Dates of operation

This section of the contract should identify the total duration of the contractual agreement, as well as the consequences in the event that the work is not completed (e.g., the contract expires but not all of the timber has been cut or removed from the property). 

This is also a good place in the contract to mention the possibility of temporarily shutting the job down due to weather or ground conditions.

It is always necessary, of course, to record the date that the contract is signed by both parties. 

It is not uncommon to have a contract run for as long as two years. This actually allows for the possibility of needing to shut down due to weather. Short contracts can create problems, when people need to rush ahead to finish on time, regardless of the weather or ground conditions.