Rock on his Mobile Precision Soil Sampler

Randy Rock

Accurate Agri- Service covers more Acres

Randy Rock smiles when he shows me a very muddy ATV he calls a ‘Mobile Precision Soil Sampler.  Randy custom designed the modified ATV complete with GPS and hydraulic drill for sampling after a year of sampling by hand.  Soil sampling is a competitive business and those who can get the acreage and samples done on time are rewarded.

It wasn’t always this good for Randy.  Four years ago when Nutrient Management Planning requirements were put on hold, demand for the soil sampling business tanked.  Rock came up with a plan to enter the more consistent fertilizer spraying business.  His challenge was the $130,000 price-tag of the sprayer.  Enter the Perth Community Futures business start-up loan, “If the Community Futures wasn’t there for me, I wouldn’t be doing what I am today.”   

Then, the unthinkable happened, the shed he leases and stores all his equipment in burnt with all his equipment in it.  While insurance covered the sprayer he found out his tools and the $20,000 cost to erect a new Coverall were not covered.  “When I called the Community Futures they understood my cash-flow predicament right away and were able to rewrite the loan– now our business is back on track and I’m looking at purchasing another soil sampler next year.”