Rural mowing and brush cutting service

Hobby farms, ranches, rural acreage owners, rural municipalities and landowners who need land kept tidy or usable.

Charge per hour or per acre, with a minimum call-out fee. Work is busiest from late spring to fall.

• Tractor and implement operation
• Basic machinery maintenance
• Safe working near fences, ditches and slopes
• Quoting jobs fairly

• Startup cost depends heavily on equipment: a used compact tractor, cutter and trailer typically needs a substantial outlay, while renting or already owning kit lowers it a lot
• Commercial general liability insurance, since stones and debris thrown by cutters can cause damage
• Bird nesting season and wildlife rules may limit when you can cut, check with your province
• Fire risk on dry days, and local fire bans
• Roadside and municipal contracts may have tender rules and extra insurance requirements
• Winter is quiet, so consider adding snow clearing or firewood work, and check what rules apply

Startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $60,000, depending heavily on equipment. Renting or already owning a tractor and cutter lowers the outlay a lot. These are estimates, so get quotes for used kit first.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your equipment, area and number of jobs, from about 8 hours a week. Winter is quiet, so consider adding other seasonal work.

Check commercial general liability insurance, as cutters can throw stones and debris. Also check bird nesting season and wildlife rules with your province, fire risk and local fire bans, and tender and insurance rules for municipal contracts.