# Mowing CRP



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

So have a property we still rent the lighter ground but the tile has all failed on the muck, landowner is getting paid some obscene amount to revert it back to a wetland.

Needed mowed so they could get stakes placed so the contractor can start digging two ponds/retention basins.

Ragweed was easily 4-6 feet taller than the tractor and full of pollen, made two rounds and had the wife bring me the leaf blower.

Took a little better than three hours to mow two 200x400 areas. Cat tails are especially tough to mow i've found out, another weed as well would kill the tractor dead if you weren't ready to either lift the bushing or jam the clutch in. Every 2-3 rounds stop and blow the radiator out.

Oliver 1600 diesel and three point 8 foot Brush Hog. Thought about taking the 18 footer and a big tractor but we used to farm the muck as well and i know in more than one spot a neighbor about rolled a tractor on its side from dropping a rear wheel in a spring.

Custom rate in Indiana is roughly $20/acre, for everything being in bloom it was some especially nasty mowing, at least its been dry enough didn't have any skeeters or deer flies to deal with. Land owner said right off the get go this needs done and we ain't gonna quibble over what it costs.

$75 don't seem near enough for what a miserable SOB it was, however don't want to be an ass as its Dads landlord.

What say the members for a fair price?


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Try hourly rate ,$50 ? Maybe 80


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

We do $60 hourly rate for some jobs.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

If I worked my numbers correctly, that was about 4 acres. The custom rate for shredding around here is about $25/acre for "normal" ground--meaning you probably should be getting $100. But, being cattails, etc., I think I would add 50%--total about $150.

Ralph


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

$35 a acre.....$140.00


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

My rule of thumb, 1% of what the new equipment cost (same size tractor and BH).

So I'd be guessing about $75-80K (estimation of new equipment cost), so $75 to $80 an hour as a starting point. Now to the variables:


could add to hourly rate for the PITA part,
could subtract for the Dad's landlord,
could subtract for the 'neighborly' part,
could factor in "what's fair" amount, 
and could add for 'show up fee'.

With all that info, I come up with some where close to from a case of cold adult beverages (shared with neighbor and maybe Dad, keeping a 6' distance) to $100 an hour. 

I was going to put HTH, but I know better.  :lol:

Larry


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

OhioHay said:


> We do $60 hourly rate for some jobs.


I've been charging a straight $50/hour for installing wood boilers, I go over the estimate I eat it, I come in under and they only pay actual hours worked. I may have to raise it to 60-65 an hour as nobody has batted an eye in the least over labor.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

mlappin said:


> I've been charging a straight $50/hour for installing wood boilers, I go over the estimate I eat it, I come in under and they only pay actual hours worked. I may have to raise it to 60-65 an hour as nobody has batted an eye in the least over labor.


Take it to $55 now, then depending whom is getting sworn at in Washington, raise it more accordingly. 

Larry


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

That’s at least an $80/hr job in my opinion.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

r82230 said:


> Take it to $55 now, then depending whom is getting sworn at in Washington, raise it more accordingly.
> 
> Larry


When that last joker was in office I couldn't hardly give a boiler away.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

mlappin said:


> When that last joker was in office I couldn't hardly give a boiler away.


You mean they weren't free, like his phones? 

Larry


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Per the ISU 2020 custom rate survey, CRP mowing charges range from $10-$30 per acre with an average of $18.50. Google search will find the whole survey easily. 2 weeks ago I mowed 45 acres of crop ground that went into CRP this year. It had a 1 bu/acre cover of oats with a some areas of solid water hemp more than hood high on the tractor, plus plenty of other jungle over growth from 2 wet years in a row. Used a 15' stalk shredder (flail) behind the 145 pto hp MX170. I quoted the guy $15 per acre to do it. Should have charged a little more maybe, but I'll come out ok on it. Amazing how effective a flail shredder is on that junk. The only vegetation that really slowed me down was some limited areas of Reed's canary grass. Had to slow down to 3 mph for that.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

During and after.


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