The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Hay Dude]

It just looks like lots of deadfall and broken standing trees very close to the tracks? I guess the train does it own trimming and clearing

The reason you see that is because we had a 100+ MPH straight line wind here 2 years ago that took down thousands of trees an the RR just threw them off the tracks as simply and inexpensively as possible.

They are really low speed freight tracks. Maybe 10MPH at the most. It’ll be sad if they discontinue use. Probably one of the most scenic RR’s you’ll ever see.

 

[Hay Dude]

We are 98% done all cutting of hay & fields. Just one place left to do.
Suffice it to say, we are in “off-season” mode.

I just started a fence clearing project. About 1000’ of fence with about 15 years of unabated growth. A real mess. Briars, vines, olive, etc. Just started on Thursday & Friday. Here’s about 50’ of this glamorous work underway.
I’m using My Stihl HT-103 pole pruner and Stihl Kombi 91 with a Stihl tri-blade.

I will benefit a little from this clearing because it’s along a hay field I cut and should help me get a little relief from overhanging branches.

Can you believe there’s a fence in there?

Some more progress. Can you see the railroad berm in the background?

 

[sixdogs]

That's a big job. Are you along on the fence job or other/others working with you? What happens to the brush?

 

[Hay Dude]

That's a big job.

It’ll probably take 6-7 days at this pace.

Are you along on the fence job or other/others working with you?

Alone right now. I may have help next week. I’m an animal so I don’t mind doing this alone as money gets tight starting in January anyway.
Every $1,000 bucks I save by working alone goes towards equipment & repair needs that are starting to pile-up.

What happens to the brush?

Good question. I’m leaning towards raising the bush hog high as it’ll go and just grinding it down into bits & pieces. Then we can rake the bits & pieces over to the fence line to act as crude version of wood chips to inhibit regrowth.

I’m being “cheap” avoiding a chipper rental.

 

[mrmikey]

Can you believe there’s a fence in there?

That's a lot of work you got going on there HD, good on you.
How many times you hit the fence with the pruner or blade? You know it's going to happen unfortunately......just..a ..little.. bit ..closer....damn LOL

 

[Gregster613]

It’ll probably take 6-7 days at this pace.


Alone right now. I may have help next week. I’m an animal so I don’t mind doing this alone as money gets tight starting in January anyway.
Every $1,000 bucks I save by working alone goes towards equipment & repair needs that are starting to pile-up.


Good question. I’m leaning towards raising the bush hog high as it’ll go and just grinding it down into bits & pieces. Then we can rake the bits & pieces over to the fence line to act as crude version of wood chips to inhibit regrowth.

I’m being “cheap” avoiding a chipper rental.

That will work Hay Dude, I do that with my small branches that I trim off of the trees and it does become mulch. It's a shame that people let their fence lines become so entangled with brush like that - but it's good $$ for you though!

 

[Hay Dude]

That's a lot of work you got going on there HD, good on you.
How many times you hit the fence with the pruner or blade? You know it's going to happen unfortunately......just..a ..little.. bit ..closer....damn LOL

lol
So many that I keep my cordless mini grinder at the ready to keep the edges sharp.
Chainsaw chain is another story...

 

[Hay Dude]

That will work Hay Dude, I do that with my small branches that I trim off of the trees and it does become mulch. It's a shame that people let their fence lines become so entangled with brush like that - but it's good $$ for you though!

I hear ya
It's a good friend of mine. Always gives me first shot at any/all work he has.
He had just sold some art work and had the extra money. It was a long long time since last cut.

 

[Molalla1]

It’ll probably take 6-7 days at this pace.


Alone right now. I may have help next week. I’m an animal so I don’t mind doing this alone as money gets tight starting in January anyway.
Every $1,000 bucks I save by working alone goes towards equipment & repair needs that are starting to pile-up.


Good question. I’m leaning towards raising the bush hog high as it’ll go and just grinding it down into bits & pieces. Then we can rake the bits & pieces over to the fence line to act as crude version of wood chips to inhibit regrowth.

I’m being “cheap” avoiding a chipper rental.

HD, don't you steer your customers to poison their fence lines?

 

[Hay Dude]

HD, don't you steer your customers to poison their fence lines?

Some will. Most won’t allow herbicides.
It’s funny because if they would, I’d have less work/income.

All hail the “environmentalist”

Kidding aside, I use as little as possible.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

Looks like you could use a grapple on the fence job.

 

[Hay Dude]

Looks like you could use a grapple on the fence job.

I have one of those

A tracked skid steer with a mulcher is what I’ve always wanted……

 

[BackRoad]

From many of your photos with overgrown pasture edges, a SkidSteer /mulcher setup would pay for itself and provide you with off season income.

I suspect Nov to Mar you could keep very busy, plus with this cycle of less annual snowfall, you could work through the winter.

And it could be a one man operation. You already have the trailers and trucks needed to support the business...

 

[BackRoad]

...and the customer base...

 

[LouNY]

The mulcher heads do a very nice job. Unfortunately in stoney areas they are very high maintenance. Rocks and the carbide teeth don't go together very well.

 

[Hay Dude]

I want one so bad….
“Hand to hand combat” getting old…..

Could also used it to load bales. I could drive it up on the GN trailer and go from field to field.

I better be careful I don’t talk myself into this.
I actually test-drove this one. I believe this is one of the heaviest & most powerful skid loaders you can buy.

But then you have to buy a mulching head for it, too.

 

[scootr]

My friend had a hay business and a welding business. The built a bale squeeze for his bobcat. And his wife (an equipment operator) delivered small bale hay with the SS. Worked great for them.
My 773 Bobcat and RUT BH is a formidable brush buster. Neighbor asked me to cut some 5 - 6ft stuff. I raised the BH and lowered down on the brush thus reducing the amount of long sticks on the ground.

 

[LouNY]

Myself I lean more towards the JCB lineup. My nephew has a Cat skidsteer with the tracks over the tires. Even with the added lift from the tracks with anything but the stock bucket on it can be difficult to exit the machine. It takes maneuvering to get the arms down low enough to get out of the cab by opening the door as it will not clear the implement. He actually ends up removing the door much of time to make it usable.

 

[scootr]

Climbing in and out of the SS is a young man's game - Keeps me from using it as much as I could. The other thing that makes me choose the forklift or the tractor are the reduced work area visibility (I installed 2 rearward cameras), and the slow rough ride...

 

[Gator6x4]

I want one so bad….
“Hand to hand combat” getting old…..

Could also used it to load bales. I could drive it up on the GN trailer and go from field to field.

I better be careful I don’t talk myself into this.
I actually test-drove this one. I believe this is one of the heaviest & most powerful skid loaders you can buy.

But then you have to buy a mulching head for it, too.


View attachment 1850760

A expensive purchase. A high GPM and Horsepower Skid Steer purchase alone would give one sleepless nights. Adding a Mulching Head coupled with maintenance cost would drive one to start drinking.