Story by Kevin Orfield Photography by Michael Newell |
Nova Scotia is known for having the world ’ s highest tides and best scallops . It also boasts beautiful coastline – and some pretty daunting terrain . Nova Scotians call Newfoundland , its neighbor to the northeast , “ The Rock ,” but the nickname would be equally fitting for their own province . “ It ’ s some of the worst terrain you can find ,” says Leo Hankinson , co-owner of Hankinsons ’ Logging . “ I don ’ t know how trees can even grow in some of these conditions . People look at a typical site we ’ d work in and say , ‘ Let ’ s get the Hankinsons to cut it .’ We can go where no one else can .”
Hankinsons ’ Logging operates a cut-to-length operation with six John Deere harvesters and four John Deere forwarders . “ Our father , Roger , taught us that to stay in business , we need to go easy on the equipment ,” says Sandy Hankinson , Leo ’ s brother and coowner . “ He also showed us how to do mechanical work – he was a mechanic himself . Most important , he taught us to do the best job we can possibly do .”
Like his father and grandfather , Leo ’ s son Curtis is a mechanic , having recently completed training
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at a community college in Kentville . “ My father got me interested in becoming a mechanic – it ’ s something I ’ d love to make a living out of .
Sandy ’ s son , 17-year-old Scott , loves to run the harvester , like his dad – although these days Sandy drives truck , just like his father , Roger . “ Scott can ’ t wait to finish high school so he can work in the woods full time ,” says Sandy .
New set of wheels Hankinsons ’ Logging began operating in 1989 . At the time , Roger owned a trucking business and was hauling wood for Bowater Mersey Paper Company ’ s logging contractors . He and his sons bought one of the contractors out , and a new business was born .
Leo ran a Hahn harvester , while Sandy , who had just graduated from Maritime Forest Ranger School , skidded wood using a Timberjack cable skidder . Roger , naturally , drove the truck . “ We cut and hauled two loads a day ,” recalls Roger . “ We just kept going . And we eventually started growing .”
In 1994 the company began contracting for J . D . Irving , Limited and switched from skidders to
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forwarders . It also swapped its Hahn harvester for a Timberjack 1270 Harvester . “ It was the first 1270 Harvester in the Maritimes ,” an area which includes Nova Scotia , New Brunswick , and Prince Edward Island , recalls Sandy . “ Quite a lot of people came to see the machine and started using the same system , which is better for the environment .”
“ I remember that day well ,” says Leo . “ There were about 20 people standing around the machine and the trainer says , ‘ It ’ s time for someone to try it .’ My brother said , ‘ You take her , Leo ,’ and he jumped right out of the harvester ”, Leo laughs . “ But we picked it up pretty quick .”
Today the company employs 12 crewmembers and harvests over 60 loads of softwood a week for a German conglomerate , mostly spruce used for studs . The company runs four 1270D and two 1270E harvesters , plus two 1410D forwarders , a 1710D , and a 1910E forwarder .
“ I love the wheeled harvesters ,” says Leo . “ They haven ’ t given us hardly any trouble . They start when it ’ s cold and they just keep running . Just check the fluids , change the oil , and put fuel in them
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