In this issue, we have the pleasure of proﬁ ling a

young logger, Zachary Emerson, co-owner of

Emerson & Sons Logging, Groton, Vermont.

His story is similar to so many other logging families

across the United States and Canada — a story of

generations, of passion for the industry, of dedication

to the community, and of love for family. As you’ll

learn in the cover story on page 12, Emerson has

worked for his father Chris most of his life and in

recent years has started taking over the reins.

When he started working full time for his dad

af er high school in 2006, Emerson ran a cable

skidder while his father hand felled with a chain

saw. T e logging business has changed much since

then. Fully mechanized logging machines and

technological innovations have revolutionized

how logging is done. Emerson has embraced new

technology to boost productivity and eﬃ ciency

while engaging social media as an industry

inﬂ uencer. We’re excited to work with him

throughout this next year to highlight John Deere

Precision Forestry technology. He represents a

bright future for logging. Follow Emerson on

his Instagram page, @emersonandsonslogging,

and at #DeereInT eWoods.

Like all logging companies, Emerson & Sons

Logging has faced tough challenges over the years,

such as severe weather, changing market conditions,

and rising fuel costs. John Deere has kept up with the

times by introducing innovative new products and

solutions. As you’ll learn in the International Corner

story on page 4, technologies such as Intelligent

Boom Control (IBC) and our TimberMatic™ Maps

and TimberManager™ map-based production-

planning and -tracking system not only help loggers

increase productivity, but they help reduce the

impact on the environment. Sustainable forest

management is critical to the survival of our industry

and an important business objective for John Deere.

Loggers deserve the best equipment, which is why

we’ll continue to design and build a comprehensive

lineup of machines. We’re constantly expanding

our extensive equipment portfolio with machines

covering a wide range of felling and harvesting tools.

Stay tuned in mid-2023 when we announce big news

about our swing machines.

But it takes more than productive, reliable machines

for you to be successful. From rapid service to

preventative maintenance, our world-class dealer

network will help keep you up and running.

T rough John Deere Connected Support™ enabled

by JDLink™, your dealer can closely monitor your

ﬂ eet’s health, remotely diagnose machine issues, and

quickly respond with the appropriate part or solution.

With convenient locations across North America,

your local John Deere dealer is always nearby.

PASSING

THE TORCH

Graham Hinch,

Director, Western Hemisphere Sales and Marketing

CONTENTS

3 Tech Tips

A new mobile game helps show the

advantages of our Intelligent Boom

Control (IBC) option.

4 International Corner

A model Scandinavian operation

demonstrates technology’s role in

sustainable logging.

6 #DeereInTheWoods

Meet forestry inﬂ uencer Zachary

Emerson.

10 Deere Gear

Proven EPA Final Tier 4 (FT4) engines

comply with emission regulations

without sacriﬁ cing power or torque.

12 The Green Mountain Boys

Vermont loggers treat each tract

of land as if it were their own.

18 Down Time

Zach Emerson has at racted over

1,400 Instagram followers by sharing

his everyday life of a logger.

Cover image:

Zachary Emerson represents a bright

future for logging.

CR2111009 (22-09)

*Subject to approved credit on PowerPlan, a revolving credit service of John Deere Financial, f.s.b. For commercial use only.

Available at participating U.S. dealers. See dealer for details.

Open your PowerPlan account today at

JohnDeereFinancial.com/PowerPlan.

The forestry industry is booming, and a PowerPlan account from John Deere Financial

can help you take advantage of every opportunity for growth. With instant

no-payments/no-interest

purchasing power on the things it takes to keep up with

increased work demands, nothing will stand in the way of building your business.

Keep working and keep your cash.

Put what you need on

PowerPlan

™

PARTS

SERVICE

ATTACHMENTS

RENTALS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE

TECHNOLOGY

WORK NOW. PAY LATER.

Our new mobile game allows you to test your

virtual harvesting skills while learning about

the advantages of our Intelligent Boom Control

(IBC) option. Now available on our MH-Series

Tracked Harvesters, IBC smooths boom

operations for more precise harvester-head

positioning, especially on extended reaches.

Using the camera app on your smartphone,

simply scan the QR code below to access

the game. Then use the gameboard above,

as instructed in the game.

First, try harvesting without IBC. You’ll need

to control each independent boom function

separately, which can be tricky.

