Digging Deep into the Central Valley

Big N Deep Inc, led by President Jeff Alexander, specializes in agricultural land clearing and ground preparation throughout California’s Central Valley. The company operates a fleet of equipment purchased from Powerscreen of California, Nevada, & Hawaii, including two CBI 6800CT grinders used for high volume orchard grinding, a CBI 6400CT chipper for producing chipped base material, and a Terex Ecotec TDS 825 shredder for separating wood from metal in vineyard removal projects.

Based in Kern County, the company has built a reputation as a full-service operation that specializes in the removal of almond orchards, citrus orchards, and grapevines, along with deep ripping and ground preparation to help farmers get their next crop back in the ground. Big N Deep has established themselves not just through experience, but also through smart investments in powerful equipment and strategic partnerships, most notably with Powerscreen of California, Nevada, & Hawaii.

Complete Solution for Local Orchards

Big N Deep’s services are tailored for the unique demands of agriculture in the Central Valley. Whether it’s clearing out a decades-old citrus orchard or preparing fresh soil through deep ripping, Jeff and his team are committed to efficient environmentally conscious land preparation. One of the standout features of their operation is the way they manage orchard waste. Rather than hauling it off, the majority of the material is processed and worked back into the soil, providing natural nutrients and supporting sustainable farming practices.

Jeff and his crew operate a fleet of top-tier equipment to handle these tasks, including two CBI 6800CT grinders, a CBI 6400CT chipper, and a Terex Ecotec TDS 825 shredder, all purchased from Powerscreen of California. The high productivity and reliability of these machines have allowed Big N Deep to scale their services to meet the growing demands of the region.

The Right Equipment for Tough Projects

During a recent visit to two active job sites, Jeff showcased the variety of tasks Big N Deep handles daily. At one location, his team was tackling a 75-year-old citrus orchard littered with massive root balls. They were running their CBI 6400CT chipper, which was handling material with ease. Jeff noted that they purchased the 6400CT back in 2016 after landing a major contract requiring chipped base material. “After I ran a demo of the 6400CT, I knew it would get the job done and keep up with our demands,” he shared. The 6400CT, known for its extreme duty engineering, designed to grind challenging debris like the stumps, whole trees, and contaminated demolition waste that Big N Deep face daily. 

As their workload expanded, so did their fleet. The addition of two CBI 6800CT grinders allowed the company to keep pace with the increasing need for orchard removal and grinding across the valley. The 6800CT model features a 15% larger screening area than earlier models and can process over 200 tons per hour, aligning exactly with Big N Deep’s operating goals. The powerful forged drum rotor is supported by a large shaft and bearings which help their operators power through the densest material without a problem. One of Jeff’s favorite features on the CBI machines was that operators don’t have to bend over to change the teeth as the hog box opens, and you can stand to do the install. “It’s a simple thing, but it makes a big difference.”, Jeff shared.

On the second site visit, Jeff was operating the Terex Ecotec TDS 825 shredder to clean up large stockpiles of debris, an environmental project that helped a friend and broke away from their usual workflow. The TDS 825 was purchased in 2024 to fulfill a contract with the local water district, which involved removing grapevines entangled with five different types of wire and metal stakes. The machine’s ability to separate metal from wood was a game-changer for that project.

The TDS 825’s hydrostatic drive system provides bi-directional shredding and protects the machine from contamination, while independent gearboxes allow each shaft to run separately reducing wrappage and improving material breakdown, delivering high production and excellent size reduction.

Lower Costs, Higher Production

According to Jeff, the TDS 825 shredder has already saved the company $1,000 per acre in operational costs. “With high California labor costs, it just wasn’t feasible to have workers hand-separate the metal, wood, and grapes. This machine allowed us to do the job faster, safer, and way more cost-effectively.”

In addition to cost savings, the production capacity of the equipment from Powerscreen of California has significantly outperformed previous brands the company used. “We’ve seen higher tonnage come out of these machines,” Jeff said. “I’d never trade my CBIs for anything else.” Just as important as machine performance is ease of use. Jeff emphasized how quickly his crew picked up on the equipment. “They understand the ins and outs of these machines. They’re efficient, friendly to run, and we’re not looking anywhere else when it comes to grinding and shredding equipment.”

Trusting Partners

One of the key factors to Big N Deep’s success has been the strong partnership Jeff has developed with Powerscreen of California, Nevada, & Hawaii. “It’s been great working with them,” he said. “They’ve always taken care of us.” Jeff has built a solid working relationship with Randy Wyrick, CBI Specialist, who he credits as a trusted advisor in helping Big N Deep grow with the right equipment at the right time.

A major boost for Jeff’s team came with the opening of a new Powerscreen service center in Taft, just a short drive from their base of operations. “It’s been a massive help and a sigh of relief,” Jeff said. “We know we can count on them to get us parts the same day. That kind of support makes all the difference when you’re trying to stay on schedule.”

Looking Forward

With over two decades in the business, a growing fleet of industry-leading equipment, and a dealer relationship rooted in reliability and service, Big N Deep Inc. is well-positioned to continue leading agricultural land clearing and preparation in California’s Central Valley. From almond and citrus removal to deep ripping and environmentally friendly shredding, Jeff Alexander and his team are proving every day that with the right tools and the right people, you can go big and dig deep, literally and figuratively.