Good Earth Tree Care LLC

Lots of firsts this week for Colby.

First time driving a truck.
First time pulling a trailer.
First time driving a manual transmission.
First time running a chipper.
And today — first time climbing a tree.

He stepped up to every challenge, kept a great attitude, and crushed it all week. Excited to watch him keep learning and growing in the trade. 🌲💪

Every small business has an origin story and ours starts with the “little green truck.” When owner, Brett Nelson’s grandmother passed she left him $5000 and he decided to take the plunge and start his own business, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who ran a welding business after WW II. Brett found and bought this truck off of EBay. We weren’t entirely sure it would make it back to Grand Rapids from southern Illinois (top speed is 55 mph). We didn’t have a shop in those early days and a local church let us keep the truck parked in their parking lot. Initially, we ran our business out of our very small one stall garage! Our first few employees would come to our house in the morning and gather on the sidewalk. One of the first few weeks the little green truck had a hiccup and would only drive in reverse. We had to drive it to our mechanic backwards! Since then it has remained the little green truck that could… We can’t imagine ever parting ways with it. An angel grandma, $5000, a little green truck, and a lot of faith has brought us to this 10 year milestone! Shout out to small businesses everywhere, we see you, your dream, and your “little green trucks”

Friends, we did it. We just passed our TENTH year of providing quality tree care with a focus on preservation and safety. Thank you to our community for entrusting us in caring for your trees. Keeping a small, family business afloat is not always easy, but it is always an honor. We are always proud of the work we do, speaking for the trees.

These pictures show how it started and how it’s going! If you’ve had Good Earth care for your trees please help us by sharing this post with your own friends and family! Help us spread the GOOD (Earth) 🌳

Not every risky tree needs pruning or removal.
Support cabling can strengthen weak “V”-shaped unions and help protect your property. Reach out to see if your tree is a good candidate!

High winds = Trees and limbs down! If you need assistance, please give us a call at 616.236.3246. We have one of our arborists out circulating and responding to calls.

Last night we received several calls about trees down due to the high winds. If you have trees or branches down, please call 616.236.3246! Good Earth is here to help.

We’re proud to share some exciting news — Brett Nelson has officially been elected to the ISA Michigan Board of Directors!

Brett is honored to serve alongside other dedicated professionals working to advance the arboriculture industry, promote proper tree care, and support education and safety standards throughout Michigan. This opportunity reflects his ongoing commitment to professional growth, industry leadership, and providing the highest level of service to our community.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Brett and Good Earth Tree Care along the way. We’re excited for what lies ahead and look forward to continuing to serve West Michigan with knowledge, integrity, and passion for trees 🌳

On this International Women’s Day, Good Earth Tree Care celebrates the women on our team, Amie, Mary, Sara, and the good Mother Earth 🌳