In the January 2014 edition of Southern Stumpin’, Southern Loggin’ Times magazine Managing Editor David Abbott looks forward to the future. Abbott writes, “Welcome to 2014, or as Brad Paisley sang, “welcome to the future.” My goodness, when I read some things in the news, it certainly feels like we’re on the verge of some Jetsons-like tomorrow. We…mankind, that is, not we here at the Hatton-Brown editorial staff (the following accomplishments would be slightly beyond our pay grade)…are building an international space station as I write this. We’re preparing to venture into space tourism, for those who can afford it, courtesy of Virgin Galactic, one of the 400 companies in Richard Branson’s Virgin Group (Virgin Mobil, Virgin Records, etc.—if anyone could be a real-life Tony Stark, it would be Richard Branson). We’re talking about sending people to start a colony on Mars, and workers to mine for resources on asteroids (I imagine Bruce Willis’ crew from Armageddon).”

Southern Loggin’ Times magazine Associate Editor Jessica Johnson travels to Monticello, Arkansas to spend some time with Mike Pennington, president of L.D. Long, Inc. Mike Pennington, 61, has been around the woods his whole life. He was born and bred on a patch of managed timberland. During his adult years he was a registered forester, even though he didn’t go to forestry school. “I’ve always wanted to log but was scared to jump off on my own,” he says with a grin. “I’m a little late getting into logging.” Pennington’s father was a log buyer for a Crossett, Ark. plywood plant, and in 1973 Pennington himself went into timber procurement with Georgia-Pacific. But it was 2008, when he “retired”, that he entered logging, becoming the President of longtime Arkansas logging firm, L.D. Long., Inc. The company has a long history in Arkansas of being the first in things since it incorporated in 1952.

Southern Loggin’ Times magazine Associate Editor Jessica Johnson has the opportunity to visit Wood Products, Inc. in Lake City, Florida. Ryan McKenzie, 25, is a third generation Florida logger, following in the footsteps of his Grandfather and Father, Randy, 44, as the manager of Wood Products, Inc. a 28 year old logging contractor operation that specializes in cut and haul logging for large corporations. Ryan has taken the reigns of the family business so dad can focus on the family’s logging equipment and parts dealership. Ryan’s never one to sit idle, always on the move and always looking to improve himself and his company. Always striving to be better is what has pushed this young man, who grew up on a logging track, to not only take over the family business, but also push it to be the best it can be.

Southern Loggin’ Times magazine Managing Editor David Abbott visits with H.J Shelton Logging, Inc., located in Danville, Virginia. As the beer commercial reminds us regarding the game day rituals of the football fans who do “whatever it takes,” it’s only weird if it doesn’t work. Well, Buddy Shelton, 61, and his son Chad, 42, aren’t above a little good-humored superstition of their own. Throughout the summer of 2013 it had been raining, and the whole time Chad had been hauling his canoe with him. “People asked why I had a canoe in my truck, and I told them I might need a ride home tonight,” he laughs. His dad finally, jokingly, threatened to take it off the truck for him, blaming the canoe as the reason for the incessant rainfall. At long last he convinced his son to put the canoe away. And wouldn’t you know it—the rain stopped the next day. Hey, it’s only weird if it doesn’t work. It rained so much last year, Chad says, that the operation he and Buddy run together has had to work some tracts out of their intended order.

From our Historic Logging and Lumbering Series, compiled by Executive Editor DK Knight, comes an article about Allison Lumber Co. that originally appeared in the August 2, 1924 issue of Southern Lumberman. “Allison Lumber Co., located in the company town of Bellamy, Ala., Sumter County, maintains one of the most splendid sawmill operations in the state of Alabama. Leaders of the company are Evan Frank Allison, residing co-owner, president and treasurer, and R. E. AlIison, general manager. The other owners are F. L. Richardson of Alpena, Mich., and the heirs of M. V. Barbour and Roland Starr, late of Toledo, Ohio. Richardson comes from an old and prominent family of lumbermen, his progenitors having engaged in lumber activities in Maine in the early part of the last century. They came to Michigan in 1840 and are still operating in white pine and hardwood at Bay City and Alpena, Mich. The first pine manufacturing business of Allison Lumber Co. was established at Bellamy in 1899, and was owned by E. F. Allison, Steve Smith and R. C. Derby, all of Sumter County.”

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At The Margins is designed to help loggers manage and/or operate their business better. Each month an expert provides information, tips or advice on how to maximize profitability, enhance efficiency or increase business knowledge. This month’s column is provided by David Sikorsky, Technical Representative for Caterpillar Forest Products. The article is titled, “Oil Sampling Can Curb Operating Costs.” Click here to view the full article.