Wisconsin Woodchuck

On the banks of Lake Superior, there’s a multi-million dollar cache of antique old-growth white pine. But this century-old timber isn’t buried under the water like it is down south–it stands high above ground in what was the largest grain elevator in the world when it was built in the late 1800s.

Wisconsin Woodchuck’s job is to take apart this enormous, unstable structure one board at a time and sell the wood to high-end flooring companies. Using cherry pickers and cranes, this group of unruly retired journalists and bankers is lifted high into the sky, where they cut large sections of the building’s frame away while trying to keep the rest from collapsing. They’ve invested their retirement accounts into this project, but what started as a way for them to turn a quick profit has gone into about five years of overtime.

Now the orders are coming in faster than they can fill them. To help, Woodchuck’s owner Judy is bringing in her brother Mike to act as site boss and daredevil Robert to do the tasks no one else will. Rounding out the crew is Judy’s longtime partner David, who helps her try to manage the chaos that often surrounds this huge operation.

These are tough-talking Midwesterners who are all used to getting their way. The profit margins are tight. The money is dwindling. The equipment is unreliable and the crew is volatile. Will Wisconsin Woodchuck come out on top or have they taken on too much?