Buying 13acre farm, what machine to buy? BX?

[cwilliams2000]

I have the fortune to have located and am buying a 13acre hobby farm. The good news is I have a great dry barn for machine and tool storage, and the bad news is that the farm needs a lot of ground work. Basically I have about 4 acres of fields and maybe 1 of true crop areas.

I basically am hoping to buy one machine for the following...

Field mowing
Tilling
Snow Plowing (1000' driveway)
Spreading gravel on roads, digging for trees and general cleanup.

I have been looking at used BX's and I really want to not spend more than 12-13k probably not including the snow implement.

Would the BX be a good choice, I cant find the posts but I thought someone said it isnt good at snow removal. I am in Mass so we definitely get snow, but the driveway is only abou 10 or 11' but very long.

I am less concerned with speed and more just that it will reliably push the snow out of the way.

All I currently own is a Kawa Mule 3010 which I like, but I think that will be just more of a transport item for the farm.

Than you very much and I am privileged to get to join your groups online community!

[ChuckinNH]

I also have 13 acres, but it's not really the same kind of land perhaps. Still, for the uses you outlined I would look very closely at the B2X20 series. The larger B's would be fine too, of course, but they are further out of your budget. Naturally, tractors this size come in all colors so don't rule that out either. I've been happy with my B2620 so far, but, of course that doesn't necessarily make it the right one for you. The BX would work too, but I think you would wish for the added ground clearance, and tougher underbelly of the next size up. If I were going to finish mow, I would prefer the BX, but you don't mention doing that.

[spruce Deere]

Originally Posted by cwilliams2000

I have the fortune to have located and am buying a 13acre hobby farm. The good news is I have a great dry barn for machine and tool storage, and the bad news is that the farm needs a lot of ground work. Basically I have about 4 acres of fields and maybe 1 of true crop areas.

I basically am hoping to buy one machine for the following...

Field mowing
Tilling
Snow Plowing (1000' driveway)
Spreading gravel on roads, digging for trees and general cleanup.

I have been looking at used BX's and I really want to not spend more than 12-13k probably not including the snow implement.

Would the BX be a good choice, I cant find the posts but I thought someone said it isnt good at snow removal. I am in Mass so we definitely get snow, but the driveway is only abou 10 or 11' but very long.

I am less concerned with speed and more just that it will reliably push the snow out of the way.

All I currently own is a Kawa Mule 3010 which I like, but I think that will be just more of a transport item for the farm.

Than you very much and I am privileged to get to join your groups online community!

Welcome cwilliams. Have you looked into a snow blade for the mule? Look'n at work listed for things a tractor will do I think you would be better served with a little bigger than lawn mower BX type tractor. Lookn' around a fella can find a good shape, used ford/NH 2120, JD 790 w/loader or something in that size range, 25-30 hp for that price. Some good deals right now. Sooner or later you will half to do something with all four acres of fields be it mowing or tilling or other. Digging trees? with a spade on the 3pt or some attachment on a loader? Ether way if the trees are taller than 3 foot, best left for another more specialized machine for good tree mortality, If thats the goal. Gravel spreading can be done with a wheel barrow and it just gets faster, easier with a bigger implement or tractor within limitations of course. And because we mentioned "BX" Im sure Lbrown will disagree with my opinion, which Im sure you will hear from several times over But them's is my opinions. Anyhow, welcome to TBN

[flusher]

Originally Posted by cwilliams2000

I have the fortune to have located and am buying a 13acre hobby farm. The good news is I have a great dry barn for machine and tool storage, and the bad news is that the farm needs a lot of ground work. Basically I have about 4 acres of fields and maybe 1 of true crop areas.

I basically am hoping to buy one machine for the following...

Field mowing
Tilling
Snow Plowing (1000' driveway)
Spreading gravel on roads, digging for trees and general cleanup.

I have been looking at used BX's and I really want to not spend more than 12-13k probably not including the snow implement.

Would the BX be a good choice, I cant find the posts but I thought someone said it isnt good at snow removal. I am in Mass so we definitely get snow, but the driveway is only abou 10 or 11' but very long.

I am less concerned with speed and more just that it will reliably push the snow out of the way.

All I currently own is a Kawa Mule 3010 which I like, but I think that will be just more of a transport item for the farm.

Than you very much and I am privileged to get to join your groups online community!

