Fuel Prices--Will They Effect Your Tractor Usage?

[Oleozz]

It cost me $126. to fill up my tractor this week with offroad diesel. It uses about 6--8 gal an hour to operate so it will cost me over $20 an hour just for fuel. I am a small operator and am wondering what these prices are going to do with the folks who have four or five big farm tractors? If prices don't drop I see food prices going way up.
Will these high fuel prices change any of your tractor habits?

 

[riptides]

All diesel on my property has not been fueled for a month. Both my gas and diesel activites are slowly changing.

If I can walk to the job, either professional or personally, I would.

Maybe time to get the horses back to work.

I'll just think a little harder before I turn the key. So be it.

-Mike Z.

 

[Reg]

I think food prices are going up (& HAVE gone up) more because of the distance it is hauled AFTER it is grown and harvested.

 

[Skyco]

The fuel price won't affect how much I run my little BX24, but it WILL affect how often I haul it to my property 120 miles away where I primarily use it.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Oleozz,
Im thinking that my tractor operation wont change too much, but I have tried to restrict my vehicle driving habits as much as possible ! My diesel is only running 50 to 75 hours per year and I really enjoy the little seat time that I get !

 

[cp1969]

I started to say no, but then again, fuel prices might affect how much I use the tractor.

If fertilizer goes up much more, I won't be putting any on. So that amount of usage would go away.

 

[tony123]

I burn about a dollar an hour (two at the most). So no, it won't change my habits.

 

[Chuck52]

It won't affect my limited tractor usage, but I was already getting irritated by how much it cost to fill the five gallon can I use for my lawn mower back in the good old days of $2.50/gallon gas. It's hard on us old guys who remember $0.25/gallon gas.

Chuck

 

[jinman]

It won't affect my limited tractor usage, but I was already getting irritated by how much it cost to fill the five gallon can I use for my lawn mower back in the good old days of $2.50/gallon gas. It's hard on us old guys who remember $0.25/gallon gas.

Chuck

Ha!

Chuck, I remember gas at $018.9 (gas war) when I was in high school. Now I pay $15 to $20 for my 5 and 7 gallon cans of diesel. I don't think I've changed my tractor use, but I've sure started hiding my full cans and not leaving them out to tempt my neighbors.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

I see I'm not the only old gezzer here. I do recall gas prices under $.20/gal.

If you are a high enough user of diesel and possible have a friend/neighbor, it might pay to check into purchasing the needed equip to make your own biodiesel. Might cost as little as $5-6k to get into production if you press your own oil seed. After getting the oil pressed out you still have some usable livestock feed. $3k will get you a press that can process 6T of seed a day. Bigger presses are available.