Mower style advise needed.

[1in9twist]

We logged about 50 acres 3 years ago. I stumped it, graded it with dozer (To be ad flat as possible) and planted native grass seed and pasture grass. (Just for groundcover. Not cutting for hay or anything like that.) Just plain ole grass. But mowing it for the 1st time this year, it is bumpy as ****! Pretty miserable really. I mowed it with my 50 horse Kubota with a 72" rotary mower. So question being, would a skid steer with a mower be a better fit/more comfortable?

 

[jeff9366]

Most Skid Steers have smaller wheels and tires than most tractors. The larger wheels and tires on most tractors bridge holes, burrows and ruts better than smaller Skid Steer wheels and tires. Larger wheels and tires permit faster ground speed and less operator disturbance.

"All Terrain" Skid Steers do exist. No Skid Steer that I know of has a Three Point Hitch, for good reasons. A tractor is the right machine.

In my hot/humid Florida experience cleared and graded land settles for several years as buried branches, roots, etc. decay. The settling should be fairly minor. But I do not know your situation.

You can smooth fifty acres really, really smooth but it would be a big job. Full time hay farmers around me use large rollers to create smooth conditions so tractor passes can be made a six (+/-) miles per hour. These smooth fields are in hay every year, hopefully three hay crops per annum. Smooth fields reduce costs.

The only suspension on tractors and Skid Steers is the air in the tires. Turf tires might give you a slightly softer ride on your tractor; especially low inflation pressure radial turf tires. You would need to buy new rims to go with turf tires.

 

[Diggin It]

The whole 50 acres? Or just part of it.

50 acres is an awful lot to just mow and do nothing else. Is there anybody around there who would want to handle it for hay so you could make some money off it?

 

[bcp]

The way it used to be: Disk it, then float it. We weren't leveling, just smoothing.

We would also disk it, then drag a long beam or rail in crossing directions.

Bruce

 

[oosik]

On 50 acres I would build and use something like bcp show in his picture. My 84" LPGS would take just too long. You need something to drag that is 12' to 16' wide.

Make a drag out of two large logs - some chain - a wide bridle.

 

[Smokeydog]

I have buddies always trying to get me to go golfing. I have for a few times over the decades and enjoy the company. While golfing is fun I just can’t spend enough money, time or be as frustrated like I can trying to farm. Always in good company too.

Farming even grass is work. We have disked, orchard plowed and made drags to level hayfields and pastures. It takes time. Places not mowed quickly grow trees.

The county agent might offer sage advice and resources.

 

[diesel85]

Welcome to my type of land... my lawn is exactly like that. There are some ruts that will make you pop out of the seat if you hit them just right.

You've got the right machine - a tractor. However, I think you need a larger mower and slower ground speeds.

Short story here... a couple years ago a friend wanted to show off his 3 wheeled Ferris to see how long it'd take to mow about 5 acres. About an acre in he broke his wrist with the stupid handlebar steering as the little 3rd wheel hit a divot and the handle bars jerked out of his hands. My land is not meant for lawn mowers, including zero turns. lol

 

[RjCorazza]

I had 4 acres that was hayed before I bought it, which was pretty rough and rutted. A couple of seasons running my much smaller L3410 over it with a 7' finish mower smoothed the field out enough to be comfortable mowing at around 5mph or so.

 

[mikester]

You want a tractor with very big front tires and an air ride seat. put the tractor in low gear and go slow. Skidsteers are like riding a pogo stick at best and I dislike operating them without a kidney belt, oxy and spinal fusion afterwards.

 

[Peter 315]

You want a tractor with very big front tires and an air ride seat. put the tractor in low gear and go slow. Skidsteers are like riding a pogo stick at best and I dislike operating them without a kidney belt, oxy and spinal fusion afterwards.

HAHA........