Introduction to Groundie by Jeff Jepson

Roger 0:02

Talking Trees with Lillian Jadd . Welcome to Talking Trees . Today we highlight Jeff Jepson's book Groundy , which delves into the critical role of ground workers in the arboriculture industry , Endorsed by Cheryl Tree , as both an informative and motivational resource for newcomers . The book provides a detailed look at a typical day in the life of a groundie , underscoring the challenges and rewards of the profession . Jeff Jepson , also known for the Tree Climber's Companion and other influential works on tree felling and arboricultural knots , offers deep insights into the practical aspects of tree care .

The Importance of Understanding Groundies

Jad 0:44

Hey everyone , welcome back . Today we're going to be talking about something pretty vital to our work as arborists .

Lilly 0:51

Yeah , that's right .

Jad 0:52

The groundy .

Lilly 0:53

The groundy exactly .

Jad 0:55

And to help us learn more about that . We're going to be talking about the work of Jeff Jepson .

Lilly 0:58

Jeff Jepson . Yeah , I think he's got a real knack for this whole groundy thing . He actually wrote a whole book about it , called Well Groundy , and we'll be pulling from that today and some stuff from CherylTreecom and we might even touch on some of his other books . Oh cool , Just to kind of get a good , well-rounded view .

Jad 1:15

Yeah , that makes sense . Yeah , Okay , before we get into all that , why is this even important ?

Lilly 1:20

Well , you know , I think it's pretty crucial for anybody who's working in tree care to understand you know what the groundies are doing , especially if you're in a leadership role . You know , maybe you're leading a crew , maybe you're working alongside groundies .

Jad 1:33

Right .

Lilly 1:33

If you really have a solid grasp of their world , it can make things so much smoother .

Jad 1:39

Right .

Lilly 1:39

You know , better communication , better teamwork and , ultimately , a safer and more efficient work environment .

Jad 1:46

Makes a lot of sense . Yeah , so what is a groundie according to Jepson ?

Lilly 1:49

Well , he really gets into it in groundie . One of the first things he talked about actually is that there's a really high turnover rate .

Jad 1:55

Oh really .

Lilly 1:56

Yeah , like a lot of folks , don't make it past , like the first couple of years .

Jad 2:01

Yeah , I can see that . You know , I remember when I was a groundie , definitely not easy . It was really demanding and , you know , kind of caubitic sometimes .

Lilly 2:10

Oh for sure . And , yeah , a little intimidating mentally and emotionally . I think there's even a part where he describes it as like a crucible , like it really forges resilience , and he's not wrong . It's tough work , but for the folks who do stick with it , you know they often find it super rewarding .

Jad 2:33

Yeah , yeah , definitely A crucible . I

Six Key Features of Tree Work

Jad 2:35

like that . Um , so he talks about six different uh features of tree work .

Lilly 2:40

Yeah , yeah , he lays out these six kind of key aspects that he sees as making tree work unique .

Roger 2:47

Okay .

Lilly 2:48

And I think they really apply to the groundy experience as well .

Jad 2:51

Okay .

Lilly 2:52

So the first one he talks about is meaningful and I think you know , for a lot of people in this field that's one of the things that draws them to it .

Jad 3:00

Yeah .

Lilly 3:01

You're not just you know cutting down trees , you're actually contributing to the safety and well-being of you know people and the environment .

Jad 3:10

Yeah , no , I agree . So what's the next one ?

Lilly 3:28

The next one is relational and this one , I think , is super important and we can probably do a whole other deep dive into it . Yeah , for sure , but it's all about the collaborative nature of the work .

Jad 3:38

OK .

Lilly 3:38

Tree work . You're rarely working solo right . It's all about teamwork , communication and that trust between everybody on the crew , whether you're the climber up in the tree or the groundie on the ground .

Jad 3:50

Right , okay , yeah , yeah , that makes sense . And the next one is challenging .

Lilly 3:55

Challenging , oh yeah , and I think every arborist out there , no matter what their role is , can relate to that . And every job site is different . You've got unique obstacles , you've got different demands every time and of course you know Jefferson talks about the physical strength and stamina that you need , but he also points out that you've got to have some good problem-solving skills . You've got to be adaptable .

Jad 4:16

You've got to think on your feet .

Lilly 4:17

Exactly .

Jad 4:18

Yeah , I remember this one job . We had One job . We had to take down this huge oak tree that was like right over the client's garage . Oh wow , talk about a challenge . We had to be so careful planning out every single cut , thinking about you know all the things that could go wrong , and just adjusting our approach as we went . It was a real test , I think , of our skills and our teamwork .

Lilly 4:41

And I bet you felt super satisfied at the end of it . Oh , absolutely , that's what Jepson is talking about . It's that you know . You have to think creatively , you have to be ingenious , yeah , especially when things don't go as planned .

Jad 4:52

Right .

