Business
Tom and Emily meet with legacy tree farmer Pat Dorn, based in South Carolina, to learn more about his beautiful property and how he got into the business of planting trees! You’ll hear some background noise as Tom and Emily march through the wilderness with Pat as they uncover what makes Pat’s property so special. Key Takeaways: [1:35] You find Tom and Emily with legacy tree farm owner Pat as he does a tour of his property in South Carolina. [2:40] How did Pat get into the tree farming business? [4:50] Pat remembers fondly planting trees with his pa and how they were able to turn it into a profit. [6:00] When Pat was in his early 20s, he bought the worst land available because he knew how to work the tree programs. [6:40] After 40 years, these sub-par lands look fantastic now. Hard work pays off. [7:40] Timberland is a long term investment that requires a long term mindset. [8:40] Pat rents out his land to hunting groups, which further helps his return on investment. [10:00] So many people want to have 50 or 100 acres in the country, but they’re not willing to do the work to care for the land. [10:50] What lessons did Pat learn from his dad about the outdoors? [12:50] Pat shares a little bit about his family and his three children. [18:10] It’s important to keep your forester happy. The best money Pat has spent was on a consulting forestry company. There’s too much room for error in this business. [19:50] When you have timberland, it’s also important to have a road system on your property. It pays off when people are coming to bring equipment in to chop the timber. [22:50] Land is going to get more and more valuable in South Carolina. [24:45] What should you think about when you're about to buy land? [27:40] Pat explains the furniture he’s made over the years that’s located in his home. [36:15] Don’t take advice from the average Joe, most of them don’t know anything! Find the most qualified expert, and then go ask them. [39:55] Pat looks at his forester like he looks at his doctor. He’s trained. He knows his stuff. [42:50] Why is it important to get into the tree business? [45:20] Pat talks about his lovely wife Jane, her love, and her support. It’s hard to get anything done without the support of your spouse! Mentioned in This Episode: Sctreefarm.org State.sc.us Scforestry.org Scfbins.com