Need sizing and recommendations - 51 acres

[dog13]

Hi Everyone,

We just completed purchase on 51 acres of property in northeast Tennessee. It is about 45 acres pasture, 6 acres wooded. The land slopes in places, but nothing too extreme and i've been able to drive the property in the truck with no real issues. There is an existing driveway that runs through the property to where we will eventually be building. That drive is approximately 2500 feet and is in good enough shape for the pick up and the jeep, but not quite ready for the trailer or a regular car. The property has been bush hogged in the past and 5-6 acres was used to grow tobacco. Overall condition of the fields is good, no saplings, no real brush and we'd like to keep it that way

Our goal over the next few years are to maintain the pasture and improve things along the way while we work on getting the house built.

So with that as the background I'm looking for some help/thoughts a tractor. From reading posts/research and having sloped land I'm thinking a 4WD/MFWD rather than 2wd. Since I'd like to improve the driveway i am thinking something that can pull a box blade and have a FEL as well. A subframe mounted backhoe might be nice to help divert runoff from parts of the driveway, but i wouldn't say that's a must-have. Lastly it will need to pull a cutter. We're not looking for golf course grass, just keeping the pasture looking decent and not getting overgrown.

As far as budget goes, cost is a factor but the cost of buying something too small and replacing it later is my big fear. I'm open to new or used and I'm pretty good mechanically, but i don't want to buy a project to work on my projects either

With that in mind what do y'all think as far as size and any good/bad experience to share trying to do similar?

Thanks

Al

 

[jeff9366]

dog13

We just purchased a 51 acre property in northeast Tennessee. It is about 45 acres pasture, 6 acres wooded. The land slopes in places, but nothing too extreme. The property has been bush hogged in the past and 5-6 acres was used to grow tobacco. Overall condition of the fields is good, no saplings, no real brush and we'd like to keep it that way. So with that background I'm looking for some help/thoughts on a tractor.

From reading posts/research and having sloped land I'm thinking a 4WD/MFWD rather than 2WD. YES.

In order to operate a six foot Bush Hog in tall grass you need a tractor with 45-horsepower.
For 45 acres of pasture I would want a 10' or 12' dual spindle Bush Hog, which also requires a powerful tractor.
CONSIDER CONTRACTING PASTURE MOWING rather than buying equipment just for this large task.

There is an existing driveway that runs through the property to where we will eventually build. The drive is approximately 2,500 feet and is in good enough shape for the pickup truck and the Jeep, but not quite ready for the trailer or a regular car.

Dirt, gravel or grass?

The premier all-in-one driveway maintenance implement is an ABI TR3 Rake. Photo #1
VIDEO: TR3 Rake - Gravel Maintenance Intro - YouTube
LINK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...-rake-multipurpose-implement.html#post4944789

Since I'd like to improve the driveway i am thinking something that can pull a box blade and have a FEL as well.
Almost all residential tractors are sold with optional Loaders. Consider Loader a powered wheelbarrow that performs several other tasks. Loaders are MUCH cheaper when ordered a a component of a new tractor, rather than later as an add on. You need 4-WD to fill Loader bucket with dirt.

Box Blade takes quite a while to learn to use competently. Consider a Land Plane/Grading Scraper in lieu of a Box Blade. LPGS is much easier to operate.
VIDEO: land plane grading scraper - YouTube

Loader bucket with a Ratchet Rake attached is an ideal combination for all sorts of woodland maintenance.
LINK:https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ratchet+Rake

A subframe mounted backhoe might be nice to help divert runoff from parts of the driveway, but i wouldn't say that's a must-have.
Any one of several Three Point Hitch implements will divert rain for less than $7,000. A <$300 Middle Buster, AKA Potato Plow, should do.
VIDEO: middle buster - YouTube
VENDER LINK: Tractor Potato Plow | Middle buster

As for budget, cost is a factor but the cost of buying something too small and replacing it later is my big fear. I'm open to new or used and I'm pretty good mechanically, but i don't want to buy a project to work on my projects either

You need a tractor of at least 4,000 pounds bare tractor weight. Such tractors are commonly around 66" wide and range from 40-horsepower to 60-horsepower.
EVERY TRACTOR MANUFACTURER PRODUCES STANDARD TRACTORS AND DELUXE EQUIPPED TRACTORS IN THIS RANGE.

What is the altitude on your new property?
At about 5,000 feet turbo-charged diesel engines become prefered choice.

 

[rustyshakelford]

I have a 100hp Deere with cab and 15’ batwing. Can mow 23 acres in 4 hrs or so. With my old 55hp (2013) and 7’ cutter it was a 15 hr job. To me, spend the money the first time and save money in the long term. With the attractive financing for new it makes it easier to buy bigger. There are some here that would say get a 6’ and 35hp but I don’t have the time nor the desire to be mowing for 3 days a pop. The bigger tractor has a capable loader too. Negatives are the cost, impliments are more expensive and harder to move.

