$$ tilling gardens?

[MESSMAKER]

I do some tractor work but it's just grading spreading and some bush mowing. I'm getting calls wanting to know if I till gardens. I am considering buying one but it's tough to justify. Looks like about $1500 for new or $900-1000 for good used. At $50 a garden it will take a long time to get to even and it is a short season. Am I missing something?

 

[deputy11]

No, you are not missing something, you pretty much nailed it. Now, in my case, I have a LP tiller for our own use. When I got it I did a couple of others' gardens, then the next year a couple more to where now I do 20-25 besides my own. Do I make money?, probably not really but the cash flow makes a couple tractor payments sometimes. Also have gotten to meet some nice people in my community that I otherwise may not have and get all kinds of gardening tips from older people who have been gardening for many more decades than I have.

 

[whistlepig]

I do some tractor work but it's just grading spreading and some bush mowing. I'm getting calls wanting to know if I till gardens. I am considering buying one but it's tough to justify. Looks like about $1500 for new or $900-1000 for good used. At $50 a garden it will take a long time to get to even and it is a short season. Am I missing something?

I used to do brush mowing and finish mowing and had a lot of requests to till or plow gardens. The requests for tilling gardens always came at the same time the mowing business demand was at the highest. I would have had to put off my mowing customers to do the gardens. The tilling business is only a couple of weeks in the spring. The mowing business is all summer long. It was better for me long term to pick up more mowing jobs than to look for the garden business.

 

[firemanpat2910]

and if you hit a buried transmission, concrete missle silo, or some other hidden treasure in the nice little old lady's, (that you charged $20.00)garden and destroy your brand new tiller on the second day you own it, its not a real good R.O.I

 

[bjr]

I'm doin' the same in my neighborhood. The area is mostly sandy/loam so equipment damage is minimal. My tiller is a resurected rice tiller that I put some Kingkutter tines on and heavier draft arm lugs. I tell them I don't fix busted PVC sprinklers and pipe. If they ask to me to till them pipes better be buried deep enough to tilll over. I charge enough for fuel and a equipment mostly $75-$100. I just don't do it for free. If I need to disc first the price goes up to change implements. The people I help are greatful too, that helps. I do see other tractors in the area but no tillers. bjr

 

[bdog]

I used to do this and the tilling never paid out. I was always spending time driving back and forth hooking up a shredder and a tiller and no one ever wanted to pay more than $50 for a garden to be tilled. By the time I unloaded the tractor from the trailer, unhooked my shredder, hooked up the tiller, loaded back up on the trailer, drove there, tilled it, loaded up, drove home, unloaded, unhook tiller, hook up shredder, load tractor again I had spent a lot of time and effort for $50.

 

[Botabill]

Where I live few will pay to have their garden tilled. If it's a small garden they have their own tiller or can rent one. There are few gardens that require a tractor sized tiller... accept mine and I can get away with my BCS walk behind even though I'd like a tiller for my tractor.

 

[taborekle]

and if you hit a buried transmission, concrete missle silo, or some other hidden treasure in the nice little old lady's, (that you charged $20.00)garden and destroy your brand new tiller on the second day you own it, its not a real good R.O.I

I have upgraded my tiller from shear bolts to slip clutch, and I think that that would take care of much of the issue.

I would have just about anyone sign a 'release from harm' to cover any damage that you might do.

I own a reversing tiller and think it's great. The soil comes out very light, airy and ground up fine.

I'd want some very clear directions on what to tiller up.

I use it mostly on my in-laws guarden. It's my small way of paying them back for all that they have done for me. They love what it does for their guarden though.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I used to do this and the tilling never paid out. I was always spending time driving back and forth hooking up a shredder and a tiller and no one ever wanted to pay more than $50 for a garden to be tilled. By the time I unloaded the tractor from the trailer, unhooked my shredder, hooked up the tiller, loaded back up on the trailer, drove there, tilled it, loaded up, drove home, unloaded, unhook tiller, hook up shredder, load tractor again I had spent a lot of time and effort for $50.

I have thought about just buying a decent rear tine for $500 or so. I could throw it on the trailer with tractor,box blade and middle buster and be good to go. It would also let me do smaller gardens with limited access.

 

[coobie]

I have thought about just buying a decent rear tine for $500 or so. I could throw it on the trailer with tractor,box blade and middle buster and be good to go. It would also let me do smaller gardens with limited access.

I have a 65 inch rear tine tiller and charge $50 per garden.Not alot of $$ to be made but you meet some nice folks.coobie

 

[bontai_Joe]

I used to do garden tilling with a Troy-Bilt Horse back in the 1980's for $30 a garden with the stipulation that the $30 covered the first hour. If the going rate currently is $50, then I can't see it as a money maker. Gas was under a dollar a gallon back then, with current fuel prices and current vehicle prices and insurance costs, I'd be wanting more than $50 a pop using a tractor, unless you can 2 or 3 jobs in the same neighborhood. To hook up a tiller on a tractor, load it on a trailer, drive 20 or 30 minutes to the job, do the job and then drive back and unload as mentioned above, is a lot of work for $50 since about half that is going for fuel. And as mentioned, any tilling customer at best is a twice a year customer (spring and fall), more likely one a year. Better to find mowing customers, firewood customers, even junk hauling customers (people that pay you to haul stuff away that you also make money on for scrap value) Nothing beats getting paid at both ends of a haul.

 

[greenfarmranchhome]

I have a john deere 660 pto tiller on my tractor and I wont unload it for less than 125. Thats the base charge. If they dont want to pay it then its no sweat off my back. Let em did it themselves. If you break something 125.00 still wont even come close to covering it but at 50 bucks your sure to come up with the dirty end of the stick if you know what I mean.

www.greenfarmranchhome.com

 

[Scotty370]

I did it years ago, along with mowing, snow-blowing etc. Guess I'm a better 'neighbor' than a businessman. I've 'withdrawn' drastically from my younger days! I just don't think that people appreciate the cost of equipment, repairs, fuel, as well as a little profit, as much as they should! ~Scotty

 

[timswi]

My brother in law was tilling for a friend and grabbed a concrete block...Needed to have the tractor split and a few gears replaced...$2000...Need to be careful, and have a PTO clutch.

 

[magicheater]

I charge $10 to get me there and $1 a minute, unchain-till-chain. I cut people some slack to encourage gardening and try to get a few in a trip to make it more productive for me. I usually double till and all so far have been happy. When people balk at the price I just tell them to enjoy the day with the rented walk behind! I do it more as a service than a get rich scheme.

 

[workmytractor]

I have been thinking about getting a pto tiller my my tractor and riding around the neiborhood. Right now is a great time to do it and I think you could probably get a full return on the tiller within two years at a minimum.

 

[Scotty370]

"You Go WMT" I'm not saying it can't be done, just that 'know what your signing up for' and get you rates right! We have a guy in the Buffalo area that has an old '32? vintage flatbed with an equally vintage tractor and PHD! The "Hole Digger" I think are his signs. Just a 'nitch' business that he seems to do alright with. I see his rig alot, obviously targeting the homeowners 'fence-builder'!! ~Scotty

 

[gilbertmsg]

I'd like to know were you can get a decent used tiller for $500.00 or so. Looked on craigslist numerous times. Even the used Japenese tillers are usually well over $500.00 when you see one.

Eddie

 

[Scotty370]

gilbert- Might want to re-read the OP's numbers. ~S

 

[gilbertmsg]

Scotty370 - I did, you might want to read the entire thread. I was referring to MESSMAKER quote reference a $500.00 tiller.

Eddie