budget can sustain the effort needed to keep it up. POPULAR SIDE HUSTLES Because a lot of tree care profession- als already have access to trucks and equipment, firewood, mulch, and snow removal are the most common side hustles. These gigs oen require a significant investment in equipment, insurance, and time in order to see rewards. Rent- ing is a great way to test the waters and find out what works. Firewood When your business is pruning and removing trees, selling firewood can become a natural side business. Rather than pay for a green waste facility to break down felled trees, why not sell it to people needing firewood? Finding a space that’s large, dry, and cheap enough to store the wood is an essential first step. Firewood takes at least a year to season before it is ready to sell, making it one of the biggest costs involved with this side gig. Turning a profit from firewood oen depends on understanding what your market wants and then producing it as fast as you can. Check out hardware stores, grocery stores, or anywhere firewood is sold to get a sense of what sizes sell the most and for how much. Firewood is usu- ally packed in easy-to-carry bundles, quarter cords at 32 cubic feet, and half cords at 64 cubic feet. Supply is another consideration. Should demand outpace your ability to supply, partnerships with other wood supplies can help bridge gaps. Conversely, they can also cut into profit margins if not thoughtfully arranged. Investing in the right tools can speed up the production process. While most people can accomplish a lot with a chainsaw and a commercial log splitter,
Timberwolf’s Alpha 6 log splitter has a 20-horsepower engine, a hydraulic wedge and log lift, and up to 58,905 pounds of splitting force.
depends on where you live. It can also depend on having enough space, the right equipment, and the ability to ad- just to customer demand. Mulch requires enough space to sep- arate, sort, and process branches from trunks and species and colors from one another. Wood usually goes through two grinds to refine the wood and a screen- ing process to remove contaminants such as weeds, dirt, and other debris. Managing mulch to ensure quality and avoid product loss requires serious work. Mulch needs to be turned and treated regularly to avoid decomposi- tion, mold, freezing, or even fire dam- age. These can be important to factor in when considering time and labor costs. Equipment can cut down the time need- ed to process mulch as well as drive up
a firewood processor can measure, cut, and split wood in mere seconds. These can range in price from $15,000 to $35,000 and above. Minimizing expenses is key when sell- ing firewood. Investing in a device to wrap or bundle firewood can increase efficiency, save time and money, and even add an extra appeal for buyers. Typically, a half cord of firewood can sell for $180 to $280, but the earning potential of firewood can vary depend- ing on geography, weather, and other market conditions. Mulch For many tree care professionals, sell- ing mulch is a great side hustle, while others can’t seem to give it away. The success of a mulch side business oen
Trommel screens like Vermeer North Atlantic’s TR626EM are used to process wood waste into high-quality compost, mulch, and topsoil.
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