Mini Excavators

Written By: S. Gonzales

A mini excavator is one of the most essential pieces of equipment a farmer or rancher can own. Its versatility makes it a highly practical machine in any agricultural setting for its ability to complete an extensive range of projects, quickly and cost-effectively.

Improving your business productivity

Farmers who make their living growing fruits or vegetables, or ranchers who own livestock, may find that a mini excavator can significantly increase their operations and make it easier to manage their work. Mini excavators can be used for a number of crop-related projects, including the digging of ditches or trenches. These ditches can provide you with a way to control the runoff of pesticides and nutrients that you use on your fields. At the same time, this further simplifies the task of keeping your business operating within local and federal rules and regulations.

Instead of hiring a third party to do this kind of work for you, owning your own equipment will allow you to take charge of your projects, such as:

• Digging trenches to facilitate better irrigation techniques and water management, providing water for plants and animals, as well as digging foundations for building extensions
• Moving earth that impedes your operations, such as bare earth that may turn into a mini-mudslide after the next big downpour
• Planting a treeline to create a useful windbreak between your fields by easily digging holes for more mature trees to be planted
• Reclaiming, maintaining, and improving roads and property perimeter, including creating short sections of new road and cutting new trails
• Performing minor clearing and stump removal

Farm-specific machines and tools

Mini excavators are designed to perform a variety of construction and farming tasks. But when you have a specific need in mind, a general purpose machine may not always be the best way to go. When looking to complete some of the above mentioned tasks around your property, consider some of the following customizations and attachments:

• A machine that provides zero tail swing will enable you to work safely and productively in a wide range of tight spaces, including next to a buildings, traffic, or even people.
• Mini excavators equipped with a back-fill blade may save you from having to rent a bulldozer for certain jobs when moving soil, rock or debris.
• The backhoe on an excavator is a revered tool among farmers as it's usually much stronger than a tractor and typically has a much longer reach.
• A thumb is a great tool if you're clearing shrubbery or working with other types of wood or debris. Plus, it can be an easy upgrade in many cases (costing $1,500 to $3,000) as some mini excavators come pre-fitted with the capacity for the hydraulics.
• CAT and Komatsu seem to be the machines of choice among farmers throughout the United States.

A final tip: Don't forget to update your liability insurance. Chew through one fiber optic cable or water line you didn't know was there (or weren't told about by the property owner) and the repair costs are going to hurt like heartbreak.