Buying Advice Another tractor advice thread

[PapaRoo]

Hi all, new to the forum and new to tractors. My wife and I are under contract for our dream property which is ~50 acres total. We've been looking for a long time and are excited to get out there.

The breakdown of the land is thus:

~22ac wooded
~ 3ac ponds
~ 7ac fenced pasture with barn and run-in sheds
~ 15ac of grass, but definitely pasture/meadow-like and not lawn
~.5ac lawn in front of house with several old oaks to mow around

I figure I will end up doing the lawn area with my push mower, but for the rest of the land, I would appreciate your suggestions on where to focus. I originally thought maybe I could get away with a subcompact, but I think that is not likely. We will need to be able to accomplish the following:

• keep the open acreage under control with mowing a few times a year
• planting a modest orchard
• general landscaping around the property
• slowly clearing some of the wooded area over a few years
• digging holes for fence posts
• removing tree stumps
• tilling new garden
• trails through the woods
• prepping foundation for outbuildings

I do not know the best tool for the mowing. I have friends with only bushhogs or finish mowers and they say they wish they had a mid-mount mower, but he also has a much smaller property and trickier navigation.

I appreciate your guidance as far as where to focus my research, ex. hp range, weight, whether a compact is sufficient. I figure I will be well-served by having an FEL, bushhog/rotary cutter, auger, box blade. I do not need all of that up front, but the ability to add it on as needed. For digging the orchard, I don't know if having a backhoe makes sense or just rent a mini excavator when the time comes.

We plan to have lots of chickens (have some now, love them, want more), a few sheep, goats maybe one day a horse, if my daughter has her way...

Thanks very much folks!

 

[TheMadOne]

There is no one best tool for mowing.

For your pond banks a sickle bar would work, a boom mower would be ideal, otherwise get in there with the weed whacker.

For the pasture, a brush cutter is pretty standard, size depends on how long you feel like taking.

With 22 acres to mow a cab is a must.

For the lawn if you're up to push mowing half an acre more power to you, I'd get a zero turn.

A backhoe is an immensely personal decision. Nobody but you can say if it's worth the money. Most don't go for it. For the same money as the backhoe on a larger compact you could all but buy a decent used mini-excavator.

Your tasks and acreage are both on the high side of what I'd consider practical for a compact utility tractor.

I'd personally be looking at the L6060 and its bigger brother, the M7060. They can be had for almost the same money(less than a thousand dollars difference in their list prices, if you give the M7060 the 12 speed transmission).

The L6060 is a fantastically put together, feature-laden compact, the Ur-example if you will. Standout feature is the HST+ transmission.

The M7060 is a pretty bare-bones utility tractor. It doesn't really have a standout feature. They're well built and guys like them for what they are.

The M7060 is a working tractor. It outweighs the L6060 by about 1000LBs(still not a true tillage machine). It has a bit over 16GPM of available pump flow(in 12 speed config), vs the 9.4GPM of the L6060. It can take cat II implements. The loader can lift all but double that of the L6060, despite the L6060's loader being more expensive.

The L6060 is lighter than the M7060, so it won't tend to rut things up as much. It's physically smaller and can go places the larger tractor can't. HST+ and cruse control means you're always at the speed you want to be when mowing.

Test drive both, and the equivalent from other manufacturers, talk to dealers, not just the sales staff, but the service counter as well. I know the most about the orange tractors mainly because they have the best website of the big manufactures. That's not to say they're the be all end all. Any of the big names build machines that make people happy.

And while I'm spending your money, you really should have a BX or 1 series for around the house and for cleaning up after the animals.

 

[YLee Kioti]

So it sounds like for mowing a 60" Zero turn mower will get it done quickly.
And well for that kind of land management if you have large mature trees you may encounter handling large trees, stumps, branches etc.
So maybe a large frame machine like a utility tractor a MX series or NX series from kubota or kioti, maybe 50hp for starters. Which is all I'm familiar with. Others will chime in will their own experience.

I'm learning how the need for different implements slowly creeps up so that will be a consideration which you already addressed.
Toys to consider:
box blade, post hole digger, landscape rake, pallet forks, grappler....that should be good to start out ..well until you decide which cutter to get that is!
A mmm machine may not cut as quickly as a zero turn but well you know already the YMMV thing...heh...heh...
Congrats on the new homestead...!

