re: New business question.

There is no such thing as a "bad time to open a business" as long as you have a solid business plan, a market for your product and a vision for where you will take the business.

The bad news for you is that dirt pits are fairly easy to find. Most large civil companies find areas near their job site and lease the property to use the dirt for fill material. Make damn sure you know who will be buying your dirt and how much they will need.