire lifespan of tree planting in Ontario, and been directly involved in it-so she provides a very unique perspective and insight. It was a wonderful opportunity to interview my Mom and learn more about her and her role in this industry. She is certainly a wealth of information, has basically done everything in the entire tree planting process and still loves to plant a few trees every year! This is a fantastic episode about the history of tree planting in Ontario, how silviculture in Ontario works, and also touching on being female in an outdoor profession before it was the norm. There is a reason my Mom is so well respected in her field, and she offers out some of what she's done during her career to keep planters, supervisors, and contractors happy. Education for everyone!

8 Mai 20201h 20min

Welcome to my new side series on the podcast! Wild Treebulations is a series created to follow a rookie tree planter through their first season. This year, I welcome Fayre Layton, who is embarking on her first season of tree planting. She is going to be one of the rookies on my crew! Technically speaking, Fayre actually did try it out last season, however had to bail after 10 days due to injuries sustained to her knees. I still consider her very much a rookie at this point, since she hasn't really had a chance to truly get into a groove or experience a full season of tree planting.  Perhaps meant to be, Fayre has a similar background as myself to the tree planting and silviculture industry. Both of her parents were also planters like mine, and her father is a forester now, as is mine. So, unlike many rookies, she has a unique perspective already on tree planting. From my own experience, I would say this is an interesting position to be in as a rookie, since she has also been involved in and known about the industry her whole life. It does not necessarily make her more or less prepared for tree planting, since we all know things are very different now than they were a few decades ago. I am curious to follow along on her journey this season with tree planting, and I hope you are too!  LINKS Fit2Plant: https://selkirk.ca/sites/default/files/Faculty%20Research/fit_to_plant.pdf Replant training videos: http://www.replant.ca/training.html Replant education: http://www.replant.ca/education.html

1 Mai 202053min