Tractor for Tree farm

[pgflrob]

This Website is a treasure trove.

I am looking for a tractor for the first time. I am planting a 20 acre palm tree farm on pine/palmetto land I own that burnt hot two years ago. We were in there this week taking down all the burnt pines and pulling up as much of the regenerated palmetto as possible. We rented a track hoe and big Cat loader with huge root rake. The soil is moderately soft sandy.

I need a tractor to…
1) clean up the remaining palmetto stumps (for those that don’t know palmetto trunks grow parallel and just above the ground shooting down hairy pencil think “spaghetti roots). This will take a light duty root rake.
2) Toss and shake the 30 or so piles of pine stumps and palmettos as we burn them.
3) Move some dirt around.
4) Backhoe.
5) Mow between the rows of trees (bush hog the fronds and trimmings).
6) Grade the ruts that will come up.
7) Pull a wagon with gear.
8) Put in fences.

Also this is Florida so it is hot or raining (and when it rains it rains.)

So I was thinking enclosed cab.

These are my choices so far:
John Deere 3320
Kubota L3430
Mahindra 4510
Or at the high end
Branson 6530
I liked the 3510i but it did not come with enclosure.

The thing that really put me off was the Mahindra/Banson dealer that said the front axle of only the Bransons were strong enough for a root rake.

What do people think about that? Are there root rakes made for all tractors of this size? What do people like? I do not mind the difference in prices for these as long as there is some value/utility advantage for the higher price.

 

[pgflrob]

This Website is a treasure trove.

I am looking for a tractor for the first time. I am planting a 20 acre palm tree farm on pine/palmetto land I own that burnt hot two years ago. We were in there this week taking down all the burnt pines and pulling up as much of the regenerated palmetto as possible. We rented a track hoe and big Cat loader with huge root rake. The soil is moderately soft sandy.

I need a tractor to…
1) clean up the remaining palmetto stumps (for those that don’t know palmetto trunks grow parallel and just above the ground shooting down hairy pencil think “spaghetti roots). This will take a light duty root rake.
2) Toss and shake the 30 or so piles of pine stumps and palmettos as we burn them.
3) Move some dirt around.
4) Backhoe.
5) Mow between the rows of trees (bush hog the fronds and trimmings).
6) Grade the ruts that will come up.
7) Pull a wagon with gear.
8) Put in fences.

Also this is Florida so it is hot or raining (and when it rains it rains.)

So I was thinking enclosed cab.

These are my choices so far:
John Deere 3320
Kubota L3430
Mahindra 4510
Or at the high end
Branson 6530
I liked the 3510i but it did not come with enclosure.

The thing that really put me off was the Mahindra/Banson dealer that said the front axle of only the Bransons were strong enough for a root rake.

What do people think about that? Are there root rakes made for all tractors of this size? What do people like? I do not mind the difference in prices for these as long as there is some value/utility advantage for the higher price.

 

[john_bud]

Don't forget to compare the Massey's and the New Holland tractors. Saw some at a pull and they are very nice.

jb

 

[john_bud]

Don't forget to compare the Massey's and the New Holland tractors. Saw some at a pull and they are very nice.

jb

 

[ascesq]

We are in FL also and have a L4300 (no LAE) that is essentially an L4330. A very strong tractor for the size and rating; good for mowing, post hole work, etc. Some dealers suggest you can put an oversize FEL on it so long as you weight the back with you bushhog or other large rear implement. The point is, the 4300 size is not really meant for large dirt work and lifting, but is otherwise a pretty good ag tractor - and you can get turf tires on it - critcal for ag work in sandy FL. But for stump pulling and the like, if it is a one-off job, just call a guy with a tree spade and have him pull them all. Otherwise, perhaps going up a class to a used m6800 or m8200 or the new M5040 or M6040 might be a better bet of you wil be doing a lot of heavy lifting. good luck

 

[ascesq]

We are in FL also and have a L4300 (no LAE) that is essentially an L4330. A very strong tractor for the size and rating; good for mowing, post hole work, etc. Some dealers suggest you can put an oversize FEL on it so long as you weight the back with you bushhog or other large rear implement. The point is, the 4300 size is not really meant for large dirt work and lifting, but is otherwise a pretty good ag tractor - and you can get turf tires on it - critcal for ag work in sandy FL. But for stump pulling and the like, if it is a one-off job, just call a guy with a tree spade and have him pull them all. Otherwise, perhaps going up a class to a used m6800 or m8200 or the new M5040 or M6040 might be a better bet of you wil be doing a lot of heavy lifting. good luck

 

[pgflrob]

I guess my big question is can I modest root rake with the tractors I'm looking at. I am getting 90% of the palmetto out and we will disc also. But I can see that I will never be done with ripping out loaf-of-bread sized palmetto stumps. I was stunned when the Branson/Mahindra dealer said that only the Branson (even the small one) had an axle that allowed root raking. Not deere, kibuto, or even the Mahindra.

I admit my only exprience with root raking palmetto was with a monstor Cat loader, but unless you dug real deep it was pretty easy to pull up the palmettos. The pines had to be dug with the medium sized track hoe. If I ever clear pines again. I will get the biggest track hoe I can find. That was very tough job; the pine roots went straight down. Oaks were nothing compared to pines.

Do you have an enclosed tractor? I would never think to consider it until I drove that big loader. It was nice.