What model should I buy

[Anonymous Poster]

I have 5 acres with lots of cleanup and digging required. I will need a loader/hoe capable chassis. What model(s) would you folks recommend.

 

[FarmerBob]

Josh:

There are lots of models available that would provide you with all your necessary requirements. In your case, it really depends on how much you want to spend. If you want a good 21HP tractor that will handle your needs, then the B7500 is the most popular tractor on the market. If you want more bells 'n whistles and more HP... there are the xx10 models, but the price difference is significant. If you want more HP without too many bells 'n whistles... try the L2600DT or L3000DT. All of these tractors can be bought with loader and hoe.

FarmerBob

 

[toddler]

Josh,
How much cleaning and digging is required, and when it is done, what will you use the tractor for. A lot of us buy a compact tractor that will do 85% of what we require, and farm out the heavy stuff. With only 5 acres, you really need to decide if you have several thousand dollars worth of backhoe work to do, or if you can contract it out for a lot less time and money. Also, I'm not sure what clean up work means. My guess is you mean loader work. I think most of us will want more detail on you property and your goals before we can guess at what will work for you there too.

Re. your land: Flat or hilly, wet or dry, fields or trees, sand or clay, big rock to carry?, stumps to pull?, digging a drainage ditch or a pond?, lawn to mow, gardens to till, snow to remove, yadda yadda.

You get the picture. I'll wait for your response before I offer my 2cents.

Todd

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Good questions, Todd. Hilly terrain, lots of re-grading. I've got a neighbor with a small dozer that he has kindly offered to lend. I'm located in northern CA, it's dry in the summer. I have to dig a new leach field and cut footings for the house expansion and a barn foundation. Also, there is about an acre of blackberries and other scrub to clear. Not a lot of stumps, mostly either huge oaks or scrub. Many granite boulders to clear in the field--most of which are exposed. Finally, the tractor will be used weekly to re-grade about a quarter mile of shared drive.

Thanks for the help!

 

[toddler]

Hey Josh,
Not a lot of activities I have experience with. I mostly mow, till, brush cut, snow throw, and move stuff with mine. Other than moving stuff and brush cutting, it doesn't sound like we overlap much. It sounds like weight might be a consideration for a lot of your chores, more being better, and I don't know that a hydro transmition will offer you a huge benifit, although it is nice. I'd look at the Kubota L's, and the JD 4300. I'd also check out the New Holland/Case models. They are all heavier tractors than the B series Kubota's (I have a B2710)and will offer an advantage in clearing and grading. They seem like an awful lot of tractor for 5acres, and are far from cheap, but they'll go forever doing what you're asking. I'm guessing the dozer will be more useful than a compact tractor digging a leach field, but again, no experience. Maybe some of the other readers will have more advice.
When you finish the house expansion, the leach field, and build the barn, what else will you be using the back hoe for. Given the cost, you might thing long and hard about whether you need to buy one.
Todd

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Can you buy the hoe and resell it for less cost than renting/hiring a hoe? If the cost to hire your work is more than or equal to the cost of the hoe, then you might want the hoe and just resell it when you're done. Whatever you lose on the sale is the actual cost of the project.

SHF

 

[toddler]

Hey everyone,
What's that JD tractor in the 25-30ish HP range that only comes gear drive. They had a special offer on it a little while back. 725??
That might work.
Todd

 

[ljh2]

It's the 790 and has a 30hp (25 pto) yanmar diesel. It has a reasonable base price, but
adds up fast with options.