The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[LHF2019]

Everyplace is a natural habitat for deer -- regardless of how it's mowed. They're everywhere all the time. In hay fields before, during, and after mowing too.

I do find it a little nerve-wracking trying to watch out for fawns. You almost have to get off the tractor and walk over and kick them in the butt to get them to move.

YES!

Then why are you stopping. Run them through the mower. buzzards need to eat to. There are way to many.

 

[Hay Dude]

I’m a buzzard’s best friend.
And a hawk, and a fox….

 

[Hay Dude]

This picture is about 3 weeks ago in late April.
New Customer I picked up over the winter.
5 small patches to be cut in late April to aid in elimination of multi-flora.
Then 2 of the bigger patches to be hayed 2x/year.
The other 3 patches mowed with rotary mower in October.

Barely needed cut, but it’s their property and they can do whatever they want!
Who am I to argue…..

Dug out a stump while I was there. No need for more stumps in pastures than I already have to deal with.

 

[EddieWalker]

Do you get new clients from word of mouth, do they see you working and approach you, or do you advertise?

 

[Hay Dude]

Do you get new clients from word of mouth, do they see you working and approach you, or do you advertise?

Both.
However, advertising is done reluctantly by me as I’d say 95% of my business is word of mouth and advertising is a PITA to keep current or pay for.
The best thing you can do is get a couple “influencers” as clients, do a great job for them, and they will tell everyone. Also, cross them and they will act out against you.
Luckily, I have not ticked anyone off (yet).

Advertising is almost 100% tire kickers & dreamers

 

[EddieWalker]

I market my work on FB, which is free and super effective. But most of my new clients come from just a few existing clients. I treat those clients like royalty!!!!

Sounds like it's fairly similar with your line of work. The really good clients are the ones that are selling you to their friends.

 

[Hay Dude]

I market my work on FB, which is free and super effective. But most of my new clients come from just a few existing clients. I treat those clients like royalty!!!!

Sounds like it's fairly similar with your line of work. The really good clients are the ones that are selling you to their friends.

When first starting, advertising is advisable.
At my point in life, my reputation is very well established.
I sell hay to many different customers, and I do custom mowing and large property maintenance for probably 25 different customers.

I lost a BIG customer back in March. Hurt me bad. It forced me out of my comfort zone to go hunt down some new Customers. Got 2 smaller ones, but not enough to make up for what I lost.
Still seeking more work-especially for the newly added excavator.

 

[Hay Dude]

We do small stuff, too. Here’s a trail I mow weekly. Just drive the zero turn a mile along the river, blades running and a mile back, blades running. We get paid monthly for this contract. Wish I had 10 more of these type of contracts. No “manicured” lawns to worry about. Low stress mowing.

Here’s another one we do. Small Conservancy with walking trails.
The field to the right will be baled in about a month by us, too.

 

[RjCorazza]

We do small stuff, too. Here’s a trail I mow weekly. Just drive the zero turn a mile along the river, blades running and a mile back, blades running. We get paid monthly for this contract. Wish I had 10 more of these type of contracts. No “manicured” lawns to worry about. Low stress mowing.


View attachment 3463846

Here’s another one we do. Small Conservancy with walking trails.
The field to the right will be baled in about a month by us, too.

View attachment 3463847

That trail mowing sounds like a leisurely job. How do you deal with hikers on the trail while mowing? The rural properties I cut they stay off the lawn when I'm mowing, but not so much with dogs.

 

[Hay Dude]

I can’t wait to start cutting hay and of course, it’s rainin

 

[scootr]

Wooden chino it.

 

[Hay Dude]

That trail mowing sounds like a leisurely job.

It is until you have to deal with the ruts, bumps, fallen branches and mud. But usually I don’t cut them unless it’s dry. Kind of hard on the mower decks.

How do you deal with hikers on the trail while mowing? The rural properties I cut they stay off the lawn when I'm mowing, but not so much with dogs.

If I encounter one, I just turn off the blades and pull off the trail to let them by.

 

[Hay Dude]

Some steep stuff I cut Monday. Funny how it doesn’t look steep in the picture, but it was a butt-pucker factor of about 7 on a scale of 1-10. lol

 

[workinonit]

What's real fun when your on something steep like that is running in a hole on the down hill side.

 

[workinonit]

Is going vertical vs horizontal an option?

 

[Hay Dude]

Is going vertical vs horizontal an option?

Yeah,,,, if I wanted to dig erosion furrows every 7 feet on my customers hill lol.
I don’t think they’ll like that with the view from the house down to the lake

 

[Runner]

Some steep stuff I cut Monday. Funny how it doesn’t look steep in the picture, but it was a butt-pucker factor of about 7 on a scale of 1-10. lol

View attachment 3472157

You can really see the slope from the angle of the trees in the background!

 

[workinonit]

I didn't know it would wash with established turf like that. I know @browndog mows his vertically. We don't have to deal with those issues where I liv in SC.

 

[LouNY]

I didn't know it would wash with established turf like that. I know @browndog mows his vertically. We don't have to deal with those issues where I liv in SC.

powering up steep grades will tear the sod.

 

[Hay Dude]

I didn't know it would wash with established turf like that. I know @browndog mows his vertically. We don't have to deal with those issues where I liv in SC.

Yeah he’s mowing with a 2,500lb zero turn.
My Challenger and CX-15 is more like 25,000lbs.
about 10 times the weight, and ag tires would tear that bank up as Lou said.