Over the past 22-plus years, Harris & Co. has established a reputation for providing quality landscaping services to residential and commercial customers in the Milledgeville, Georgia, area. Those services include innovative landscape design and installation, irrigation systems and comprehensive maintenance programs.
“Our goal is to create outdoor environments with both functional and visual appeal through design, installation, enhancement, and maintenance of landscape and hardscape areas,” says owner Bryan Harris.
While much landscaping work is done by hand, commercial landscaping companies such as Harris rely on specialized equipment to complete construction and maintenance as efficiently and economically as possible.
“For example,” said Harris, “our primary irrigation machine is a Ditch Witch SK750, a compact workhorse that we use with several attachments. We use it on every irrigation install. We use it to dig trench to install pipe, backfill the trench and do bucket work. We have a boring attachment to cross under drives. We have several buckets, including one for digging and a landscape bucket; backfill blade, tiller, Harley rake for light material, and a vertical auger.”
Mounted on rubber tracks, the 32-horsepower SK750 travels easily across landscaped areas, paved surfaces and uneven terrain. The operator rides on a rear-mounted platform for easy on and off. Intuitive controls are positioned for ease of operation. More than 70 attachments are available.
Harris won the SK750 at the 2012 GIE (Green Industry & Equipment) Expo in Louisville, Kentucky, where the product was introduced. As part of the introduction, attendees at the event were invited to participate in a challenge course, and Harris came out the winner.
“We put the SK750 to work as soon as we got delivery and have used it regularly ever since,” Harris says. “In all that time, we’ve only had one small problem, and it was taken care of by our dealer the day we brought it in. The operator just gets on it, starts it, and it runs all day.
“That’s the way we like it.”
Harris wasn’t a stranger to the benefits of multi-purpose SK equipment. Before winning the new machine, the company already owned a SK650, the model the SK750 replaced. The newer version has several improvements, including 30 percent more ground clearance, the ability to convert from a narrow- to wide-track stance, and an enlarged operator platform.
The SK650 still is in service, and Harris also owns a Ditch Witch 3700 riding trencher, which is used in tandem with the SK750 on most irrigation system installations. In addition to individual homeowners, Harris clients include homeowners’ associations, educational institutions and colleges and parks for complete landscaping needs, including entrance design, maintenance and seasonal color. Harris has Georgia contractor’s licenses to provide plumbing and low-voltage lighting services.
Harris & Co. is served by Ditch Witch of Georgia, Forest Park. Harris calls his Ditch Witch sales representative, Brent Goodwin, one of the best dealer salespeople he’s ever had. “He stays in touch and is always available when needed,” he added.
