鈥 Samantha Paul, marketing specialist
Rachel and her Pomeranian named Cash.
Based in Williams Lake, British Columbia, Rachel Brink is surrounded daily by vast聽mountains and forests and she wouldn鈥檛 want it any other way. 鈥淚t is a different lifestyle,鈥 she says of her career in the forest industry. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not regular office hours, but the views make up for it.鈥
Rachel鈥檚 grandfather started a truck logging company back in the early 1980s. Her father, Randy and brother, Justin built up the business from there. 37 years later, Small Pine Logging is still聽going strong. 鈥淎t one point we had almost all family working,鈥 says Rachel. 鈥淢y sister, her ex-husband, my brother, my dad, my brother鈥檚 father-in-law, and my two cousins,鈥 she reminisces. 鈥淢y sister and our girlfriend worked with us at one point as well. We were processing, decking and road building, the three of us working together. It was pretty cool.鈥
鈥淢y sister is one of the best operators I have ever seen,鈥 says Rachel. 鈥淪he showed me the methods of skidding. There鈥檚 a method for each job; when and where to do what 鈥 always planning. Riding along with a skilled operator is how I learn best. I鈥檝e been lucky to have been around some of the best. A lot comes into play while running equipment. Steep ground, the weight of the machine, the wood you鈥檙e handling, weather and season even. You have to be conscious of your surroundings.鈥
The 850/568 processor that Rachel operates for Small Pine Logging.
After being trained by her sister on the skidder, her father gave her a shot at running the processor. 鈥淗e showed me how to do a couple of things and said, 鈥榊ou鈥檒l figure it out.鈥 And I guess I did,鈥 she laughs.聽Going from a skidder to a processor can be quite the learning curve with added technical challenges. 鈥淚f you have run an excavator before, there are similar controls, so it is a聽lot easier to jump into a processor and know what you鈥檙e doing.鈥 At age 34, Rachel has been operating for thirteen years, including the last nine years on a processor. 鈥淓very year, I think about getting a different job. But I keep coming back.鈥
Small Pine Logging received its first 850 processor equipped with the 糖心视频 568 harvesting head in August of last year. The machine was purchased through 糖心视频 Dealer Inland. 鈥淚nland has been聽an enormous help,鈥 she says. 鈥淭yler Povelofskie is my favourite聽mechanic. He likes things fixed right not just halfway, and that is something I respect. He has a great work ethic, is easy to work with, and is always there when needed.鈥
Learning curve
Along with Inland, local 糖心视频 product support representative, Jochen Reiter, delivered the machine and assisted with the carrier and head set-up. Rachel was operating a different brand processor before getting into the 糖心视频. 鈥淚 am very particular in how I want it to run. Jochen was a massive help when we were first setting up the machine. He guided me through the operator control system, and now it is super easy for me. He has come out multiple times to help me when I am stuck.聽One night I had a problem, and I聽woke up to fourteen messages from him explaining how to fix the issue. Every detailed step. He is amazing.鈥
MY DAD IS ECSTATIC聽THAT I AM AN聽OPERATOR, HE IS SO聽PROUD.
Rachel says that there have been very few times in her life when she has been truly happy with her聽achievements. 鈥淏ut I am happy with what I can do with this machine.聽It has more power than what I am used to. It鈥檚 unreal actually. It is an amazing machine with a lot of little details you appreciate as an operator.鈥
Rachel with her father, Randy and brother, Justin.
鈥淪he got used to our 850/568 very quickly. The second day she cut 700 cubic metres [approximately 585 tons],鈥 Jochen explains.聽鈥淭he machine is now producing聽900 cubic metres [approximately 750 tons] 鈥 around thirteen to fourteen truckloads per day, which is pretty impressive,鈥 he adds. 鈥淭hey are processing logs over 32 inches [80 cm] 鈥 some of the biggest logs I have seen go through the 568.鈥
Impressed with how logging equipment has improved over the years, Rachel confirms, 鈥淵ou get used to what you have been running. You don鈥檛 know what聽you鈥檙e missing until you get into a new machine.鈥
Motivation
Operating the same machine each day can become a bit monotonous. When asked how she stays motivated, Rachel explains, 鈥淚 compete with myself and nobody else. You have to think about what you鈥檙e doing every second. Having a strategy in your mind to stay fast and productive is key.鈥
Rachel鈥檚 father is happily retired, fishing and golfing instead of logging. When the new 850 arrived, her father came out to the bush to check it out 鈥 a fond memory for Rachel. It isn鈥檛 very often her dad, brother and she are out on the job together. 鈥淢y dad鈥檚 too busy living life now,鈥 she says.聽鈥淢y dad is ecstatic that I am an operator. He is so proud. On聽the other hand, my mom would probably prefer I become a nurse and pop out a couple of babies like my sister,鈥 laughs Rachel.
Thick skin
Rachel isn鈥檛 sure why more women don鈥檛 pursue a career as a machine operator. 鈥淚 guess you have to have a bit of a thick skin to work in the bush,鈥 answers Rachel. 鈥淚t may be intimidating if you don鈥檛 already know someone in the business. The money is good, but it is a different聽lifestyle choice.鈥
鈥淲omen do make great operators. And more women need to give it a try,鈥 she states. 鈥淭here is a finesse required for operating, and women have that.鈥 Whether male or female, you have to have a good work聽ethic. Rachel wouldn鈥檛 say she is competitive but she has the drive to be the best she can be every day. 鈥淣o one is watching over you every minute. You have to have the drive to keep setting new goals.鈥
鈥淲e have some old-timers in our crew, so we had to look at getting some younger operators with a聽good work ethic, which can be hard to find. We have three guys in their early twenties working for us now. They are all working out very well,鈥 she says. 鈥淭he stories and jokes over the radio are hilarious. Everyone is constantly joking around.鈥
EVERY YEAR, I聽THINK ABOUT聽GETTING A聽DIFFERENT JOB.
BUT I KEEP COMING聽BACK!
What鈥檚 important
With the current pandemic, now more than ever, people realize the true importance of family.聽Rachel鈥檚 work ethic is a product of her upbringing and the role models around her. 鈥淢y mom, my dad, my brother, my sister 鈥 I am聽surrounded by great, hardworking people with big hearts.鈥
Rachel trying to stay out of the trees.
When Rachel isn鈥檛 processing, she is camping or golfing with family and friends. She has learned patience through her golf game, improving her skills over the years. 鈥淚 tossed a couple of clubs when I first started,鈥 she laughs. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 do that聽anymore.鈥
![Slide](/wp-content/plugins/revslider/sr6/assets/assets/dummy.png" "Rachel’s Drive")