Next, try harvesting with IBC. It’s designed to

mirror how the machine might function if it

were an extension of your arm. Simply steer

the harvester head toward the target and IBC

automatically adjusts the cylinders and boom

accordingly. This allows you to focus on the

harvesting head rather than the boom-joint

movements.

How did you do? In real life (or as gamers

would say, “IRL”), loggers are reporting that

the system is easy to learn, enjoyable to

operate, accurate, and fast. Because it allows

them to focus on controlling the attachment,

IBC has helped our customers improve

efﬁ ciency. The result is a better operator

experience and increased productivity

compared to an MH-Series Tracked Harvester

without IBC.

GG! (Gamer shorthand for “Good game!”)

EXPLORE THE BENEFITS OF INTELLIGENT BOOM CONTROL WITH A NEW MOBILE GAME

SCAN THE

QR CODE

or visit Deere.aircards.app/?v=ibc

on a mobile device to access the game.

Winter 2023

SUPPORTING

SUSTAINABLE

FOREST

MANAGEMENT

John Deere technology helps loggers balance the demands of landowners and mills with environmental

concerns. For example, Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) and TimberMatic™ Maps help loggers not only

get more out of their machines, but they help minimize the environmental impact on a logging site.

“Improving the machine’s productivity continues to be key, in

terms of eco-friendliness,” says Sami Törmä, product manager

at John Deere, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland. “Alongside machine

development, operator-assistance solutions are of increasing

importance.”

Introduced in 2013, IBC has been used by customers on thousands

of machines around the world. IBC smooths boom operations for

more precise harvester-head positioning, especially on extended

reaches. Operators no longer need to control each independent

boom function separately. The controls used for reaching and

securing trees intuitively mirror how the equipment might

function if it were the operator’s arm. This allows the operator

to be 10-percent more efﬁ cient, saving time and fuel.

Our map-based production-planning and -tracking system,

TimberMatic Maps gives operators a real-time production view to

the logging site. Alerts notify operators if they get too close to

environmentally sensitive areas and cut boundaries. The system

helps operations optimize path planning, minimizing the number

of passes a machine makes in the forest up to 15 percent. This aids

in soil health and regrowth through reduced compaction.

Model Scandinavian

operation demonstrates

impact of technology

on sustainable logging

*Outcomes based on customer experience and machine data. Results reﬂ ect savings achieved

during processing of 2,500 cubic meters with a typical team working two shifts per day,

which would take approximately 11 days on average. Results will vary.

**Equivalencies based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies

Calculator, https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator.

Equivalent to oﬀ setting 5,000

passenger-vehicle miles driven

or adding 2.5 acres of forest

sequestering carbon.

metric tons

of C0

reduced

“TimberMatic Maps software allows the operator to plan driving

routes,” explains Niko Solopuro, product marketing manager,

John Deere Forestry, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland. “The achieved

fuel-consumption savings reduces the amount of carbon dioxide

released into the atmosphere, and less driving means less damage

to the terrain and trees.”

To understand the impact of these technologies, consider a model

logging operation in a Scandinavian forest. Operating two shifts

per day using wheeled cut-to-length equipment on a 2,500-cubic-

meter logging worksite, it takes a logging operation about 11 hours

to complete the job, on average. Using TimberMatic Maps and IBC,

this customer can save approximately $3,000 in operating expenses,

reduce fuel usage by up to 156 gallons, and cut time on site by up

to 40 hours. These outcomes reduce greenhouse gas emissions by

about two metric tons (equivalent to eliminating 4,900 to 5,000

passenger-vehicle miles).

FEWER HOURS

of labor to complete job

cost savings to operator

(fuel + labor)

$3,137

156

GALLONS

of fuel saved

SUSTAINABLE

OUTCOMES

DELIVERED BY

JOHN DEERE

TECHNOLOGY

Outcomes realized on

a 2,500-cubic-meter

model worksite*

Winter 2023

Article: Kevin Orﬁ eld

Photography: Todd Dacquisto

A digital presence is becoming more

and more essential to any business,

including logging. At a bare minimum,

companies should have a website,

drive trafﬁ c to the site through search

engine optimization, and add contact

information to local business listings.

