# Fence row trimming for farmers... what do you charge?



## Den (May 30, 2021)

Wondered what is a general pay scale for one guy to clear hedge apple, mulberry, and other moderate sized tree's that infringe on crops, along fence line's and along the edge of woods? Let's assume there is no splitting or hauling required. simply cut and drag to central location that is not too far away, then leave it.
How about cutting ditch banks?
Just curious.

.


----------



## lone wolf (May 30, 2021)

Den said:


> Wondered what is a general pay scale for one guy to clear hedge apple, mulberry, and other moderate sized tree's that infringe on crops, along fence line's and along the edge of woods? Let's assume there is no splitting or hauling required. simply cut and drag to central location that is not too far away, then leave it.
> How about cutting ditch banks?
> Just curious.
> 
> .


Figure out from your past paid work what you should charge an hour or day.


----------



## old CB (May 30, 2021)

As someone whose former farm/ranch operation once included much cultivated land--farm fields--and did my own edge trimming, I'll offer this. If your usual work is trees, you'll find this work is less trees and all limbs. Meaning much small material to handle. "Hedge" (osage orange) is nasty stuff to handle. Oh, and dropping your cut work over barb wire fences and preserving or rebuilding them adds another twist. Consider yourself lucky if you situation doesn't include this.

Like Lone Wolf says, you need to know what your time and equipment is worth and then estimate the time required. Or work & bill by the hour--I do, but it's rare in this trade.


----------



## Del_ (May 30, 2021)

Back in the mid eighties we did a little woods and fence farm land trimming. We had a one ton chevy with a 30 ft. bucket powered by an Onan air cooled engine. It didn't have or need outriggers so it was quick going around the field with one in the bucket and one inside the truck. We could make a huge mess in a little bit of no time and the farmers always did their own cleanup by pushing into piles in the field and burning, after they got what firewood they wanted of course.


----------



## Den (May 30, 2021)

When I had my large piece of land, I always trimmed my own tree line. Additionally, I ocassionally worked with a couple area farmers cutting trees along the edges of their land, just to have the firewood.
Nowadays, I see more farmers using giant batwing mowers to knarl stuff with giant blades, up to like 20 or 25 feet high. Those have quite a long reach. They even do ditch banks with it.
Or they use a front end loader to shove stuff around, and if its a tough one, they use an excavator. They usually do it in the Winter to avoid compaction, so they don't get lines in their beans.
About the only time they really really need a saw guy on the ground, is working ahead of an excavator on a ditch bank. Best to simply cut the trees and have the excavator pluck them out, leaving the root balls intact on the ditch bank. Helps keep the soil from eroding.
I should probably just ask around to see if anybody wants a guy on the ground cutting tree lines.


----------



## Den (May 31, 2021)

old CB said:


> As someone whose former farm/ranch operation once included much cultivated land--farm fields--and did my own edge trimming, I'll offer this. If your usual work is trees, you'll find this work is less trees and all limbs. Meaning much small material to handle. "Hedge" (osage orange) is nasty stuff to handle. Oh, and dropping your cut work over barb wire fences and preserving or rebuilding them adds another twist. Consider yourself lucky if you situation doesn't include this.
> 
> Like Lone Wolf says, you need to know what your time and equipment is worth and then estimate the time required. Or work & bill by the hour--I do, but it's rare in this trade.


old CB is correct. sooner or later I'll wind up mending fences. That's something I'd rather avoid.


----------



## Mad Professor (Jun 10, 2021)

If there is a lot small stuff and branches, pile them all pointing the same way on top of a long logging chain with a slip hook on one end. Loop the chain around the pile, connect the slip hook. That way you can drag pretty big piles to a central location with any decent size tractor.


----------