Lilly 4:52

Which you know brings us to another feature . Adventurous , yeah , I mean . I think tree work in general , it's inherently adventurous . Every day is different . You never know what you're going to encounter .

Jad 5:05

Yeah , for sure no-transcript . He's not wrong .

Lilly 5:11

And he's right . One day you could be climbing this you know massive pine tree in a

Physical and Mental Demands

Lilly 5:16

forest and the next day you're carefully pruning some you know prized Japanese maple in somebody's backyard .

Jad 5:23

That's true , and you know , speaking of surprises , some of those surprises can be not so good . Not so good , yeah , yeah . Which leads us to the next one on the list Dangerous .

Lilly 5:33

Yeah , dangerous .

Jad 5:34

It's true . We can't ignore that Right .

Lilly 5:36

Yeah .

Jad 5:37

Tree work is inherently risky .

Lilly 5:39

Yeah , but I think Jepson has a really good perspective on safety . Oh , ok , he doesn't just talk about you know the rules and stuff . He really gets into the mindset you know and the habits that are going to keep you safe .

Jad 5:52

That's interesting . What kind of insights does he give on that ?

Lilly 5:56

Well , one of the things he emphasizes is that it's got to be a culture , you know , on the job site , a safety first culture .

Jad 6:03

Right .

Lilly 6:04

It's not enough to just wear your PPE . You've got to have constant communication , everyone's got to know what their roles and responsibilities are , and you've got to constantly be aware of your surroundings and the potential hazards .

Jad 6:16

That makes sense .

Lilly 6:17

He says that complacency is the enemy of safety .

Jad 6:20

Oh , it's a good one .

Lilly 6:21

Yeah , yeah .

Jad 6:22

It's easy to forget , especially when you've been doing it a while . You know you can kind of fall into that routine and let your guard down .

Lilly 6:28

Oh yeah .

Jad 6:29

And that's when you know accidents happen .

Lilly 6:32

Yeah , he says every job , every tree , every cut you make , you have to treat it with the same amount of respect and caution , no matter how many times you've done it before .

Jad 6:41

Yeah , you know , a mentor of mine used to tell me every tree has a story to tell .

Lilly 6:46

Oh , I like that .

Jad 6:47

Yeah , and you know that story includes potential hazards , growth patterns and how it interacts with everything around it .

Lilly 6:56

Yeah , you got to respect the tree . Yeah , you got to respect the crew too , and yourself and yourself , yeah .

Jad 7:01

Exactly .

Lilly 7:02

And speaking of respect , you know he's not shy about the physical demands of being a groundie . You know all the lifting and the long hours .

Jad 7:10

Yeah .

Lilly 7:10

He's not afraid to describe it .

Jad 7:12

Right , it's hard work .

Lilly 7:13

It is , and he talks about the importance of being in shape , you know , having good stamina . He actually even goes into some exercises and stretches that groundies can do .

Jad 7:23

Oh , wow .

Lilly 7:23

To help them be ready for the work .

Jad 7:26

You know , when I first started out , I thought I was in pretty good shape .

Lilly 7:29

Yeah .

Jad 7:30

I thought I was ready , but then I , you know , spent a day hauling brush and chipping and I was sore , I mean muscles I didn't know I had were sore yeah it'll get you .

Lilly 7:37

But he makes a good point that you know you need strength , you need flexibility Right , and cardiovascular fitness . It's not just about you know lifting heavy stuff , it's about moving safely and efficiently all day long so you don't get hurt Makes sense , especially when you're around all that you know equipment and falling branches . Absolutely . And it's not all physical either . There's a big mental component to being a groundie too .

Jad 8:01

Oh yeah , that's true . Yeah , we do focus a lot on the physical stuff , but it's very mentally demanding too .

Lilly 8:08

It is . Jepson talks about how important focus is and attention to detail and you know , really following instructions carefully . He even says that being a groundie is kind of like being an air traffic controller .

Jad 8:21

Wow .

Lilly 8:22

You know you're constantly monitoring what's going on , thinking ahead , looking out for problems and keeping everybody safe .

Jad 8:29

That's a great analogy . There is so much going on on a job site , especially a big one .

Lilly 8:36

Yeah .

Jad 8:37

You know the groundies right in the middle of it .

Lilly 8:38

Yeah .

Jad 8:39

Making sure everything's running smoothly .

Lilly 8:40

It's high pressure for sure you got to have some mental fortitude to thrive in that kind of role and patience .

Jad 8:46

Oh yeah , yeah , Definitely . You know , sometimes things get frustrating . Right , communication breaks down . Yeah , you run into unexpected problems . A good groundie can stay calm , think clearly and find a solution .

Lilly 8:58

Yeah , that's a good point . So I know you mentioned that he's written a few other books that could be helpful , especially for groundies .

Jad 9:04

Oh yeah .