But many loggers such as Zachary Emerson, co-owner

of Emerson & Sons Logging in Groton, Vermont

(see main story, page 12), are boosting their social media

presences to reach customers on a more personal and

regular basis. Emerson has attracted more than 1,400

followers to his Instagram account.

“I try to show what we do and the quality we provide,”

he explains. “It has deﬁ nitely helped me attract people

who need loggers so I can build my business.”

Winter 2023

Zachary Emerson, co-owner,

Emerson & Sons Logging

“I ThInK ShOwInG My

ImAgE AnD ImAgEs Of

My FaMiLy ShArEs A

HuMaN FaCe. It GiVeS

A MoRe PeRsOnAl ViBe

To OuR BuSiNeSs.”

AuThEnTiC VoIcE

When people think of inﬂ uencers, they often think of famous

athletes, musicians, or actors with millions of followers. But in

truth, anyone with over 1,000 followers is considered a social

media “inﬂ uencer.” And leading brands such as John Deere

are interested in people such as Emerson who offer personal,

niche content to an audience of highly engaged users. Even

though Emerson himself did not view himself as an inﬂ uencer,

Deere saw his potential and reached out to him.

With the advent of social media platforms such as Instagram,

Facebook, and YouTube, consumers have almost unlimited

choices for content, but this also makes them harder to reach.

Inﬂ uencers provide a way for companies to connect with their

audiences through social media.

Emerson has earned a reputation as a trusted authority.

Authenticity is key to building and maintaining trust with

followers. “I think showing my image and images of my

family shares a human face. It gives a more personal vibe

to our business.” (See “Keeping It Real” article, page 18.)

Emerson started an Instagram account three years ago.

“I just wanted to record what I was doing on a daily basis,”

he says. “It’s helped me attract an audience of people

involved in logging, whether it’s landowners or other

people in the industry.”

Hashtags such as #logging, #vermont, #local,

#wildlife, #forestproud, and #DeereInTheWoods

have helped Emerson further boost his following.

Persistence is also important. He posts almost

every day. “If I’m in the feller buncher cutting,

I’ll post that. If I’m on the landing, that’s

what I’ll post. Whatever catches my eye.”

#LoGgInG

#SkIdDeR

#FeLlEr

#LoCaL

#JoHnDeErE

#WiLdLiFe

#FoReStPrOuD

BrAnD AmBaSsAdOr

Emerson caught the attention of John Deere, who

approached him about establishing a relationship.

When asked to be the company’s ﬁ rst inﬂ uencer for

forestry, he didn’t believe it. “When I ﬁ rst got an

email, I thought it was a scam,” he recalls, laughing.

After a few unsuccessful follow-up phone calls, the

Marketing Department for John Deere Construction

& Forestry eventually reached out to Emerson’s

local dealership, United Construction & Forestry,

who paid him a visit to conﬁ rm the messages were

indeed from Deere.

Through the partnership, Emerson will be able to

demo some of the latest John Deere technologies

and share how they improve, in Emerson’s words,

“our efﬁ ciency and craftsmanship in the forest.”

“I’m extremely grateful and honored for the

opportunity,” he says. “I’m looking forward to

showing the latest things Deere has going on

and representing them as a brand ambassador.”

Emerson & Sons Logging is serviced by United

Construction & Forestry, Williston, Vermont.

To see more of the story, visit

JohnDeere.com/TheLanding

Zachary Emerson, co-owner,

Emerson & Sons Logging

Zachary Emerson, co-owner,

Emerson & Sons Logging

“It

S HeLpEd Me AtTrAcT An

AuDiEnCe Of PeOpLe InVoLvEd

In LoGgInG, WhEtHeR It

LaNdOwNeRs Or OtHeR

PeOpLe In ThE InDuStRy.”

“I

M LoOkInG FoRwArD To ShOwInG

ThE LaTeSt ThInGs DeErE HaS

GoInG On AnD RePrEsEnTiNg ThEm

As A BrAnD AmBaSsAdOr.”

#VeRmOnT

#DeErEiNtHeWoOdS

#DeErEfAmIlY

Winter 2023

Our FT4/Stage V diesels legally comply with emission regulations without sacriﬁ cing

power or torque. This enables them to handle steep slopes at high altitudes and

deliver fast acceleration without lugging. And they are able to maintain peak engine

performance while minimizing total ﬂ uid consumption — diesel fuel plus diesel

exhaust ﬂ uid (DEF). This exceptionally conservative DEF-use rate is up to four times

lower than that of some other FT4 systems.