I strongly recommend a cab too. Stay dry and clean any time and can also wear shirts and tee year round

Brett

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I'll agree with Brett, you can do the same amount of work a heck of alot faster with more HP. The downside is that you can tear stuff up alot faster too. I'll definitely vote for the cab as well!

 

[oosik]

I have a mile long gravel driveway leading to my 80 acres. I started out with a 28 hp - 4WD tractor. It was OK until I tried to do maintenance on my driveway in the summer. There is just enough silt,clay & sand in the gravel top layer that after the winter snows melt - the driveway will set up just like concrete. I've been very fortunate - traffic into my property over the years has been almost non existent so maintenance has also been minimal.

Finally, after 27 years I upgraded to my 2009 Kubota M6040. Now those BIG jobs that I could not previously tackle are getting done. Bigger tractor = bigger implements = bigger $$$$. However, with my new heavy duty rear blade, roll over box blade & land plane grading scraper - I'm bringing the driveway back to its original condition.

I no longer have to use a 3-point snow blower to clear the frozen berms that form on the edges of the driveway. The new tractor weights 10,100# and with the heavy duty rear blades I clear those frozen berms like they are cotton candy.

I have VERY SELDOM seen a post on TBN where the OP says he wish he had bought a smaller tractor. The vast majority are posts like mine here.


BTW - Welcome to TBN and the forum, dog13.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have an L3800 Kubota and it does everything for a 65 acre tree farm

The only thing that would be on the wish list is more lift capacity with the quick attach forks...

 

[dog13]

Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions! This has been very helpful and opened my eyes to some different attachments/approaches that i had not considered before and has been a good insight into sizing...

Regarding the property, we're at elevation 1700-1800ft so not too high. The drive is about 60% gravel, 30% dirt and 10% grass. The gravel needs a refresh but does not have many potholes or washout. The dirt portion is the area with the most slope and runoff issues and is where i'm looking to improve drainage as well as smooth out the drive. I haven't calculated the slope/grade yet, but i've driven it in 2wd without issue so not too terribly steep.

Jeff -- thanks for the helpful links and ideas. I can see where the middlebuster along with a pass from a blade could make a nice channel to divert water away from the drive, and for a lot less $ and time than the backhoe.

Al

 

[jeff9366]

The drive is about 60% gravel, 30% dirt and 10% grass. The gravel needs a refresh but does not have many potholes or washout. The dirt portion is the area with the most slope and runoff issues and is where i'm looking to improve drainage as well as smooth out the drive. I haven't calculated the slope/grade yet, but i've driven it in 2wd without issue so not too terribly steep.

I own a Box Blade. A good road implement for eliminating potholes, but it buries gravel so you need additional gravel trucked in occasionally. Fairly long learning curve.

Both LPGS and TR3 Rake recover gravel from dirt, so gravel replenishment is a infrequent expense.
Short learning curves.

Merry Christmas.

 

[jeff9366]

Cost is a factor but the cost of buying something too small and replacing it later is my big fear. I'm open to new or used and I'm pretty good mechanically, but i don't want to buy a project to work on my projects either.

You need a tractor of at least 4,000 pounds bare tractor weight. Such tractors are commonly around 66" wide and range from 40-horsepower to 60-horsepower.

EVERY TRACTOR MANUFACTURER PRODUCES STANDARD TRACTORS AND DELUXE EQUIPPED TRACTORS IN THIS RANGE.

4,000 POUND KUBOTA TRACTORS

SPARTAN: https://www.kubotausa.com/products/tractors/economy-utility/mx

DELUXE: https://www.kubotausa.com/products/tractors/compact/grand-l60

Cab enclosure available only on deluxe models.

 

[LD1]

A 40-60 HP machine is the sweet spot for drive maintenance and general property maintenance for property that size.

But you are doing just general maintenance. That's ALOT of pasture to just mow. Any plans on letting anyone farm it? Let it go back to nature? Cattle?

If not, that yea, I'd want something to pull a 15' batwing and di it a few times a year. That puts you in the 70hp at the PTO on the small side.

Another option is a two tractor plan.

Smaller 40 HP 4wd for driveway and property maintenance....with a backhoe I'd you desire. And a second large tractor. HP in the form of old iron is cost effective for just pulling a batwing.

 

[Streetcar]

What is your plan for property and your tractor experience.
LD1 made great suggestion for two tractors.

 

[ultrarunner]

I agree with not going too small.

My brother knows how much I like my BX23 and all the work it has done...

When he bought the farm he needed a tractor and looked at the BX and B series.

I talked him out of it... not that either wouldn't have been a big help.. but his ground is uneven with is much better suited to larger tires...

I have a Deere 110 that I seldom use... it has an awesome backhoe... that said for most of what I need the BX suits me just fine and I keep it inside out of the elements.

 

[Texasmark]

Hi Everyone,


As far as budget goes, cost is a factor but the cost of buying something too small and replacing it later is my big fear.
Thanks

Al

I'd opt for a fairly new "big as you can get" 4wd with loader, diesel, cab if you are weather sensitive....open station otherwise. I'd say 45-60 hp. You are still in Category 1 implements there and lots are available. Plenty of power to do the tough jobs for what you specified.