Lilly 9:05

There's the Tree Climber's Companion and , like we said , it's kind of the

Other Valuable Books for Arborists

Lilly 9:10

you know , the go-to guide for climbing techniques .

Jad 9:12

Right .

Lilly 9:13

But what's interesting is that , even if you're not a climber , understanding those techniques can actually make you a better groundie . Think about it You're working with a climber right , they're up in the tree but if you know how the rigging works and the knots and the different climbing techniques , you can anticipate what they need . Oh okay , you can communicate better and you might even see things hazards that they don't see from up in the tree . Yeah , yeah so even if you don't climb the tree , climbers companion can be really helpful Huh .

Jad 9:44

So it's about that shared understanding , that huh .

Lilly 9:46

Exactly , you're all on the same page , yeah .

Jad 9:49

I like that . What about his other books ?

Lilly 9:50

Well , he wrote one called To Fell a Tree .

Jad 9:53

Literally . Yeah , huh , I like that Straight to the point , you know , and while a lot of groundies might not actually be felling trees , you know they're there .

Lilly 10:02

Right .

Jad 10:02

So understanding how it's done safely and efficiently .

Lilly 10:05

Right .

Jad 10:06

It's going to help them know where to be . You know how to stay safe and how to communicate with whoever's doing the felling .

Lilly 10:13

Yeah , being aware of the whole situation , exactly Cool . And what about knots at work ? Knots at work ? Well , that's kind of his deep dive into all the essential knots for arborists .

Jad 10:26

It seems like he likes to get really specific in his books .

Lilly 10:29

He does , and that's a good thing , because it's not just about knowing how to tie them right . He explains when to use them , why you'd use one knot versus another and what their limitations are .

Jad 10:40

Oh , that makes sense .

Lilly 10:41

Yeah , and there's a whole chapter just on knots for ground work . Oh , wow , yeah , things like the bowline , the clove hitch , the timber hitch , all those really important ones .

Jad 10:49

Yeah , those are the ones you got to know .

Lilly 10:51

Exactly For securing tools , rigging ropes all that stuff .

Jad 10:58

I remember when I was learning all those knots .

Lilly 11:00

Yeah , I felt like I was learning a new language .

Jad 11:01

It is kind of it is , but once I got it it was like a whole new world opened up .

Lilly 11:04

And that's what I think is so cool about what Jepson's doing . It's really trying to empower arborists with knowledge and skills you know , so we can do our work safely , efficiently and with a deep understanding of you know the craft .

Jad 11:16

That's awesome , yeah , so we've talked a lot about , you know , jeff Jepsen and his insights into the world of the groundie .

Lilly 11:22

Yeah .

Jad 11:23

But now I kind of want to shift focus a little bit and talk to you , our listeners out there , our listeners . I know you guys are out there doing this work every day . Yeah , you're

Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

Jad 11:32

facing those challenges , facing the challenges , celebrating those wins . All that , those wins , all that .

Lilly 11:34

We want to hear from you .

Jad 11:35

Yeah . What do you think about Jepson's work ? Does any of this resonate with you especially ?

Lilly 11:43

if you've been a groundie yourself or if you've worked alongside them , you know , sometimes those real life experiences are the best insights .

Jad 11:48

Yeah , for sure . So think about that for a second . What's something you've learned from your work as a groundie , or from working with them ?

Lilly 11:58

Maybe it's a specific technique or a safety tip or just a different way of thinking about things .

Jad 12:03

Right , because we all learn from each other . Right .

Lilly 12:05

Absolutely .

Jad 12:06

And that's how we all get better at what we do .

Lilly 12:07

That's how we elevate the whole profession .

Jad 12:09

Right , exactly . Well , as we wrap up here , yeah , I want to leave you with one last thought . Ok , next . With one last thought Okay , next time you're on a job site and you're working with a groundie .

Lilly 12:17

Yeah .

Jad 12:18

Take a second to appreciate their skill . You know their dedication and how vital they are to what we do .

Lilly 12:25

Yeah , Ask yourself how can I be a better teammate ?

Jad 12:28

Yeah .

Lilly 12:28

How can I communicate better , support them and learn from them ?

Jad 12:31

Right .

Lilly 12:32

Because when we respect each other , yeah and we work together , that's how we create a better experience for everyone .

Jad 12:38

Absolutely , and hey , maybe you'll even be inspired to check out one of Jepson's books .

Lilly 12:46

Yeah , Good idea Learn a little more , you know . Stay safe out there and remember the groundie is the foundation we all stand on .

Jad 12:50

That's right . Until next time , everybody , happy climbing .

Roger 12:57

Thank you for joining us Today . We explored Jeff Jepson's Groundie , which offers an in-depth look at the role of ground workers in arboriculture . We discussed the book's detailed portrayal of daily challenges and key aspects of the profession , as well as Jepson's broader contributions to the field through his other well-known titles .