At the Deming Logging Show monthly meeting in February, Mr. Ralph Minaker, was honored as our 2009 Bull of the Woods - It is the highest honor we award to anyone. The requirements are that one must have spent the majority of his working life in the logging industry and also to be highly respected by his fellow men.
Ralph was born in Sumas on October 28, 1938 to Esten and Wilma Minaker. He has 3 sisters, Ileta, Janice and Joyce and brothers Mervin and Ted. Ralph received his education in the Everson-Nooksack school district and graduated from Nooksack Valley High School in 1957.
In 1961 Ralph and Mary Skillman were married. From this relationship came 2 daughters, Diane and Cindy and 3 sons, Tony, Steve & Derek. In addition they enjoyed raising their niece Jeri.
In 1964 they purchased the 40 acres where they still call home, milking 40 cows while working 8 hours a day in the woods did not leave much time for play!
Ralph started his 38 years in the logging industry with a job of bucking logs at Fred Schmidt’s mill. From there he worked for Zee Bros., as a cutter for several years. In 1967 he went to work for Sherm Ousdale. It was during his years of employment there that he picked up the nick name “Flatground”. This is the way it came about..Sherm had a contract to cut some acres on Orisino Creek, south east of Acme. It was one of those “hurry up and get started” jobs so Sherm didn't’t get a chance to look the job over. So Sherm told the other crew members “OK boys, it’s mighty steep from this landing so I will cut the guy line circle. Ralph, you go down the hill 500 feet and start a strip and “Cave man” you go to the property line and start up this way!” In the crew bus, when the work day was over, the boss asked Ralph, “How do things look down there?” He replied “Not too bad, pretty darn good timber.” After 4 or so days, Sherm was done with the guy line circle and decided to head down the hill and look things over. It wasn’t long before he got to Ralph’s work area and found that he was working on Flatground!!! That was where he picked up the nick name that he carries to this day.
In later years he worked for many logging companies, Skagit Log, Taylor Bros, Pacific Log, Ed Hawkings, Gary VanDyk and Art Fetter. Flatground credits his learning of how to make short ones out of long ones to his mentors, Bud Rutsatz and Art Fetter. In his 38 years in the woods he has enjoyed cutting trees up to 14 feet in diameter.
In 1979 the Minakers decided to make a big change, from dairy farming to growing raspberries! This has proved to be a good move.
Flatground is certainly no stranger on these log show grounds. He worked on 4 of our early “timber sales”. He has been the head salmon cooker at our famous BBQ for many years. He has cooked over 30,000 pounds of salmon! If you don’t find him sitting in his chair of honor, on the grandstand this weekend, there is no doubt you can find him at the BBQ!
Ralph and Mary continue to work but they find enjoyable hours to spend with their 10 (almost 11) grandkids. We asked Mary, “Why do you think Flatground quit the woods, after 38 years?” Her answer was “I think he found that the hill got too flat and the trees got too small.”
Ralph enjoys fishing & hunting, (he has 10 elk to his credit). He claims some of his best memories were the 3 moose hunting trips to Alberta with Sherm, Joe Zender, Caveman Knutzen and Rick Monaghan. He truly enjoys his family time, especially the grandchildren.
Ralph has worked with or for 14 of the past Bull of the Woods. The Deming Logging Show is fortunate and extremely proud to honor Mr. Ralph “Flatground” Minaker as our 2009 Bull of the Woods.