 

[Tractorable]

What's the budget?

Sub compact is definitely out of the question with 50 acres.

Japanese tractor options are Kubota, Yanmar, and Massey Ferguson (Iseki/Mitsubishi), Korean options are Kioti, LS, TYM, RK, Branson, and New Holland. Indian option is Mahindra. John Deere's are made in a variety of countries and have Yanmar engines.

Decide on what tasks you need to do, what implements are needed to perform those tasks, then what size tractor is needed to power those implements.

Weight typically defines how much work a tractor can do, horsepower defines how quickly it can do it.

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Mate and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

Lots of good advice so far (we do like to spend other people's money ). And with 50 acres to manage you are definitely out of a SCUT market.

As to the 1/2 acre for mowing, with several trees AND a future orchard to consider, I'd suggest a good sized Lawn Tractor be added to the mix. Yes, a zero turn (Z-turn) will make short work of your lawn + trees but so can a lawn tractor.

A lawn tractor will also be versatile at hauling things, with a cart attached, around your property too. Chicken feed, squares of hay, portable generator, etc...

Best of luck and enjoy the site.

 

[mcfarmall]

Zero turn is a unitasker. It only does one thing...cut grass. A lawn tractor like Wagtail said can mow just fine and do other tasks as well. I wouldn't get anything less than 50 hp at the PTO for the other jobs. Rent a hoe for digging or stump removal.

 

[PapaRoo]

Thanks for the advice so far everyone.

I like the idea of a lawn tractor to handle the areas around trees and the lawn. I do have an acre right now, about half lawn and I mow all of that with a pushmower but I ain't getting any younger and that will be one job of MANY on this new land. Also, there are multiple old trees in the cleared areas, so would be nice to have something to zip around those as well.

For the open non-fenced pasture areas, I guess the best option would be a large rotary cutter?

The tractor size recommendations are definitely bigger than I had initially thought, so I am glad I asked the question--as you can see, I came from wondering if I could manage with a sub-compact, so an M7060 seems like a monster to me. It looks like it's fair to say I am in the high end of the compacts or low-end of the utility tractors.

 

[Tractorable]

Also, there are multiple old trees in the cleared areas, so would be nice to have something to zip around those as well.

For the open non-fenced pasture areas, I guess the best option would be a large rotary cutter?.

The old oak trees in your lawn will tend to drop a lot of branches. Consider a good landscape rake with gauge wheels to manage all the branches and limbs that will be a constant issue on your lawn and the rest of the 50 acres. Used in conjunction with a front grapple would be a perfect combo.

For your 22 acres of pasture a rotary cutter, or bush hog in coloquial terms, with a minimum size of 72" would be suitable. You need 5 PTO horsepower minimum per foot of rotary cutter to power it through thick North Carolina grass.

Everything Attachments, located in Newton NC, is an excellent source for made in USA implements, that ships for free.

 

[TheMadOne]

Even the fenced in pasture should be done with a bush hog. You'll beat a finish mower to death if it's actually pasture and not really nice grass.

To go back to the lawn tractor vs zero turn, I'll agree with the others, kind of. Having a big lawn tractor or a SCUT would work better as a multitasker. Maybe see if you can scrounge up a used BX or older B without a FEL. They tend to go for more reasonable money if there's no loader.

 

[dog13]

I would consider two machines -- A tractor large enough to run the bush hog and a used mini excavator for the foundation work, stump removal and possibly a hydraulic post hole digger depending on how large the need is. I'd also suggest a grapple to help with cleaning up the woods, dealing with limbs etc.

If you plan to buy new there are some good finance options and discounted implements available when purchased at the same time. If you do go that route, be sure you're happy with the quality/match on the implement included or added to the package deal. Also, as was mentioned above, sometimes you can move up to a more utility oriented platform and get the weight/horsepower for only a small increase in price.

 

[PapaRoo]

Everything Attachments, located in Newton NC, is an excellent source for made in USA implements, that ships for free.

Thanks for the tip! I've been looking up the other implements you mentioned and the grappler seems like it would be a welcome tool.

Maybe with moving the heavy digging/stump work to either paying someone else or a rented mini-excavator, i'm landing in the 30-50hp range and either a compact or lower end utility tractor?