POWER

TO YOU

Proven FT4 engines power your productivity

Every day in the woods is a chance to improve on the day before.

Which is why reliable John Deere EPA Final Tier 4 (FT4)/EU Stage V

engines start when you need them to and are built for working in

tough conditions. So you can stay ahead at the landing, keep up

with mill quotas, and reach your potential.

“Our FT4 engines have proven themselves

with hundreds of millions of operating

hours in the ﬁ eld. They provide a legally

compliant solution that consistently

delivers exceptional performance and

reliability, along with low DEF burn.”

Allison Plunkett, manager,

full-tree engineering, John Deere

75%

LOWER DEF CONSUMPTION

THAN SOME OTHER FT4 SYSTEMS

Winter 2023

ARTICLE: KEVIN ORFIELD | PHOTOGRAPHY: TODD DACQUISTO

The ﬁ rst thing that strikes visitors to Vermont

is its natural beauty. In the fall, the “Green

Mountain State” becomes a patchwork quilt

of color. Sugar maples create deep ﬁ ery reds

and oranges in fall foliage. Not surprisingly,

tourism is the state’s biggest industry, followed

by manufacturing. Forestry contributes nine

percent of Vermont’s total manufacturing output

and is a $1.5-billion industry.

Winter 2023

Almost 80 percent of the state is covered in

forestland. Zachary Emerson, co-owner of

Emerson & Sons Logging, grew up in Groton,

near one of the state’s most picturesque forests.

His father and company founder, Chris Emerson,

was raised in nearby Newbury. “Vermont is

small and quiet,” says Chris. “It’s like a big

family. Everybody knows each other.”

THIS LAND IS OUR LAND

Emerson & Sons Logging harvests sugar

maples and other hardwood including ash,

yellow birch, and beech, as well as softwood

such as spruce, ﬁ r, and hemlock. About 50

percent of the wood the company harvests is

roundwood. The other half is processed with

a chipper and shipped to local biomass plants.

Logging in Vermont is unique, according to

Zachary. “We’re often working with private

landowners on small tracts of land. We work hard

to improve their land. We treat it as our own.”

The Green Mountain Boys were a patriot

militia organized during the American

Revolution to defend the property rights

of the territory that would later become

Vermont. The Green Mountain Boys would

muster again during the War of 1812, the

Civil War, the Spanish–American War,

the Vietnam War, the Afghanistan

War, and the Iraq War. Today

the term is the informal

name of the Vermont

National Guard.

Who were the historical

Green Mountain Boys?

Vermont has the highest concentration of sugar maples

in the United States, so it is appropriate that the sugar

maple is the state’s ofﬁ cial tree. The state’s famous

maple syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple.

Vermont is the largest manufacturer of maple syrup in

the U.S., producing two million gallons each year, more

than a third of the nation’s total.

At a logging site near Emerson & Sons’ shop in Groton,

Zachary brings a jug of Vermont maple syrup and fresh

cake donuts for his dad and the rest of the crew. They

agree the combination is better than

a pancake breakfast.

The company’s history with John Deere goes back

to the late 1980s, when Chris ran several Deere cable

skidders. “Deere machines are extremely reliable

and the service we get from our local dealer, United

Construction & Forestry, is top-notch,” says Zachary.

Today the company runs a John Deere 853M Tracked

Feller Buncher and a 648L Skidder, producing around

30 loads a week. “We mostly work in steep terrain, so

we have to run tracked feller bunchers,” says Zachary.

“The 853M has the power and stability we need.”

About

50%

of the

wood the company

harvests is roundwood.

The other half is processed with a chipper.

80%

of Vermont

is covered

in forestland.

Almost

Winter 2023

A HUGE LEAP

As a child, Zachary would tag along with Chris to the forest

every chance he could. “I loved the freedom I felt in the

woods. It really inspired me to become a logger.”

Throughout high school, Zachary would work for his dad

during the summer and holiday breaks. He started working

for him full time after graduating in 2006. At the time, he ran

a cable skidder, while his dad felled trees with a chain saw.

In 2016, Zachary bought into the business and formed a

partnership with his father. “I’m so blessed to work with my

dad,” says Zachary. “Sure, it has its ups and downs, but we

get along great. We’re best friends, more or less.”

