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2 weeks ago | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Luke McNallyThe wiper blades remove a thin film of moisture from my windshield and for a moment I catch a glimpse of long blonde blocks loaded down on the deck of a blurry trailer. Then the image disappears again until the wipers give me another glimpse. The truck swings wide and enters a ramp onto the Adirondack Northway. Our itineraries overlap for the next 40 miles, until the truck peels off for a powerline project and I head into the woods, another day of slicing tree trunks with blue paint.
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1 month ago | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Jen WeimerWe’ve come a long way, baby, but not far enough. Forestry is, and has historically been, a male-dominated field. Women currently make up only 15% of forestry and conservation workers, but not from a lack of interest. Fifty years ago, women struggled to be accepted into forestry programs based on their gender alone.
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Mar 28, 2025 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
The Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo (Loggers’ Expo) will return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine, May 16-17. The annual forestry equipment expo, organized by the Northeastern Logger’s Association (NELA), alternates between Bangor, Maine, and Essex Junction, Vermont, each year.
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Mar 21, 2025 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Jen WeimerWe’ve come a long way, baby, but not far enough. Forestry is, and has historically been, a male-dominated field. Women currently make up only 15% of forestry and conservation workers, but not from a lack of interest. Fifty years ago, women struggled to be accepted into forestry programs based on their gender alone.
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Feb 21, 2025 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Hallie KoontzDave Jelinek is young for being in the business 73 years. “I always used to say that I’ve been in the business 73 years – and they’d say, well, you don’t look 93,” he joked. But there’s not really a better way to summarize the years he’s spent involved in the family business, Jelinek Trucking. Supposedly, his involvement goes all the way back to getting his diaper changed in the front seat of the log truck. Much of his childhood was spent being dragged along on logging jobs.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Erin KesslerOn the international trade front, many in the forest products industry – hardwood producers in particular – are very concerned about what will happen with export markets as President-Elect Donald Trump takes office later this month. During his election campaign, Trump promised to impose tariffs of at least 60% on Chinese goods, 25% on Canada and Mexico, and 10-20% on other countries. The last time Trump was in office, he imposed hefty tariffs on Chinese goods.
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Nov 11, 2024 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Erin KesslerFor a young person finding their way in the world, joining a branch of the US military has often been a path to gaining valuable life skills, on-the-job training, and a multitude of career opportunities. Two loggers, now in their 30s and early 40s, both from rural Vermont, have traveled around the world serving and fighting for America and have found themselves back in the woods. Here, they share their stories and the valuable lessons they’ve learned.
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Sep 16, 2024 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Hallie KoontzRobinson Lumber Company, which recently celebrated its 130-year anniversary in 2023, has been in the Robinson family for five generations.
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Aug 1, 2024 | 
northernlogger.com | Erin Kessler
By Erin KesslerAgainst a backdrop of blue skies, nearly 175 exhibitors showcased their machinery, wares, and heavy logging equipment at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont last month. This is the ninth time The Northeastern Loggers’ Association (NELA) has brought the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo to Vermont’s premier events venue. Attendees and exhibitors alike were enthusiastic, and there were broad reports of a general mood of optimism.
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Jul 26, 2024 | 
musicincmag.com | Erin Kessler
As I sit in my office, distracted by the clinking of ice from the nearby freezer, I can’t help but reflect on the challenges of being neurodivergent in the modern workplace. “Everyone has ADHD these days.” “Squirrels!” “It’s the screen-time generation!”These casual remarks about mental health issues sting a little deeper for someone like me, diagnosed with ADD as a “functioning” adult. So, what exactly is neurodivergence?
