Starting over - the allure of country!

[thunderworks]

We lived on a beautiful 80 acre farm for nearly 20 years. It was a labor of love. When we bought the ground, it was overgrown, abused, ignored . . . but we saw the potential and had a vision. We turned it into a truly beautiful place. I learned to drive farm equipment and worked my butt off to make our vision real. I bought a used Kubota L5030 tractor, box blade, mowers, grapple, etc. and felt it was the right scale for what I needed. I spent a lot of seat time on the tractor and it served me very well.

My wife and I are now in our 70's. We sold our beloved farm (and all the equipment) a few years ago and moved into town. Our town home is wonderful, but I really miss the country. We won't ever live in the country again - it's simply too much at this stage of life - but we just bought 30 acres of land, 10 miles from town. I want to build a pond, small cabin, recreate a Kansas prairie using native grasses and forbs, etc. My"wish list" might get accomplished before I die. It might not. But I'm going to see how much energy and time I can muster to fulfill my current vision for this recreational property.

I don't want, nor need the same scale of equipment that I used at our farm. The level of maintenance will be entirely different. I will hire a professional to build the pond, but I need to be able to clear brush out of the woods, mow trails in the timber and around the prairie field, mow around the eventual pond, etc. I'm looking at a machine similar in scale to the B2301 (Kubota). I'd use a field mower rather than a belly mower. Get a light duty loader with a grapple and bucket.

Does anyone have advice to offer about the limitations that a small machine like the B series Kubota's might impose? Can a tractor that small really get a lot of work done? . . . of course I suppose my own 70 year old plus body imposes far more limitations . . . so it's probably a stupid question.

I'm excited about this project at this phase of my life . . . we close on the ground purchase October 15th.

 

[D2Cat]

If I had 30 acres to play on I'd want an L because it would set a bit higher and get around a bit better. Where is your acreage, I might come and help!!

 

[MoKelly]

Congratulations on the new property. Good luck. I admire you beginning this at your stage in life. Work keeps you young - at least that is what my wife tells me!

MoKelly

 

[DieselBound]

I've got 40 acres and it was a HUGE mess when I bought it. Look at my avatar to the left. That's my relentless "brother-in-arms." B7800. That tractor has done an incredible amount of work. As they say, smaller tractors can usually do the job, but it just takes longer. But the B7800 (I curse lots of things about it, like the stupid 3pt "quarter inching valve") is indestructible. I've literally used the thing to pop out stumps, curling under as the rear end raises and then bouncing! Yeah, when I was younger and more stupid (but I was still old!). But, you know what? This tractor has never broken on me (other than a tie rod and one blown loader cylinder). And I'd bought it with 738 HARD hours on it already: I now have over 1,800 hrs on it. If I were to go to war again it would be with this B7800.

Ample ground clearance. I've surfed this tractor up an on top of brush and who knows what (and looking back I realize that this was insane, but I'm relentless and I won't be stopped!). Loader capacity is that of a small machine (800-ish lbs): this is why I got my Kioti- I required the ability to lift a lot more weight. 30 hp. Old school.

Pond? Rent an excavator. They're easy to operate (well, for me) and fun (to watch how much work you can get done, all the while knowing, just like with the B7800, that they really can be broken [unless some really, really stupid thing happens]).

Oh, and thank you for sharing your story and vision. I look around at what I've done and am really proud of it (the transformation can't be put in words). I know that one day I won't be able to stay here, but that don't matter. Anywhere we are we are but caretakers: do good and feel good.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

I vote for an L or an MX. I went with an MX for similar property work on my 24 acres. An MX with a grapple will move a lot of brush pretty quickly. You are getting older and having something that can take the place of biceps is a useful thing. Never, ever, buy a too small tractor. The MX has the advantage of having much higher loader lift capacity than the L. Even at that I still can pick up a pallet of bricks. I have to off load about half onto another pallet.

I'd write a check for a guy to use a dozer to build the pond. Way too much dirt moving for a tractor and even an excavator. The excavator can dig, but not real good at moving the dirt where it needs to go.

 

[D2Cat]

Whatever you purchase make sure it has a flat platform (without a hump at the transmission) and a HST transmission.

 

[thunderworks]

OP here . . . thanks for all the input. It is much appreciated. I looked at a used B2301 today . . . it seems awfully small and light. . . I'm inclined to pursue the larger options as you have all suggested.

I drove by our land today, stopped, turned off the truck and just listened to the quiet sounds of rural life . . . regardless of how much of my vision gets accomplished, I know it will be a fun and gratifying effort. I can't wait to close on the ground (October 15th)

 

[Doughknob]

30 acres?..... go bigger.

 

[WranglerX]

Go out to the land, pitch a tent and never leave....

 

[ultrarunner]

L 3800 ???

Any concern about securing equipment with no one around?