I don’t know if this is just a Midwest thing, but around here, if there’s a pile of black dirt with a “Free” sign in it, or even a rumor of free black dirt, most of the guys are interested. To show you what I mean, picture a small business seminar at the local public library on a weeknight.
“Start Your Own Business: Finding Opportunity”#
About thirty people are sitting in folding chairs in a classroom that smells like coffee and dry-erase markers. At the front is Dale, a retired small business owner who volunteers to teach entrepreneurship classes. He has a laptop, a clicker, and a slideshow he’s clearly given many times before.
“Welcome, everyone,” Dale says. “Tonight we’re talking about how to find a business idea and test whether it’s any good. We’ll start with a tool called a SWOT analysis. That stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal. They’re about you and your business. Opportunities and threats are external. They’re about the world around you.”
He clicks to the next slide. It’s a photo of a front yard. On the edge of the lawn, next to the curb, there’s a big pile of rich, dark black dirt, about waist-high. Stuck in the top of the pile is a piece of cardboard on a wooden stake with one word written in black marker: FREE.
“Now, here’s a great example,” Dale says. “One person’s problem is another person’s opportunity. This homeowner dug out a patio, and now he’s got a pile of dirt he doesn’t want. To him, it’s a problem. He’s paying nothing to get rid of it, and he’s hoping somebody takes it. But to someone else…”
A hand goes up in the third row. It’s a guy in a seed company cap.
“Sorry, where is that?”
“It’s… just an example,” Dale says. “Anyway, to someone else, that pile is…”
“Is it still there?”
“I took the picture a couple of years ago.”
“Huh.” The guy in the cap looks a little disappointed and writes something down anyway.
Strengths and Weaknesses#
Dale clicks forward. “Let’s start with strengths. What are you good at? What do you have that other people don’t? Maybe it’s a skill, maybe it’s equipment, maybe it’s…”
“A trailer,” says a man near the window.
“Sure, a trailer could be a strength, depending on the business.”
“I’ve got a 5-by-10 utility trailer. I could’ve gotten that whole pile in two trips.”
A woman in the front row turns around. “You’d need three. That’s at least a few yards.”
“Not if you heap it.”
“You heap black dirt in a 5-by-10, you’re going to blow a tire.”
Dale clears his throat. “Great points. Equipment matters. Let’s move on to weaknesses. What are you missing? Time? Money? Experience?”
“A shovel,” someone mutters. “I’d have to borrow one.”
“Ope, I’ve got two in the truck,” says the guy in the seed cap, without looking up.
Opportunities#
“Opportunities,” Dale says, a little louder now. “This is where we look for problems people will pay to have solved. Let’s go back to that pile of dirt for a second.”
The whole room perks up. Someone sets down a coffee cup.
“That homeowner didn’t want the dirt. Lots of people have the same problem: excavation leftovers, landscaping projects, a new foundation. Meanwhile, other people need dirt for gardens, low spots, or raised beds. If you can connect the two and haul it, that’s a service. That’s a business.”
“So you’d sell it?”
“You could. Or charge for delivery.”
“But then it’s not free,” the man by the window says, frowning.
“Well, no, that’s the point. The opportunity is…”
“I’m not paying for dirt.”
“You pay for mulch,” says the woman in the front.
“Mulch is different. Mulch is mulch.”
Dale takes a long sip of water.
Threats#
“Last part. Threats. What could hurt your business? Competition, regulations, the economy…”
A man in the back who hasn’t said a word all night raises his hand slowly.
“Yes?”
“Was it actually black dirt, or was it clay with some black dirt on top? Because a guy on my road put out a FREE sign last spring, and when I got there, it was all clay and broken concrete underneath.”
Half the room nods. Somebody says, “Same thing happened to my brother-in-law.”
“That,” Dale says, pointing at him, “is actually a great example of a threat. Your product isn’t what you thought it was. Bad quality can ruin your reputation.”
“Also, by the time I got there, somebody with a Bobcat had taken the good stuff off the top.”
“And there’s competition,” Dale says. “Perfect. Thank you.”
At the break, nobody talks about business plans. Four guys are standing at the window looking at the community college’s landscaping crew, who are digging up a flower bed across the parking lot. One walks outside to ask if they’re keeping the dirt.
Dale’s wife whispers to him at the back of the classroom, “I told you to replace that dirt picture. It’s too distracting!”
Why Free Dirt Grabs Everyone’s Attention#
That seminar might be made up and a little exaggerated, but the reaction isn’t. Mention free black dirt and you’ll find out who in the room has a truck, a trailer, or a low spot in the backyard. I think there are a few reasons why:
- It’s actually useful. Black dirt is what most Midwesterners call topsoil: dark, rich soil with plenty of organic matter. It’s good for gardens, filling low spots, and patching up lawns.
- It’s expensive in bulk. Buying topsoil by the bag adds up fast, and delivered loads cost real money. Free beats any price.
- A lot of us have clay. Much of the Midwest has heavy clay soil that cracks in summer and is harder for plants to grow in. A load of good dirt feels like a fix.
- It’s a project. Shoveling a pile of dirt into a truck is honest work with a visible result. Some people find that relaxing. Some people are just bored.
- It’s a find. Scoring something free that other people pay for is its own reward. It’s like finding a good garage sale, but heavier.
Heck, I’d take some black dirt myself. Parts of my yard are clay, and a few spots need leveling. If I drove past that pile with the FREE sign, I’d come back with some buckets and a shovel.
Before You Haul It Home#
Free dirt can come with surprises, so check it before you load it:
- Look under the top layer. Dig in a few spots. You want dark, crumbly soil, not clay, gravel, or chunks of concrete.
- Watch for weeds and roots. Dirt from an old garden or lawn can bring weed seeds, grass roots, and invasive plants along with it.
- Ask where it came from. Dirt from near a driveway, old building, or industrial site could have contaminants you don’t want in a vegetable garden. (Although it’s free, so most people offering the dirt don’t want to be bothered with it.)
- Respect your vehicle’s limits. Soil is heavy, and a cubic yard of moist topsoil can weigh more than a ton. A pickup bed can hold more dirt by volume than it can safely carry, so check your payload rating before you fill it to the top.
- Bring your own shovel. Unless you sit next to the guy in the seed company cap.
And if you’re ever planning a seminar, perhaps come up with a different example than free dirt unless you want your audience to be distracted.