Buying used can be risky, but if only a few years old, and buying from a reputable dealer, with the tractor appearing to be well cared for....no obvious signs of a careless previous owner, you are probably good to go and you will get a much better deal. Tractors don't wear out like cars and trucks......many 1940 era tractors in the smaller hp sizes are still around and still pulling their load...N series Fords for a badge.....not suggesting you get one, my suggestion was posted but just to show you that they last. I've been farming for 40 years as a non primary occupation and it wasn't until 2007, after retiring from my day job, did I buy a new one.

 

[dog13]

Thanks Everyone!

This has been helpful in determining the size range. I spent some time driving the property yesterday and thinking the 45-60 range is definitely where i need to be along with the weight as mentioned earlier. The gravel condition on the driveway was a bit worse than my original thought, even where there is gravel it is pretty thin so salvage of the existing gravel is less of an issue compared to fixing holes, smoothing out the crown and general drive improvement as i'll need to bring in a lot of gravel either way. The road grader type attachments and the land planes look very nice for that, though considering the length of the drive an ongoing maintenance i may not try to do it all with one implement.

The other thing i noticed was i have a few more downed trees (18-20" variety) so will be looking toward implements that can help with that as just dragging with a chain doesn't look as good in light of how many there are.

On the new vs used - i completely agree on the life of equipment. I have roughly 1000 hours on the cummins ISB engine in my pickup and it's barely considered broke in, so if well maintained i can see where a diesel tractor would run forever. The thing that is attractive on new is all the package deals/zero percent financing. I'm going to need a fair number of implements and it looks real attractive so far in the package price

thanks

Al

 

[newbury]

<snip>
As far as budget goes, cost is a factor but the cost of buying something too small and replacing it later is my big fear. I'm open to new or used and I'm pretty good mechanically, but i don't want to buy a project to work on my projects either
<snip>

As far as budget goes - budget should cover everything you will spend. ON ANYTHING. If you save a thousand on a tractor that's a thousand you can spend on something else, implements, fuel, vacations.

If you are "pretty good mechanically" you should be able to get a good used machine and maintain it. Maybe I've just been lucky or don't work my tractors hard enough, but since I bought my first tractor, my B7610, in 2009 the ONLY time one has gone to the shop was to have the subframe put on for a backhoe (to get the warranty). Fluids, filters, batteries, FEL cylinder, hoses etc. have been handled by advice on TBN and myself with the manuals.

Your not to far from Barlow's which is an excellent site for quality used tractors. And they deliver all over the country (or at least they used to). Their prices are not bottomline Craigs List but their tractor quality is a lot higher.

 

[jeff9366]

I noticed I have more downed trees (18-20" variety) so will be looking toward implements that can help with that as just dragging with a chain doesn't look as good in light of how many there are.

Dragging you can move whole tree trunks, even bundles of tree trunks, to a burn pile/pit. Saves chainsaw time/effort/hazard and immediately dulling saw chains on dirty wood.

Other options are with the Loader. Either a grapple or clamp on bucket debris forks of some description. I recommend optional SSQA bucket attachment, which is required for a grapple. Grapple and forks require substantial Three Point Hitch mounted counterbalance.

A grapple makes chainsawing trunks into sections relatively easy. When tree is elevated slightly the chainsaw will not be pinched.

Caution when transporting heavy loads with the FEL is advised. Heavy FEL loads decrease tractor stability ~~~~ then a wheel drops into a hole and the tractor may rollover. You can tow heavier loads with the rear/center drawbar than you can transport safely using the Loader.

Most of us you both the Loader and the rear/center drawbar.

The most important tool for 18" - 22" trees is a high quality chainsaw. I use a commercial grade Stihl MS 261.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

 

[dodge man]

I think its going to come down to your money and how much of it you have to spend. If you spent $50,000 or more on a new tractor and implements it wouldn't be wasted, but you can get by for less buying used.

 

[audsp98]

I think everyone has pretty much spelled out the options.

I’ll pose these questions that should help get to the answer.

How often do you plan on cutting the 45 acres?
How long do you want it to take to cut 45 acres?
What’s your budget for a complete setup?

 

[Texasmark]

I found that one tractor is hard to be a do all. For that reason, years ago I went with multiple used tractors whereby each had it's intended purpose but could be used in unison for something like my haying effort where I cut, rake, tedder, and bale. Having multiple tractors helps make this a seamless task for a one person operation.

Lots of great equipment out there looking for a new home at reasonable prices. As others have stated, if you are a fair-to-middlin (grade of cotton) mechanic, buying popular older tractors is a great way to spend your money. Lots of parts available at reasonable prices and, like with the backhoe attachment, it's not in your way when you have some plowing to do and such.

 

[MESSMAKER]

A 60hp 4x4 tractor with a loader and a 12 foot batwing cutter will take care of most of your needs. A box blade and a set of forks would be nice as well.