The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[MoKelly]

I guess it invokes the old saying “I never promised you a rose garden” or something like that…..

Here you go —-

 

[Torvy]

Some of the crap I get asked to cut is laughable.
20 acres of 7’ tall stickers on top of mud…..

View attachment 858823

I guess it invokes the old saying “I never promised you a rose garden” or something like that…..

Seems that would be a good candidate for a controlled burn. Heck, they may even be able to get a local FD to do it for training.

 

[sixdogs]

Some of the crap I get asked to cut is laughable.
20 acres of 7’ tall stickers on top of mud…..

View attachment 858823

I guess it invokes the old saying “I never promised you a rose garden” or something like that…..

So what do you do? Your equip is heavy so you'll leave deep ruts in the mud. Wait for freeze or is that to iffy? Just leave the ruts?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Some of the crap I get asked to cut is laughable.
20 acres of 7’ tall stickers on top of mud…..

View attachment 858823

I guess it invokes the old saying “I never promised you a rose garden” or something like that…..

The worse part for me about cutting stuff that is overgrown and tall with a tractor is the tractor tires mash down a lot of stuff ahead of the mower that doesn't get cut low like everything else, I try cutting back the opposite way that I made my first pass to help as much as possible, but there is only so much that you can do .

 

[deserteagle71]

The worse part for me about cutting stuff that is overgrown and tall with a tractor is the tractor tires mash down a lot of stuff ahead of the mower that doesn't get cut low like everything else, I try cutting back the opposite way that I made my first pass to help as much as possible, but there is only so much that you can do .

Yup. Not just the tall stuff, though. My desert acres are mostly "cheatgrass" which, depending how how much moisture we've had, will grow anywhere from a few inches high to about 18" max. I have to use a rotary mower (bush hog type) because its the only thing able to take the abuse of hitting dirt and rocks. Same thing - the tractor tires mash down the cheatgrass before the mower gets to cut it. Two days later that mashed-down cheatgrass stands back up again and it is very plain where the tractor tires passed. Wish there was an easy way to have a front-mounted rotary mower!

Gopher mounds leveled by the mower:

 

[LouNY]

Yup. Not just the tall stuff, though. My desert acres are mostly "cheatgrass" which, depending how how much moisture we've had, will grow anywhere from a few inches high to about 18" max. I have to use a rotary mower (bush hog type) because its the only thing able to take the abuse of hitting dirt and rocks. Same thing - the tractor tires mash down the cheatgrass before the mower gets to cut it. Two days later that mashed-down cheatgrass stands back up again and it is very plain where the tractor tires passed. Wish there was an easy way to have a front-mounted rotary mower!

Gopher mounds leveled by the mower:
View attachment 858833

Have you tried a flail with hammers, an offset flail would let you move besides the tractor.
Or an offset hitch;
Offset Hitch - Handy Hitch Manufacturing
and then there are offset rotary cutters;
Tractor Mounted PTO Powered Articulated Arm Brush Mower

 

[Hay Dude]

So what do you do? Your equip is heavy so you'll leave deep ruts in the mud. Wait for freeze or is that to iffy? Just leave the ruts?

It was semi-frozen, so ok to cut.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m more worried about deer skeletons than anything. Freakin rib cage bones & racks go right through a tire!
There was 3 or 4 skeletons out in that mess.

I notice my AG insurance deductible went up to like $2,500. Conveniently, that’s what a rear tires costs now, too.

 

[two_bit_score]

Seems that would be a good candidate for a controlled burn. Heck, they may even be able to get a local FD to do it for training.

Has anyone ever actually had a "local FD do it for training"?

I see this said often but I've never known anyone who has had a FD or even a VFD burn anything for them for "training". If you have actually had that ahappen please post the details like what was burned, cost, results, etc.

The VFD's I know anything about don't do this. They have training but they don't burn private structures or land for training exercises. So, I'm genuinely curious about any true actual examples where this happens. The best I know of is a local VFD that would 'stand by' while the owner burned a structure for a donation but that was a long time ago.

 

[LouNY]

They used too but I don't know of any that do so now days, used to be able to get them to flush out culverts also.
Haven't heard of that happening lately.
I have to wonder if regulations and insurance issues haven't been the downfall of that community service.