 

[Tractorable]

You're close enough you could probably go visit Travis at the Everything Attachments factory and pick out your favorite implements right off the floor.

 

[Tractorable]

PapaRoo, do you have a certain budget you want to stick to? Cause we're really good at spending your money if you don't keep us in line.

 

[PapaRoo]

PapaRoo, do you have a certain budget you want to stick to? Cause we're really good at spending your money if you don't keep us in line.

Tractorable, yes, well, that is a good question. I think I will need to go with a used model as to get a compact or utility in my range is unlikely. I'd really like to stay 10-15k, which from what I see through searching likely means looking for something with a few more hours and/or a bit older, like 90s-00s models. I will go up to 20k if that's what I need to do to get what makes sense. $30k is more than I really want to spend.

 

[TheMadOne]

Tractorable, yes, well, that is a good question. I think I will need to go with a used model as to get a compact or utility in my range is unlikely. I'd really like to stay 10-15k, which from what I see through searching likely means looking for something with a few more hours and/or a bit older, like 90s-00s models. I will go up to 20k if that's what I need to do to get what makes sense. $30k is more than I really want to spend.

That's going to be tough. I would really want a larger machine for your stated tasks, not saying you can't get one for that price, but are you planning on cash or financing? Because the interest rates on older equipment often mean that you end up paying more per month on a used piece than on new.(0% is a wonderful thing)

You're fairly close to a couple of the "package maker" dealers. You can get a Tractor, FEL, Shredder, and Trailer all in one go. The biggest you can get without breaking your 20K limit to bad would be an L2501. Now, I own the next step up in that range, but it's the same chassis, and almost the same everything else. I would not have it as my sole tractor if I had the amount of land you do or wanted to accomplish the goals you've laid out. That said, it will do for a lot of your tasks, though some of them would take longer than I'd personally be comfortable with.

I wish you luck on your search, but I've yet to find the perfect older big tractor for myself, so I'm going to have to bow out due to lack of knowledge on the subject.

 

[Wagtail]

Tractorable, yes, well, that is a good question. I think I will need to go with a used model as to get a compact or utility in my range is unlikely. I'd really like to stay 10-15k, which from what I see through searching likely means looking for something with a few more hours and/or a bit older, like 90s-00s models. I will go up to 20k if that's what I need to do to get what makes sense. $30k is more than I really want to spend.

Mate, a tractor is a long-term investment. They last a long time as opposed to a road vehicle. You might spend US$40-50,000 on a new Ute (pick-up) and reckon on 10-15 years use. A tractor will/should give you double the time in usage... it's why we (TBN) say that your relationship with your dealership is long-term. Buying is a quick thing compared to your dealing with the parts/service department.

Sorry, but my recommendation is to bite the bullet now and get the tractor that you need now. Further implements can be added later as their need comes to your attention.

 

[Tractorable]

A Kubota L2501 would probably be a 75-80% solution that you could get new for $17-18K.

 

[greggyy]

Here are some thoughts....

My first one, is wait till you get there and buy as you need them ? Unfortunately, the others are right, no one machine suits all jobs, but a tractor with decent 3ptl capacity can do a lot.

Even when just thinking tractors, you will find many often have more than one and more than one size.

I had a small stump to remove a week ago, bugger was it hard, 2 compact tractors, diggers, ripper & chains etc for this one stump, no woner they cut it close to ground and left it, it was like it was cemented in, no joke, it was prob 4+ hrs all up, tractors, even in 4wd with diffs locked simply dug holes trying to rip it out, ripper broke high tensile bolts, broke post hole digger (for a different reason though), in the end basically my labour with a bar and shovel is what got it to a point that the tractor could twist it out, so, what I am saying, is they are not any good really for stumps or clearing of old, intact stumps in hard ground, nor are they a quasi cat crawler. On the other hand I had a huge tree that fell down, was in soft soil, it had rot in the core, after sawing what I wanted for wood, IS compact tractor had no prob ripping roots, pushing what was left around and loading onto trailer, prob near a tonne a piece in each stump piece, was prob 30 mins work with machine, vs 4hrs for that puny stump that was all of 30 kilo once out.

Pasture, well I avoid cutting anything I do not have too, I get stock to do that

I see no way of avoiding many and varied items, unless you want to spend each day doing many time consuming things, it takes long enough when you have th e right or nearly right tool.