Craig and Bryan Wendt opened Valley Landscaping in 1996 as a lawn care service.
Compact track loaders allow Valley Landscaping to work in tight spaces and fine grade leaving little hand work to finish.
Craig and Bryan Wendt opened Valley Landscaping in 1996 as a lawn care service. Over time, the brothers' business expanded into residential landscaping, and in 2005, Barry Davidson became a partner, and the business expanded into commercial landscaping. In October 2015, Valley Landscaping moved into its new building at 4401 12th Ave N, Fargo, ND 58102.
The move to the new location had many benefits, including indoor and outdoor showrooms, which allow the company to showcase its work for its customers. Customers can see how materials will look once installed, and see examples of several outdoor living units, including a custom kitchen and large gas fireplace. One neighboring customer — Branick Industries — took notice of the new facility, and chose Valley Landscaping for a $20,000 streetscape improvement project along Main Ave.
For the project, Valley Landscaping removed existing landscape, placed black dirt around the foundation and performed fine grade for proper drainage. The crew also installed new landscaping, including shrubs, perennials, boulders, rock and edging.
Removing the existing landscaping without destroying the existing turf was delicate work, but went smoothly using a Bobcat T650. The company also used a CurbMaster to install the continuous concrete curb edging.
Craig and Bryan Wendt agree that Bobcat track skid steers are at the heart of Valley Landscaping's jobsites. The company relies on them for nearly every aspect of its work. The tracks significantly reduce ruts, which greatly reduces delays after wet weather.
Valley Landscaping purchased the skid steers from Swanston Equipment Co., and has enjoyed a working relationship with Swanston for more than 17 years. Swanston Equipment is a 4th generation family owned business. Chris Shea has been with the company for 19 years, and has been a consistent sales contact for Vally Landscaping since the firm purchased its first Bobcat, a T200, in 1998. Shea has moved up in the company and is now a Vice President at Swanston Equipment.
“Chris knows his equipment and he's easy to work with. He always comes through with the equipment we need when we need it, whether it's for purchase or rental, for short-term needs. We feel he always treats us fairly and that's why we're still with him, all these years later,” said Craig Wendt.
“Swanston's service department is fast and reliable. They keep our equipment running, which keeps us in business. I can hardly remember a time when we've had a major delay due to equipment in the shop,” said Davidson.
Shea said that Valley Landscaping is a great customer who knows and understands the value of a dependable, consistent dealer. They are long time friends and the first customer in North Dakota, one of the first in the nation, to purchase a one millionth loader to celebrate Bobcat's accomplishment of producing one million loaders in a relatively short period of time.
“They are the kind of customer you want to be surround yourself with,” said Shea. “Honest, loyal, with hard-working ownership. They also know what it takes to retain employees. Our entire staff knows Craig and his team, and we are proud to partner up Valley Landscaping.”
According to Wendt and Davidson, Bobcat's track skid steers are true multipurpose tools that allow them to accomplish more in every hour on the job. It's not unusual for Valley Landscaping's crews to fine grade 44,000 sq. ft. (4,087 sq m) in a day or install 80 to 90 yds. (73 to 82 m) of rock on the company's commercial jobs using with its Bobcat T650s. The company's residential crews make quick work of installing rock, excavating for patios and retaining walls or even hauling boulders, plants and trees around the job site for installation.
For more information on Valley Landscaping, visit www.valleylandscaping.com. For more information on Swanston Equipment Co., visit www.swanston.com.
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