Old equipment

D7E · Sep 4, 2011

1300 acres grain /200 hay/ a few hundred custom work and bush clearing with 12 tractors, 2 combines , swathers etc ranging from 1975-1997 .

KRB · Sep 4, 2011

Everything I got is old, but well maintained. 63 1010 JD, 51 farmall c, 74 ford 3000, my square baler is 1962 ford. Only new things I got are box blade and boom pole. Oh almost forgot my 64 530d case backhoe. Love my old stuff

whodat526 · Sep 4, 2011

tessiers said:
How many of you guys actually farm with old equipment?

I hay with a 41' Farmall, 53 Ford and an assortment of equipment most of which was made before I was born. I am wondering how many people still use this stuff, I'm not talking parades and hayrides, I'm talking work. I can not for the life or me figure out why people rake hay with bar rakes behind 100 hp tractors when there are about half a million Ford N's out there that could handle them easily and probably a tandem hook. Costs more in fuel to start them big tractors than a N could burn all day. I also run a 17' 4 basket hydraulic fold tedder behind a Farmall H, hardley even kicks in the governer, why burn 5 gallons per hour with a big tractor?

Just wondering if I am out to lunch or what?

i have always been told its not old equipment its experienced

but i still bale hay with older tractors i have 2 ford 3000,s a ford 5000, and a 6600 but the cutter and baler is lots newer i have a 616 nh discmower and a 648 round baler (that is nearly new when i got it about 3 years ago)

zonta223 · Sep 5, 2011

Use a 1950's Inter B250 everyday to run my vineyard and an old 50's Metters Airmist vine sprayer.
All the grape growers around here have never seen a sprayer like it and say the only place for it is the scrap heap.
Funny thing is with the rotten vintage weather we had this year I was one of a few growers to be able harvest all of his grapes in sound condition.
Go figure lol

tessiers · Sep 5, 2011

Part of the reason I ask is My Farmall needs Rear tires and a couple other small things to the tune of $1000. I have a few options

1) spend the money and keep the tried and true thru and thru.

2) look for a newer used tractor which may be more efficient and or better suited to my needs

3) new tractor, I have been looking at a JD5045D $17,000 range

We are just making a living now, actually work off the farm some, but would like to stop that and borrowing money to replace something that already works doesn't seam to make much sence. I can pay #1 out of pocket, and probably #2 but #3 is definately borrowed money. I already cut, dry and bale all my hay so I don't see how a new tractor can improve on that. I know a new tractor would be nice and comfortable, and efficient, and all that but where is the $17 grand coming from?