My first tractor was a 2005 Kubota B7510HST (21 hp engine, 17 hp pto, 4WD, power steering, hydrostatic tranny) with the LA302 FEL (4-ft bucket) that I bought new for $12,600 plus tax. I used it on my 10-acre place (flat pasture land) for mowing (4-ft King Kutter rotary mower--aka brush hog, shredder, slasher), rototilling (used $300 4-ft Yanmar RS-1200 rototiller), plowing with a KK middle buster and moving dirt with a KK 4-ft box blade.

With only 21 hp, that 7510 was not really suited for tilling more than a veg garden or for landscape work. It's not what you want for more than an acre or two of field tilling. It could pull a 4-ft disc OK. But if you want to do deep tilling with a moldboard plow or a chisel plow, you need more hp (30-40) for that type of work.

With your budget I'd check out a late model used CUT in the 30-40 hp range with a 5-ft wide FEL bucket. You probably can find a 2 or 3 year old tractor with a few hundred hours and a nice FEL for $12K.

[mjarrels]

Really should move up to a small "L" series for 13 acres.

mark

[dodge man]

I have a BX and I agree with others that it would be to small. It would do what you ask of it, but for long term, I think you would regret it. I think it would do a good job for snow removal, but for other tasks you might regret the small size, low ground clearance. I agree with others, look at a B or a L sized Kubota. They are very common used, look at Tractorhouse.com. You can search by zip code and find some in your area to try out.

[Soundguy]

A bx.. for that many acers.. better get 2

seriously.. I'd get a small cut.. int he 25-35 hp range for that size land.. if you stay inthe 25-30 hp range.. you won't be much bigger than the bx anyway.. but will have better ground clearance and weight and ponies without sacrificing maneuverability too much.

you looking at new? used or antique?

soundguy

Originally Posted by cwilliams2000

I have the fortune to have located and am buying a 13acre hobby farm. The good news is I have a great dry barn for machine and tool storage, and the bad news is that the farm needs a lot of ground work. Basically I have about 4 acres of fields and maybe 1 of true crop areas.

I basically am hoping to buy one machine for the following...

Field mowing
Tilling
Snow Plowing (1000' driveway)
Spreading gravel on roads, digging for trees and general cleanup.

I have been looking at used BX's and I really want to not spend more than 12-13k probably not including the snow implement.

Would the BX be a good choice, I cant find the posts but I thought someone said it isnt good at snow removal. I am in Mass so we definitely get snow, but the driveway is only abou 10 or 11' but very long.

I am less concerned with speed and more just that it will reliably push the snow out of the way.

All I currently own is a Kawa Mule 3010 which I like, but I think that will be just more of a transport item for the farm.

Than you very much and I am privileged to get to join your groups online community!

[BruceWard]

A BX is a big lawn mower. I would get something bigger. There are plenty of 25 to 35 HP tractors in your price range.

[boxygen]

Originally Posted by Soundguy

A bx.. for that many acers.. better get 2

seriously.. I'd get a small cut.. int he 25-35 hp range for that size land.. if you stay inthe 25-30 hp range.. you won't be much bigger than the bx anyway.. but will have better ground clearance and weight and ponies without sacrificing maneuverability too much.

you looking at new? used or antique?

soundguy

Soundguy, 2 BX's? Thats rediculous. Everybody knows they dont come in groups less than 3.

I would cross the BX off the list for 13 acres, unless buying a newer BX2360, BX 2660 (those numbers may be wrong). You will need the bigger frame size of AT LEAST a B series, most likely a small L series if going Kubota. JD 750, 850, 790 ect also would fit your budget with a little shopping around.

[easygo]

Originally Posted by cwilliams2000

Basically I have about 4 acres of fields and maybe 1 of true crop areas.

I basically am hoping to buy one machine for the following...

Field mowing
Tilling
Snow Plowing (1000' driveway)
Spreading gravel on roads, digging for trees and general cleanup.

I would say you could get by with a smaller B tractor. The real question is: How soon do you want to complete some of the first projects.

If you will have a 1 acre garden, bushog 4 acres 2-3 times a year and pull 3-5 cords of firewood a year. On the occasional bases fix up part of the road.
If that is the work you expect to do a smaller B2x20 or B7510/7610 will do it. If you plan on plowing up the fields for crops get at least an L2800 or 3400.
The more and faster you plan to do things the larger tractor you will need.
As it was pointed out before look at other tractors as well. They will do a lot of work regardless of color.
You will have loads of fun. That is a given.