buying advice?

[old bubblehead]

Afternoon folks,
I'm new at this, in fact real new. We need a tractor, just bought a farm that we're going to homestead/small farm. The land is rough enough that everyone I've talked to agrees I need a 50 horse plus rig (28 acres, slightly hilly) we're mainly raising hogs, but we're going to raise our own pig food as well, doing regenerative farming. Looking at Tractors, Big green is out, too damn expensive. I need a back hoe, as well as a loader, and I want a cab. I'll end up haying some of it, and plowing a lot of it. Looking at the following: TYM 574, Bobcat 5555, TYM 4058 pc, LS MT463C, Massy MF2M.60, I've looked at the badboys as well, the 5055, but I've heard some people that say they're junk. Anyone want to provide opinions?

 

[Carl_NH]

Welcome to TBN Bubblehead - there will be no shortage of input on your questions! Also list your general location and state for better awareness and responses.

For instance, do you deal with snow, and will you be plowing/tilling the ground etc,and harvesting storing the feed, then hogs take a lot of food - will you have a steady local source of food (old produce etc)?

 

[RjCorazza]

There are some hay farming types here that will likely provide some info on what kind of horsepower you're gonna need.
A 50hp machine seems about right for the rest of what you describe. As far as manufacturers, dealer support (distance, quality, reliability) are an important consideration.
TYM and LS enjoy reasonably good reputations, but I have not read much on the Badboys or who actually makes them. I am personally not a fan of rebadged tractors, particularly the big box store sold disasters like Cabelas.
As far as the backhoe need, I would pay particular attention to how easily it mounts and removes, since you will be switching it out for 3 point use.

 

[Carl_NH]

Additionally, what is the goal for the backhoe? You would be better served with a tractor and a 3-ton mini excavator (used) for $20-30K if you plan to trench, dig foundations, or remove stumps.

Then tillage tools, plow, disc, corn planter, hay baler, etc. then where will you store all this - you need a barn and a workshop too!

 

[old bubblehead]

Welcome to TBN Bubblehead - there will be no shortage of input on your questions! Also list your general location and state for better awareness and responses.

For instance, do you deal with snow, and will you be plowing/tilling the ground etc,and harvesting storing the feed, then hogs take a lot of food - will you have a steady local source of food (old produce etc)?

I can't figure out how to put location on this forum. We're in the hills of North East TN. We will be plowing a mile long private road if we get snow, plowing land that had been neglected long enough that I'm going to have to harrow the hell out of it first. Doing some dirt farming, to include root vegies for both the pigs and us. We want to do regenerative farming, so that will mean plowing too, to plow in the manure. Some haying, for the animals, and maybe some for sale. Figure to do primarily pasture on the hogs, subsidizing with grown vegies, and cast offs from a couple local groceries, (No pig farmers in the area, so I get a break there)

 

[old bubblehead]

Additionally, what is the goal for the backhoe? You would be better served with a tractor and a 3-ton mini excavator (used) for $20-30K if you plan to trench, dig foundations, or remove stumps.

Then tillage tools, plow, disc, corn planter, hay baler, etc. then where will you store all this - you need a barn and a workshop too!

got a barn, got a shop. The backhoe will be for several jobs, want to put in a dug in greenhouse, and a root cellar. The pond needs work too, the stream that feeds it has deltaed out, and needs to be put back in a re dug stream bed. I can borrow some of the gear. Not planning on dealing with corn at all, delt with that **** growing up, it's too rough on the soil, requires too much special gear to harvest economically... Let's just say I'm not a fan. Maybe in a couple years we can get an Excavator, but it's just not in the budget right now, and Something now, beats the perfect tool years later. For trenching, I can rent a ditchwitch from the Coop, already did that once to put in a water line and power. (Having been a master Electrician has a few perique's.)

 

[Torvy]

The Bad Boy tractors are TYM (legacy Branson) models with different paint and graphics. I think the 5055 Bad Boy is a 5520 in the TYM line.

The Bobcat is a Kioti painted white (but they may use another loader, not 100% sure).

I've got a few less acres, but more in trees than fields. I love my T574H. I haven't had a lick of trouble with it.

Dealer can be important, too, especially if you aren't a mechanic or play one on TV. Even the best equipment will break when we push them.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Are you looking at just new? Or used too? Financing or cash? If financing sometimes you can get a better deal other than the convenient dealer, if your a farm you might be able to get an ag loan ...

When I was looking at maybe doing my own hay, most people recommend 75 HP as a minimum, yes you can do it with less ... Are you thinking round bales or small squares?