Trying to choose the right tractor

Garinda · Nov 3, 2010

I posted this in a different forum, probably the wrong one. Obviously I'm new here. After looking around here i think i should have asked my question in this forum, so here it is again. Sorry for duplication but I don't know how much everyone reads the different forums.

Hello everyone. My first post here. Have 160 acres that we've been renting out. It's been dryland farmed although there is an older well. I've been thinking about weekend farming it myself. I do have a lot of time other than weekends to tend to it. So I started looking into new tractors. The 5105M and the 6140D is what I keep looking at. 100 hp/32F speeds vs 140 hp/9F speeds. I've also looked at the 6430P but didn't want to spend that much $. Anyone have any advice? I figure everytime i have to make a pass over it, it will take between 24 and 36 hours in the seat? Does that sound about right?

teg · Nov 3, 2010

There are a few real farmers on this site that maybe able to answer your question but the vast majority are not. Mainly below 60hp and the average *might* be around 30-45hp in the Compact Utility Tractors. The one guy that I know is a big time farmer but he doesn't know about new equipment, mostly older stuff.

What is being farmed on your land now? Have you farmed much before? (have implements and connections) Have you heard this joke... Do you know to make a small fortune in farming.... ...start with a large fortune.

jagyzf · Nov 3, 2010

Garinda said:
I posted this in a different forum, probably the wrong one. Obviously I'm new here. After looking around here i think i should have asked my question in this forum, so here it is again. Sorry for duplication but I don't know how much everyone reads the different forums.

Hello everyone. My first post here. Have 160 acres that we've been renting out. It's been dryland farmed although there is an older well. I've been thinking about weekend farming it myself. I do have a lot of time other than weekends to tend to it. So I started looking into new tractors. The 5105M and the 6140D is what I keep looking at. 100 hp/32F speeds vs 140 hp/9F speeds. I've also looked at the 6430P but didn't want to spend that much $. Anyone have any advice? I figure everytime i have to make a pass over it, it will take between 24 and 36 hours in the seat? Does that sound about right?

I have never heard of dryland farmed, what is that?

What are you going to do? Can't really answer the questions without some info. Plant corn? Grow and sell hay? No-till or full till?

What implements are you planning on?

If tillage, are you going to plow, Chisel plow? All of these make a difference?

smstonypoint · Nov 3, 2010

Where are you located?

Steve

Garinda · Nov 3, 2010

Thank you for the responses. To answer the questions: When i say dryland i mean it is farmed but not irrigated. Today it has milo (grain sorghum) on it. In the past it's had wheat, soybeans, even corn. I don't intend to make a lot of money with it, in fact i'm sort of viewing it as my retirement project. Sort of a hobby farm for lack of a better term. I retire in about 5 years and I'm one of those that has to stay busy. So I'm willing to invest in a tractor and some implements. I'm trying to figure out what would be a tractor (hopefully in the utility class) that would be if not great at least adequate. I figure to need to be able to chisel it, but i don't mind a small tool. Maybe a 10' strip till. Maybe a 3 bottom plow. It's part of a much larger 2,000 or so farm, i'd be cutting it out of the ground being tenant farmed. The tenant isn't a lot of help, he has much larger machines. MUCH larger... lol. I do have some early experience so i know what i'm getting into, I just haven't been in the seat of a tractor all day for going on 35 years or so. They've sure changed. I'm figuring mostly wheat, milo, maybe some hay. Oh and i'm in oklahoma. Again, thanks to everyone with an opinion.

JasG · Nov 3, 2010

Depending on your soil I would say 100 hp would be good. You could pull a 4-5 btm plow or a small chisel plow and a good disk. A good friend of mine farms on 205 acres and his tractor is 95-100 hp. He does about 130 of it, rest is woods and pasture. Tills about 40 per year and the rest is hay.

LakeRat1 · Nov 3, 2010

If i were you, and wanted to farm that 160 ac. i would be looking for a Tractor in the 100 HP. range, that will pull a 14ft disk, 12 ft chisel plow, i haven't farmed since the mid 80s but we use to say a 2 row tractor needed at lease 50 hp, 4 row 100 hp, and 6 row 150 hp, that being said i have seen Farmers under powered, but if you are over powered it wont hurt, you can alway shift up a gear or 2 and then drop your RPM some, a lot of the new tractors have a way to set the rpms once you fine the speed you want in a given gear, you can slow down but when you speed back up it goes right to the rpms that you have it set for, big help when turning around or such, with 4 row equip. you will cover about 6 or so ac. per hour, being you are retiring and want to have some thing to do all the time look at a Tractor with MFWD, and get it fitted with a Front loader, there are all kind of things you can do with this around the place, and it will not be in your way with the farming, but a 90 to 110 hp Tractor will do you a fine Job, i live in La. and wish i had a 160 AC. of wheat this winter, have you seen the price, i have some friends that have booked New Crop Wheat at close to 7 bucks to them, that is some good money, around here they make from 50 to 60 bu. per ac. There is a lot of wheat being planted around here this fall, have a good time, and be safe

jagyzf · Nov 4, 2010

Garinda said:
Thank you for the responses. To answer the questions: When i say dryland i mean it is farmed but not irrigated. Today it has milo (grain sorghum) on it. In the past it's had wheat, soybeans, even corn. I don't intend to make a lot of money with it, in fact i'm sort of viewing it as my retirement project. Sort of a hobby farm for lack of a better term. I retire in about 5 years and I'm one of those that has to stay busy. So I'm willing to invest in a tractor and some implements. I'm trying to figure out what would be a tractor (hopefully in the utility class) that would be if not great at least adequate. I figure to need to be able to chisel it, but i don't mind a small tool. Maybe a 10' strip till. Maybe a 3 bottom plow. It's part of a much larger 2,000 or so farm, i'd be cutting it out of the ground being tenant farmed. The tenant isn't a lot of help, he has much larger machines. MUCH larger... lol. I do have some early experience so i know what i'm getting into, I just haven't been in the seat of a tractor all day for going on 35 years or so. They've sure changed. I'm figuring mostly wheat, milo, maybe some hay. Oh and i'm in oklahoma. Again, thanks to everyone with an opinion.

One thing you may want to do is stop by your local Dept of soil conservation, or Ag coop ext office. See what seems to be working in your area. Around here you can get information on what kind of tillage for what crops, fertilizer etc.

Garinda · Nov 4, 2010

Thanks lakerat. That was exactly the kind of knowledge I was looking for and also thanks to everyone else as well. All good suggestions. I had already visited with the local dealer but if you don't need one of the large row crop machines or a tracked machine they don't seem to have much expertise. There is no such thing as a small farm around here I guess. I travel a lot in my job and am amazed at the way there are about 3 farmhouses per section everywhere else and about 3 sections per farmhouse around here. And a lot of those are going vac. I think the 5105 will suit my needs just fine. Again, thanks to everyone!

brucew44guns · Nov 5, 2010

Hello, I have 155 acres myself, 35 pasture, the rest in wheat and beans and milo. I lease the whole place, but want to take back the pasture sometime soon and hay part of it, and get a few cows.
I've looked at tractors a long while now, and have just about decided on a JD 6115 D, 4WD, the 673 loader. That is about 115 HP, and capable of many farm chores. The price I just was quoted for cab, 1200 bucks worth of wheel weight, air seat, brush guard, 38 inch rears, telescoping links, joy stick, and nice AM-FM CD for a little under 58K. I don't need that much power, or that expensive of machine. But I want one anyhow, and like that model a lot. Check it out. Let us know what you buy.