Frequently Asked Questions
How do I contact you?
Fill out the form on the Contact page or call 765-828-9051
Where are you located and what is your service area?
We are based out of Hillsdale, IN and typically operate within a 75 mile radius.
What do you buy?
We buy all types of standing timber and timberland from veneer grade all the way down to pallet grade.
Are you insured?
We are licensed, bonded, and insured in Indiana and Illinois.
How do I get paid?
We normally pay a percentage upon closing with the balance before harvest. Full payments up front are possible and we can spread out payments for your tax purposes. We don’t cut anything until you have been paid in full.
Never Never Never allow your timber to be cut unless the trees have been marked and you have been paid up front.
How many trees do you cut?
That depends on you. We can do a thinning harvest with the idea of having another cut in 10 years or we can take larger amounts all the way to a clear cut. We follow your goals. If you have less than 50 trees to cut it is unlikely to be economically feasible.
Can I get several harvests in my lifetime.
Absolutely! Depending on how much you want us to take and your particular forest, you could have a harvest every 10 years.
Is there a contract?
Yes, we require a contract. It lays out our responsibilities and your responsibilities.
Never Never Never allow your timber to be cut without a contract.
How long will I be under contract to allow you to cut?
Typically we require a two-year window. We need this to line up loggers, work around seasonal changes, weather, and to work around shifting markets.
How soon do you start and how long will it take to finish?
We might start the day after closing. We might not start until well after a year has passed. Some jobs might take a couple weeks and some might take several months. It is highly dependent on the weather after we start.
I have a classified forest. How do I sell my timber?
There are no restrictions on your ability to sell your timber. Indiana places requirements on us to be able to buy and harvest classified timber and we have all of those requirements fulfilled. The classified forest program is more about preserving Indiana forests. It is not about restricting your ability to sell classified timber.
What kind of a mess do you leave?
This is one of the most important questions that can be asked that is often overlooked and can lead to disappointment at the end of logging. The process of logging can be nerve wracking when there are tops lying on the ground, ruts, mud, etc. This is a normal part of the process. Our loggers cut and clean up according to Best Management Practices, or BMP’s, for the state of Indiana. More information can be found here: Indiana BMP’s.
When we are finished we push tops, trims, cull logs, etc. to the forest edge, clear out waterways, and fill in ruts per the BMP’s.
We do our best to limit damages and messes, but it is a part of the logging process. If anyone tells you differently, they aren’t being truthful.
Do you cut on shares?
No and we are not planning to do so. It’s too easy for problems to develop when the proceeds of logging are shared with the landowner and logger. We feel like the landowner should be paid up front. We wouldn’t sell our timber any other way and won’t do business any other way.