Caring for an orchard year-round takes a lot of effort and dedication. When your crew is getting ready for the fall's harvest, you need to prepare a fleet that will work just as hard as you do. 

Since the work tends to change with the weather, there are many cases in which renting equipment is the most viable option for orchard crews. If you're looking at gearing up for the busy season, consider these reasons why choosing rental equipment could be the best decision for managing orchards. 

1. Find the right tool for the job: Renting orchard equipment is a short-term commitment that allows your workers to access specialized tools that excel in specific jobs. When your workers don't perform these jobs with the same frequency as other daily routines, completing them with rental equipment can result in significant savings.   
2. Stick with the season: The changing seasons bring different workloads for orchard crews. Owners can rent orchard equipment for seasonal use to save money upfront and conserve space in the garage. Your team will work more efficiently when there's less idle machinery in the way. 
3. Gain control over costs: When you choose to rent, you skip the upfront fees and only pay for the equipment as you need it. Low short-term payments are easier to account for in your budget. 
4. Release maintenance responsibilities: Dealerships offering rental equipment handle all the maintenance and repairs for you, taking a big responsibility — and expense — off your plate. 
5. Save on transportation: Hauling equipment from one location to another can be a lot of work. You may even need to purchase a separate piece of equipment to relocate the machines you use in the orchard. When you rent orchard equipment, the dealer can meet you at any location to handle pickup and drop-off. 
6. Keep up with innovations: Manufacturers are always producing updated equipment models. By choosing to rent, you'll have access to the latest versions without a long-term commitment. 
7. Familiarize yourself with the equipment: If you're considering buying new equipment for your fleet, renting for a couple of jobs can serve as a trial period to help you decide if it's the right machine for your work.
8. Protect against devaluation: Like anything else, orchard equipment loses value over time, and unexpected damage can exacerbate this depreciation. When you choose rental equipment for your fleet, you won't have to maintain a machine that's worth less than you paid for it. 

Rental Equipment for Orchards From The Cat® Rental Store

Renting equipment can be advantageous for orchard crews, and The Cat® Rental Store has a wide range of options. Choose equipment from Caterpillar and other reputable manufacturers to bolster your fleet with the resources you need when you need them. Shop online through The Cat Rental Store for machinery like: 

• Walk-behind trenchers: Crews can dig trenches faster to expand the orchard with new trees. 
• Stump grinders: Quickly eradicate tree stumps to make room for new growth. 
• Harvesters: Shake fruit loose to handle this year's harvest with greater efficiency. 
• Skidders: Tackle clean up faster with durable skidders that haul downed trees with ease. 
• Tool attachments: If you have a tractor in the fleet, rent job-specific attachments to help with specialized tasks. 

Browse The Cat Rental Store to Find What You Need

To learn more about our products for orchards, or to put in a rental quote request, reach out to your nearest Cat dealer or call 1-800-RENT-CAT. You can also browse our equipment display online to see the machines you can rent through our dealer network.