Tractor for small property?

[larry sanderson]

I close on a 1.5 acre property today, and am both excited and nervous. The property has a small orchard, a small garden, and lots of giant trees.

I would like a tractor to help maintain the property; It would have to do a bit of mowing, but mostly carry stuff around. It's pretty hilly though, so I don't know if a simple lawn tractor will cut it. Also, I would like to get a loader (and maybe some day a back hoe) attachment, and the small lawn tractors I've seen don't really look up to the task.

So, I guess I have two questions:

1) Am I underestimating the capabilities of lawn tractors?
2) If not, what kind of tractors should I be looking for? (I was looking at the John Deer 1 and 2 series which looked like a good match, but I'm not sure what the other brands offer)

I'm completely new to all this, so thanks for your advice!

 

[newbury]

I close on a 1.5 acre property today, and am both excited and nervous. The property has a small orchard, a small garden, and lots of giant trees.

I would like a tractor to help maintain the property; It would have to do a bit of mowing, but mostly carry stuff around. It's pretty hilly though, so I don't know if a simple lawn tractor will cut it. Also, I would like to get a loader (and maybe some day a back hoe) attachment, and the small lawn tractors I've seen don't really look up to the task.

So, I guess I have two questions:

1) Am I underestimating the capabilities of lawn tractors?

Nope

2) If not, what kind of tractors should I be looking for? (I was looking at the John Deer 1 and 2 series which looked like a good match, but I'm not sure what the other brands offer)

I'm completely new to all this, so thanks for your advice!

If it's "pretty hilly" you should look into RENTING a tractor in the 25hp range and see if it fits etc.
For example a Kubota BX25, a small Deere, or something similar. See if it will handle what you want to move etc. Kubota, Deere, Mahindra, Kioti, LS, etc. all make pretty good small tractors.

 

[varmint]

Off the top of my head, I think lawn tractors, unless they are gear drive, shouldn't really be used for much other than mowing. You might want to look into Kubota BX style small tractors- the folks who have them love them, saying they are super capable of doing tractor work, albeit slower and on a smaller scale than larger machines. Check out 4shorts BX25D videos on youtube. You'll find hundreds, if not thousands, of posts and threads here that talk about small tractors' vices and virtues, along with opinions on different brands.

 

[Garycw]

Just got a JD1025R last month w/FEL. and love it. I GOT THE 60" auto connect deck, but would recommend the 54" for a smoother cut. The 1023 in my opinion would be just as good too for less money. Both are expensive, but hold there value pretty well it seems. I found the kubotas overpriced and a little over rated. You'll love the quick connect H120 loader and auto connect deck. Caution- you will need to do some lower branch tree trimming even with rops folded. I've trimmed mine with the rops and taken down three bird houses. Get the R4 tires. There's no hill they can't climb, even in 2wd and haven't damaged the yard anywhere. Although any good JD or older cub with loaded tires and maybe a differential lock would work., 48-54" deck and a dump cart. Sent from the mountains

 

[buickanddeere]

For now. A Deere 310 or larger Lawn tractor and a trailer. You want to stay with gas or a older diesel that is not Tier IV.
Rural Estate sales are good places to look for 5-20yr old CUT tractors with 100-200hrs of use per year.

 

[Sprinklerman]

I have a bx 24 I use for work and around 7 acres .It will suprise you what it can do

 

[tractchores]

If you want a loader etc then I'd look at a kubota bx. However you can get lawn tractors that will be capable on hills, but they're good for basic mowing and pulling a trailer. Just make sure you get one that is made for operating on hills. I've got an older JD model and have used it on some very hilly areas for mowing with no issues... just watch your traction.

 

[jeff9366]

There are two tractor brands, Ventrac and Steiner, which have equal size front and rear wheels. They are specifically engineered for steep slopes. Golf courses usually use one brand or the other for mowing and other course maintenance.

LINK: Ventrac Compact Tractors & Attachments

There is a specific Ventrac/Steiner forum here on T-B-N.


Add your state to your Los Altos location.

 

[Garycw]

One advantage of smaller garden tractors is besides loading the tires with washer fluid, etc. you can hike out on the seat / fender on the high side to mow across some VERY steep hills. Not that I recommend it, but do it myself. The ventrac is probably best on hills, but can't get past the weird factor of them. Can you even add attachments to them? You get soo much more versatility with a JD 1025/1023 Sent from the mountains