Cost of tilling

[queen of spades]

Does this pricing seem high or fair, or too low?

# Turn plow (14") followed by roto-tiller: $175 first acre, $125 each additional.
# Turn plow (14") followed by disc harrow: $125 first acre, $100 each additional acre
# Roto-tiller only: $125 first acre, $100 each additional
# Disc harrow: $100 first acre, $75 each additional

[Durwood]

Looks very low to me. I think they want about forty bucks to just rototill my garden which is maybe not even 80' by 80' and that was maybe 7 or 8 years ago. An acre is a lot to do so i would say it is on the low side.

[PaulChristenson]

Those numbers are extremely high...at least they are to a farmer...

http://www.notill.org/news_releases/fuel_prices.pdf

Tractor Costs
Long term tractor rental rates run from 15 to 17 cents per horsepower hour per hour. A 200 horsepower tractor would cost $30 to $34 dollars per hour to just be in the field doing anything.
That 200 horsepower diesel engine under full load pulling a tillage implement will burn up to 10 – 12 gallons of fuel per hour. At a projected spring cost of $3.25 per gallon that computes to fuel costs of $32.50 to $39.00 per hour. The cost of an operator to drive the tractor will be around $10 an
hour.
For each meter hour add $32 for the tractor, $36 for diesel fuel, and $10 for the operator for a total cost of $78.00 per hour. That adds up to $1,092 for a 14-hour day in the field doing tillage that some farmers are choosing not to do, and getting along very well without it.

Tillage on 160 acres of cornstalks disking at 5 miles per hour with a 30 foot wide disk will require 8.8 hours covering 18 acres per hour. The tractor is pulling under maximum load so the charge is $78 per hour. The per acre cost is $4.29 per acre.
That primary tillage pass will require a secondary tillage pass with a field cultivator to smooth the soil surface and prepare the seedbed. Pulling a 45 foot wide field cultivator at 5 miles per hour will require 5.9 hours covering 27 acres per hour. The tractor is pulling under maximum load so the
charge is $78 per hour. The per acre cost is $2.88, making the total cost for two trips for seedbed preparation $7.17 per acre.
A primary tillage pass made with a 15 foot disk chisel/ripper at 4 miles per hour will require 22 hours covering 7.3 acres per hour. Again the tractor is pulling under maximum load so the charge is $78 per hour. The cost per acre is $10.73, upping the total cost of the three trips for seedbed preparation to $17.90 per acre.

[Durwood]

They might be high to a farmer doing lots of acres at a time but to till just gardens it couldn't be done for that around here. 40 to 50 bucks is about right for just a garden around here.

[PaulChristenson]

Originally Posted by Durwood

They might be high to a farmer doing lots of acres at a time but to till just gardens it couldn't be done for that around here. 40 to 50 bucks is about right for just a garden around here.

I'm going to have to miniaturise and make some real money...

[gravely_hillbilly]

QOS, Paul and Durwood make excellent points.i do know that in my area,the guy with the equipment Paul is speaking about wouldn't talk to me for $125 an acre.too much trouble getting his rig to my place,fuel costs etc.the guys small enough and mobile enough to do what you're offering charge $100 or more to do a garden plot.you seem to be offering something in between the two and i think it's an excellent price. if you were nearer,i'd be calling you.bottom line i'm thinking is,if you can turn a profit at that price and get enough takers,then get some seat time and enjoy.

[queen of spades]

OK so the going rate should be $5 per acre for pulling a tractor and plowing & tilling 5 acres? $25 for plowing and tilling 5 acres? Are you serious?

PS: You're welcome to come and try no-till on our hard-baked southern red clay. I'm sure the seeds will sprout and produce bounties.

[gravely_hillbilly]

QOS, i live in the middle of some huge farms. one guy has his machinery shed,2 miles from my house. i asked him to get 15 acres ready for me to plant pasture grass and what would he charge. he just laughed and said he couldn't turn his rig around on 15 acres and i wouldn't want to pay what it would cost him in fuel for such a small job. i'd say that those kind of rigs probably in the grand scheme of things can do it for that price,but it's for hundreds of acres a day that they can cover.

[queen of spades]

OK that makes better sense to me.

I use a lot less than $5/acre in gas, but discs & tiller tines aren't cheap. Neither are tires, engine parts and other wear and tear costs. I mean, someone could just go down to the rental shop & rent a front tine tiller for $35/hr. Might take a few weeks to get it all done but I suppose that is an option.

[gravely_hillbilly]

i really wish you were closer. i can rent the implements i need,but the cost for a days use is just too high for the amount i need done. i'd say you've found a niche that people like me need filled.don't you sleep? just noticed your original post was late last night!! ahh to be young again

[MowHoward2210]

Those prices don't seem out of line for smaller jobs/acreages.

[Ingersoll444]

I think you have to have a sliding scale... I mean, for me, I would charge the same to till a 30x30 garden, as I would a nice big 1/2 acre + one. You have to make it worth your wile to get your stuff there, and your time.

I think maybe your plow/tiller price is a little high, but other then that, your pretty close to what I would charge for my time.

[queen of spades]

Does it make sense to break it down between tilling & disc harrowing? I mean, it takes much less time to break up clods with a harrow than creep along with a tiller.

[Dude11]

I goto say,reg.plowing and follow up with a disc.is fine for large planting,like an ac.of corn,etc.Tilling on the other hand is for small veg.gardens,more like a seed bed than a plowed field.Prices would range on how long it takes and of course type of spot(ground)you intend to break-up.You need to figure what you and your equip.are worth per hour.And if you are smart,keep the pricing the same for everybody.As I'm sure you will.

[bontai Joe]

I never tilled with a tractor, I did a LOT of gardens for customers back in the day with my old Troy-Bilt. In the early 1980's I priced it so I got $30 the first hour and $25 for each additional hour. That covered my travel time, and I did ok. I am totally guessing that it will take you about 4 or 5 hours minimum to do a full acre? Then your prices seem in the ball park to me.