Tractor for land clearing and preparation

[jeff9366]

I have no experience with tractors.

I bought recently 300 acres of virgin land which needs to be cleared, leveled, prepared for crops.

I'm looking to buy a tractor which will be mainly used for land clearing and preparation in the beginning. Land is full of small 1-2 inch thick trees which need to be cleared.

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single (1) specification.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Sufficient tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range. I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My Kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after seven years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.​

For the clearing work you have described you need at least a 5,000 pound bare weight tractor. A 6,000 pound bare weight tractor would be better.

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/~/media/system/e/6/6/e/e66ed13be4f5a5216aa214276e14dacb/pub2917tractorimplements1.pdf

 

[paulsharvey]

Sorry for the lack of details
The land will be used for crops

I was thinking about clearing the land with a tractor because of the costs but I'm still not sure of that, it's a viable idea only if I will use less than 23 liters ( 6 gallons ) of diesel per acre
That's why I asked if it would be cheaper, per acre, to start with an 50 HP tractor or 80 HP
Clearing the land with a dozer would cost me the equivalent of 50 liters of fuel per acre (13.2 gallons ) plus cleaning the mess afterwards

Time is not an issue , only money unfortunately. I had the opportunity to buy this piece of land and now I must find ways to work on it with limited resources so if I clear most of it in half year or more, I'm ok with it. At beginning, the farming will be a side job, until it will grow. I must continue working, remotely from home, in order to support all the costs and slowly build the farm. It's not great but this is the situation I have but I'm ok with it and happy as long as my dream of getting a farm comes true.

I suppose everybody is thinking about this situation considering their environment but in my case I can't get a loan at the moment to clear the land and get a tractor at the same time, so it's one or another. If I clear the land with a dozer then I will have to wait for a tractor so I wouldn't be able to start to prepare the land for crops
Loans are a lot more expensive here as well so I'm trying to be as effective as possible.
Also the options here are very limited, there are only 3 options: clear with tractor, by hand or with a dozer.

I dont think you will find many implements in the heavy duty type for the smaller tractor; and if you do; let's say 6 ft bush hog (for the brush/small trees); then I dont think a 50/60 hp will pull a disc bigger then 6 ft with roots/tree stubble; vs say a 80hp you might still use the 6 or 7 ft bush hog (so more time/more fuel) but it should handle it all better. Then for disc work; I would say, go with an 8 ft heavy disc, possible a 10 ft, if you can get an cheap, old used one, that you maybe remove a couple discs from for the anti-tree work; and add back on for field work. So, probably same fuel per acre. The advantage is later, you will have a more appropriate disc/tractor for prepping.

I would expect it to be hard to find planter/drill for a 50/60hp tractor (don't know your local market conditions).

If you have a lot of clay or hard pan soil; you might need to subsoil/rip. That'd going to take a lot of HP/weight. I think the only reason I would go with the the smaller tractor/implements is if it is pretty steep slopes or limited working space.

 

[Egon]

First off consider your costs by the acre for completion.

For 300 acres the tractors you are looking at may be too small for the initial work and for the ensuing farm cultivation.

I’d suggest about a D8 with tooth rake pulling a very heavy breaking disk for the original work.

 

[paulsharvey]

Another possible option, cut 12 ft wide, plowed fire breaks around say 20 acre blocks; spray; wait 2 or 4 weeks; burn; the disc. That's gonna cut down on your working hours/fuel bill.

 

[m1garand762]

Your over thinking this I cleared 20 acres in the course of a few months a few hours at a time with a 640 ford and a heavy duty very dull brush hog. I did small areas after work came back in a few days did that spot again and did another small patch fort the first time. After it was all chopped up I kept mowing it it every few weeks for the rest of the summer. Every thing broke down and I started grading it with my good tractor and it looks like a million bucks now

 

[paulsharvey]

Your over thinking this I cleared 20 acres in the course of a few months a few hours at a time with a 640 ford and a heavy duty very dull brush hog. I did small areas after work came back in a few days did that spot again and did another small patch fort the first time. After it was all chopped up I kept mowing it it every few weeks for the rest of the summer. Every thing broke down and I started grading it with my good tractor and it looks like a million bucks now

Your not completely wrong, but he's going to need to get the root systems up, or it going clog his planter, and break things. Your going to have to do some kind of root raking, discing, chopping, ect. If it's really light roots and root balls; a disc will pull a lot of that up.

One thing; without going into too much detail on location; if this is a low labor cost area; hiring 2 or 3 ground men (or child labor, I dont judge) to pick/stack roots/debris beind whatever rake or disc.

For the first couple seasons; I would work around any big piles/larger stumps (I'd be willing to bet there are some hidden in the brush). Removing grown tree stumps (say 15-24" plus) down a min of 18" below grade is a whole another undertaking. Some times it might not be pretty, but it's easier to plow/plant Around the stumps then remove them.

 

[paulsharvey]

Everyone wants a perfectly 'clean' field; but nobody wants to spend the time/effort/money to make it.

I really think this is an 80/20 rule situation. I think in South East US, making a perfect clean field out of this, would cost $500/acre on the cheap side; or $150,000; and rapidly increasing if you have aggressive slopes; very wet areas; rocks; ect.

The flip side; I think an 80Hp full body tractor; with Heavy disc, bush hog, and rake; can get you 80% of what you want; at probably 5 acres/day/operation. That's what; probably 25 gallons of fuel; or 5 gallon per acre; per operation. Let's say; mow x2; discx2; rakex1=25 gallons/$125 per acre. Yes, the implements are gonna take a beating; your going to get tired of the operation; but 100% doable. Heck, guys did this with a mule, axe, and fire for thousands of years.

 

[paulsharvey]

As king of the hill said; you know how the Egyptians untipped the pyrmids; a winch, a cinder block, and 50,000 Hebrew slaves. You just go a winch, now all we need is a cinder block.

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7183827106370014510

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

1 - 2 inch trees? I've done that with a riding lawn mower. I've done a lot with it. "Oh it's bad for your mower", save your comments, the mower is 24 years old. Still runs and cuts fine.

 

[4570Man]

Mulchers just make a mess. Mulching is really only a good option if you plan on waiting years before you do any ground engagement work and you continue mowing it for those years. Sure you could mulch 2 inch trees or a heavier duty bush hog could do that. But the stumps are still in the ground. How to you plan on planting with thousands of stumps and a thick layer of tree mulch on the ground? You’re still going to have to rake it with a dozer. You might as well start with that option and save the cost of mulching. And land clearing is expensive. You’re delusional to think you’re going to get it done for only a few dollars an acre. Bigger equipment cost less to do the same job as smaller equipment. It wouldn’t exist if it didn’t. It took me like 10 minutes to rough in this driveway on my dozer. How long would the same job take with a small tractor?