Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think?

[PapaDwight]

I have a garden about 1/4 of an acre too large to keep up with using a rototiller and hand tools. I am looking for equipment to till and cultivate. Most farm tractors are too large. Most lawn tractors do not have a high enough arch to pull a cultivator. Any suggestions would be welcome!

 

[stevem5215]

You will need to define your price range. There's a lot of sub compact tractors that can do what you need in a wide variety of price ranges.

Steve

 

[troutsqueezer]

Take the money you would spend on a tractor and hire a teenager with a rototiller. You could get years and years of teenager work for the same price or less than a small tractor.

 

[RaydaKub]

:welcome: to TBN!!

An ATV can pull stuff, it can push stuff (assuming a blade). A tractor can pull stuff, push stuff (assuming a FEL), lift stuff (assuming a FEL), power other implements (PTO, remote hydraulics). At ATV drives faster, a tractor can do a wider variety.

I assume you mean you want the vehicle tall enough to straddle a row or 2? I doubt you'd find that in an ATV either. The CUTs and SCUTs are remarkable little machines. You won't be sorry going with one of them.

 

[RaydaKub]

Take the money you would spend on a tractor and hire a teenager with a rototiller. You could get years and years of teenager work for the same price or less than a small tractor.

Seriously? Where's the fun in that? And why would he need to be a TBN member?

Some things are just about more than economics.

 

[Jay4200]

I have a garden about 1/4 of an acre too large to keep up with using a rototiller and hand tools. I am looking for equipment to till and cultivate. Most farm tractors are too large. Most lawn tractors do not have a high enough arch to pull a cultivator. Any suggestions would be welcome!

ATVs are no good for anything that spins - they don't have PTOs. They are better than tractors for pulling stuff though - way more HP for the dollar. A SCUT is WAY too big for what you need. What you really need is a vintage garden tractor with a few implements. Get something big and tough, like an old Bolens or Simplicity - you should be able to find one in good shape with a 3pt and tiller for ~$1000, they're cheap in your area. The older Economys are my favorite for backyard farming, since they just look so cool. Makes for a fun hobby too, and we all need more hobbies!

JayC

 

[Verticaltrx]

I have an ATV and a garden tractor that I use for some similar tasks. The Garden tractor is much better at most of them. It turns sharper, can pull slower, easier to get on and off of, better parking brake, etc. The 4wd ATV will pull a little more, but isn't great for that type of work. I also have a B-series Kubota tractor which is the better than both for garden related tasks.

Depending on your budget I'd go one of two ways:

1. Small compact tractor. You should look for either a B-series Kubota, smaller compact Deere's (650/750, 655/755, 670/770, 4100, 4110, etc), or some of the smaller old Ford compacts 1x10 or 1x20 series. You only need one with 2wd for that type of work, but 4wd is a bonus. They can use a huge variety of gardening implements, can cultivate decent sized crops pull a good sized trailer, etc. You could find a nice used one for $3000-8000 depending on the year and model. It will use widely availble cat. I three point hitch implements.

2. Large garden tractor. This can cover a wide variety of models and years. You want something that can power a tiller (if you get an older model you better get the tiller with it), pull a cart, maybe some other light ground engaging tasks. I have a 265 Deere which is about as small as would be useful in a garden. It can run a rear mounted tiller, although it isn't great at that. Something bigger with a small 3pt hitch or similar setup would be better. For a used garden tractor with a tiller you are probably in the $2000-5000 range.

 

[PapaPerk]

Allis Chalmers G.:thumbsup:

 

[PapaPerk]

ATVs are no good for anything that spins - they don't have PTOs. They are better than tractors for pulling stuff though - way more HP for the dollar. A SCUT is WAY too big for what you need. What you really need is a vintage garden tractor with a few implements. Get something big and tough, like an old Bolens or Simplicity - you should be able to find one in good shape with a 3pt and tiller for ~$1000, they're cheap in your area. The older Economys are my favorite for backyard farming, since they just look so cool. Makes for a fun hobby too, and we all need more hobbies!

JayC

excellent advice

 

[cartod]

A small tractor will work circles around an ATV. Atvs are not made for hard work period.

 

[kebo]

ATVs are no good for anything that spins - they don't have PTOs. They are better than tractors for pulling stuff though - way more HP for the dollar. A SCUT is WAY too big for what you need. What you really need is a vintage garden tractor with a few implements. Get something big and tough, like an old Bolens or Simplicity - you should be able to find one in good shape with a 3pt and tiller for ~$1000, they're cheap in your area. The older Economys are my favorite for backyard farming, since they just look so cool. Makes for a fun hobby too, and we all need more hobbies!

JayC

I concur with Jay. Something like an older Power King Economy tractor with all the right attachments could be had for about $1500 or so and would likely do all the things the OP mentioned. Just something to think about though.

 

[Illini22]

There is a constant supply of b7100's, b6100's and other similar sized kubotas in Chicago/ Indianapolis area from $2000- 5000, some even have a loader, most are 4 wheel drive. Old JD's 318's are sometime priced over $2000. And they are no where near the machine that a b7100 is.

 

[swick1]

Beware: I started with a $600 john deere garden tractor and I now have a $21000 subcompact with loader, backhoe, ripper bucket, grapple bucket, pallet forks, rear blade, a pile of scrap metal, grinders, welder, magnets, clamps, sand blaster, and an angry wife!

This happened in only 5 years!!!

 

[Artisan]

Make sure you look into a Kubota BX25...

 

[troutsqueezer]

Seriously? Where's the fun in that? And why would he need to be a TBN member?

Some things are just about more than economics.

I say that because this is only a 1/4 acre garden. A tractor would be overkill IMO. Most of the time it will sit there collecting rust.

 

[geko]

How about a pedestrian tractor - a good Diesel engine machine will surprise you with what it can do & lots of attachments - rotovator, flail mower, finish mower etc etc. very handy machines and very easy to operate.

 

[RaydaKub]

I say that because this is only a 1/4 acre garden. A tractor would be overkill IMO. Most of the time it will sit there collecting rust.

Oh, no argument at all about those points. But to hire a teen would take all the fun out of it! A guy has to have *SOME* vices!

 

[Jay4200]

I say that because this is only a 1/4 acre garden. A tractor would be overkill IMO. Most of the time it will sit there collecting rust.

Not really, I'd assume that you'd still mow the lawn with it.

JayC

 

[cdaigle430]

50" Rotary Tiller for ATV | ATV & UTV Power Attachments

ATV has way more fun factor than any tractor-plus you can use it to do other things like plowing, fishing, etc. For a 1\4 acre lot an ATV is better because after words you can enjoy on the trails. You dont need a PTO because you can rent\buy tow behinds or push attachments with seperate mortors on them.

 

[JJZ 109]

Take the money you would spend on a tractor and hire a teenager with a rototiller. You could get years and years of teenager work for the same price or less than a small tractor.

What kind of suggestion is that? This is TBN, where we try to help spend the other guy's money! :laughing: :moneybag: