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Old 11-24-2007, 07:34 PM
 
Location: Central Maine
121 posts, read 338,067 times
Reputation: 117

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Knowing nothing about the fir tipping industry, I have a question or three. Are there any buyers in the central Maine area, primarily north and west of bangor? Do they have to have a commitment, or can smaller bunches be brought in? How many pounds can an average person harvest in a day? Anything I have forgotten? Number one son decided he wants to make some extra money for the season, any help or answers would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Old 11-24-2007, 08:49 PM
 
1,963 posts, read 4,752,057 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueSky Environmental View Post
Knowing nothing about the fir tipping industry, I have a question or three. Are there any buyers in the central Maine area, primarily north and west of bangor? Do they have to have a commitment, or can smaller bunches be brought in? How many pounds can an average person harvest in a day? Anything I have forgotten? Number one son decided he wants to make some extra money for the season, any help or answers would be appreciated. Thanks!
I only have heard about cow tipping
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Old 11-25-2007, 05:47 AM
 
Location: Northern Maine
10,428 posts, read 18,675,502 times
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It's hard work. You need to go with someone has done it. You don't say your son's age, but if he's in school just ask around. Many kids do this from age six with the family. Make sure your son has permission from the land owner. That's important. It's illegal to tip without landowner permission. Most dealers take small lots of tips. They are sold by weight.

I don't know much about the market down south there.
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Old 11-25-2007, 05:54 AM
 
Location: Southwestern Ohio
4,112 posts, read 6,518,253 times
Reputation: 1625
Quote:
Originally Posted by moughie View Post
I only have heard about cow tipping
LOL..ditto!
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Old 11-25-2007, 06:00 AM
 
Location: Maine
6,631 posts, read 13,537,201 times
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Are there wreath factories nearby? They're the biggest buyers. Wreath makers who work at home and sell their wreaths to the factories are potential buyers. Tips average .30/lb here. $100 a day isn't hard. Once you get a rhythm going tipping is easy, especially on cold days when the stems snap quickly. Getting the hang of filling a pole so that the tips stay on well might take a little time.
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Old 11-26-2007, 06:16 PM
 
Location: God's Country, Maine
2,054 posts, read 4,577,904 times
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Most Christmas tree farms that make wreaths and rope will pay from 25 to 35 cents per pound for brush depending on the quality of the tips. Choice tips will, of course, bring the most. Tipping can be started after 3-5 hard frosts and the tips are firmly waxed over.

Having a friend or two with large tree farms is the best way to go. It's hard to get any kind of permit for commercial tipping from the paper companies without connections.

With a little experience and hard work, several hundred pounds per day is a possibility. I custom welded my own steaks years ago and they will hold as much as 50 pounds and are easy to tote out of the moose yards.
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:08 PM
 
2 posts, read 7,251 times
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There is a place in Skowhegan that takes tips, Or atleast they did a few years ago. If I remember correctly it is called Central Maine Wreaths.
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:16 PM
 
Location: Maine
5,054 posts, read 12,419,586 times
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We went to our tree farm the other night for our annual thing with a weenie roast and hayride and all. Their cheapest Scotch Pine tree at 5' tall was $38!! We came home without a tree. They were ugly and had way too many dead brown stuff in them. We're going to Kroger to buy a 6' Douglas fir for $34 tomorrow. And the top foot of that is one stick poking up to catch the star topper. It's completely rediculous!

Can't wait to be up there where Christmas trees are adundant in nature! I'll go roast marshmellows with Forest and splash around in his jacuzzi for a bit, and maybe he'll send us home with a free tree! And of course we'll help him cut and stack some firewood! And when I say "we", I mean DH!!!
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:40 PM
 
Location: West Michigan
12,083 posts, read 38,843,182 times
Reputation: 17006
Wow, $38 for a dead tree? I thought $24 for a fresh one the Boy Scouts are cutting for me next week then delivering was a bit high, but it goes to the Scouts so even if it were more, I would still get one. My brother and his family went out today for a sleigh ride through a tree farm, then pick your tree and they cut it down for you, a ride back to the warming house for some hot Chocolate or cider and a maple treat where they take heated local maple syrup and pour it over fresh snow on a plate for you to pick out and eat (Wicked good stuff). That costs $25 for the three of them, and is an enjoyable Sunday afternoon diversion.
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Maine
5,054 posts, read 12,419,586 times
Reputation: 1869
Well, we're going to pay $34 for a live, short tree that had to be shipped here! Still better than a dead one.
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