“We have a great relationship,” agrees Chris. “I’m very proud

of him. He really stepped up, and our business has grown

tremendously since I handed him the reins. He’s so good

at dealing with landowners and foresters and using social

media. It’s gotten so I can just show up for work and put all

the pressure on him (laughs).”

“Deere machines are extremely reliable

and the service we get from our local

dealer is top-notch.”

Zachary Emerson, co-owner

Emerson & Sons Logging

To see more of the story, visit

JohnDeere.com/TheLanding

The logging business has changed signiﬁ cantly over the

years, according to Zachary. “The biggest change has been

just the technology — moving from hand-felling and a

cable skidder to a grapple skidder and more computerized

machines with mapping systems. It’s taken a huge leap.”

Another form of technology that Zachary has embraced

is social media, which he has used effectively to keep

landowners informed and attract new customers. “I’m

passionate about sharing the quality of our work. We try

to help each landowner achieve their goals, for example,

whether it’s growing sawtimber or wildlife management.”

His loyal following of 1,400 on Instagram has caught the

attention of John Deere (see related #DeereInTheWoods

article, page 6). As part of Zachary’s future relationship

with the manufacturer as an inﬂ uencer, he’ll be able to

try out some of the latest John Deere Precision Forestry

technology and share his experiences.

Chris admits he is not savvy with social media like his

34-year-old son. “I don’t have an Instagram or Facebook

account.” But he believes the future of his logging

company is in good hands. “I have another son who is

very interested in coming on board. He works for us every

chance he gets. And Zachary certainly has a good handle

on everything we are doing. Things are looking great.”

Emerson & Sons Logging is serviced by United Construction

& Forestry, Williston, Vermont.

John Deere was born in 1804 in Rutland,

Vermont. In 1821 at the age of 17, he became

an apprentice for a local blacksmith before

entering the trade in 1826. He opened shops

in Vergennes and later Leicester, Vermont.

When the New England economy collapsed in

1836, he moved to Illinois, where he opened

a blacksmith shop. Shortly after arriving he

learned that local farmers used cast-iron

plows, which did a poor job of shedding

the sticky soil of the Midwest prairie. Deere

fashioned a plow from a broken sawblade.

The highly polished surface shed the soil,

making the self-scouring plow incredibly

popular with Midwestern farmers.

John Deere’s Vermont heritage

2,000,000

Vermont is the largest manufacturer

of maple syrup in the U.S., producing

gallons each year, more than

a third of the nation’s total.

Winter 2023

Zach Emerson, co-owner of Emerson & Sons Logging of Groton, Vermont, has attracted over 1,400 Instagram

followers (see #DeereInTheWoods article, page 6). Emerson likes to keep things real, sharing slices of life that

capture the daily trials and tribulations of being a logger. “I try to post the everyday stuff,” says Emerson.

“Not all days are perfect. It’s not all icing on the cake. I show everything that I can.”

That kind of authenticity has earned him a loyal following — and caught the attention of John Deere.

Follow Zachary on his Instagram page, @emersonandsonslogging, and at #DeereInTheWoods.

KEEPING IT REEL

Zach Emerson shares snapshots of everyday logging life on his Instagram account

#DeereInTheWoods

DO YOU STILL CALL IN THE CAVALRY

IF THEY’RE ALREADY EN ROUTE?

Filling a ﬂ eet with rugged machines is just one step to winning in the

woods. There’s the hustle of experienced technicians. Having parts at the

ready. Or leveraging time-saving tools from cutting-edge technologies.

Your local John Deere dealer is always near for support, helping you

to keep timber moving, and quotas ﬁ lling.

IN THE

WOODS

JohnDeere.com/OneInTheWoods

JohnDeere.com/OneInTheWoods

WORK, EVEN WHEN IT RAINS.

With incredible stability in soft or sloped terrain, the new John Deere

768L-II Bogie Skidder efﬁ ciently retrieves timber in hard-to-reach

places. The bogie axles on this six-wheel skidder combine excellent

traction and ﬂ otation with reduced ground pressure helping you

move big loads long distances no matter the conditions. Add one

to your ﬂ eet and get ready to OUTRUN.

OUTRUN

™

DKMAG274F Litho in U.S.A. (22-12)

John Deere Forestry Magazine

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