applescotty
New member
We're finally moving from the city out in to the country in a month, and I just don't think my push mower and snow shovel are going to cut it.
I'd love to get some input from those of you with some experience.
First off, the property. An image is attached. The property boundaries are marked in red. It's not quite 18 acres. A little bit of the area is wooded, and there is a small pond. There are a couple of acres around the house that I'll mow with a riding mower (eventually a ZTR, when I can afford one). The other areas I'll need to maintain (outlined in blue, orange, green, and yellow) total about 15 acres. I may eventually use these areas as pasture for some livestock, but that likely will be several years from now (going to just start out with some chickens. ). The terrain is relatively flat. It's pretty level E-W, and going from North to South, drops about 20 feet to the pond, and then back up 20 feet as you reach the South edge. So no steep slopes to deal with. Areas A and C have had been cut and baled for hay in the past, although I don't know that they have this year. They don't seem particularly overgrown, certainly not a field of 3 foot weeds. The current owners have a horse they keep in areas B and D, so the weeds aren't too bad, although there are still some. We won't have a horse.
Second, my needs. I'd like to keep the weeds down and keep trees from growing in the areas outlined in the map. Eventually, I may grow and bale a little hay in areas A and C, if I can get some equipment cheap (like a small square baler). I'll need to plow the driveway in the winter. We don't get huge snows, but might see a few storms a year with a potential of 6 to 12 inches each. For putting up fencing in the future, I'd like to run a post hole digger. We'd like to put in a garden, perhaps eventually getting it to 1/2 acre in size, so running a 3 pt tiller might be nice. Then of course, there's the other uses that I'll know I'll use the tractor for, and soon wonder how I ever got along without it. My immediate needs, though, are to keep the weeds down and plow the drive.
Third, my budget. Since we're buying this place, cash is a little tight, so my budget for the tractor isn't very large. I've been looking in the $2000 to $5000 range.
My first thoughts were to get something like a Ford 8n. The smaller size (both for learning to use to a tractor, and maneuvability) appeals to me, as well as the easy availability of parts. However, for garden tasks such as using a rototiller, 1st gear is way too fast. I then looked at the 20 hp range Kubota tractors. I'd love one with a loader, but those are above my price range. I've also recently become concerned with the amount of time I'm going to spend mowing. So, that leads me to my current thoughts.
There's what looks to be a nice Allis Chalmers D17 nearby, for $2700. I think I could run a 6' brush hog on this, rather than a 4' behind a Kubota. I'm also thinking that I could maybe run a bit faster, such that I'd at least cut my mowing time by a third. This would also certainly be big enough to plow the drive with a back blade, and in the future if I was cutting and baling hay, big enough to run the baler. I understand than while an 8n could run a baler, it's a bit of a chore to do so. I could also run a 3 point post hole digger off this.
When a little more cash become available, I'm thinking I could then acquire something like an older smaller 15hp Kubota with a loader for the smaller chores, and to run a rototiller behind in the garden.
I'd be interested in any input on what I'm thinking, if I'm missing something, or what you would do if you were in the same position. Will the larger tractor be a pain to turn when mowing the fields (the large field is aout 700 ft E-W)? Will I find it harder to handle for plowing snow? I'm grateful for any input. Thanks!
Scott
I'd love to get some input from those of you with some experience.
First off, the property. An image is attached. The property boundaries are marked in red. It's not quite 18 acres. A little bit of the area is wooded, and there is a small pond. There are a couple of acres around the house that I'll mow with a riding mower (eventually a ZTR, when I can afford one). The other areas I'll need to maintain (outlined in blue, orange, green, and yellow) total about 15 acres. I may eventually use these areas as pasture for some livestock, but that likely will be several years from now (going to just start out with some chickens. ). The terrain is relatively flat. It's pretty level E-W, and going from North to South, drops about 20 feet to the pond, and then back up 20 feet as you reach the South edge. So no steep slopes to deal with. Areas A and C have had been cut and baled for hay in the past, although I don't know that they have this year. They don't seem particularly overgrown, certainly not a field of 3 foot weeds. The current owners have a horse they keep in areas B and D, so the weeds aren't too bad, although there are still some. We won't have a horse.
Second, my needs. I'd like to keep the weeds down and keep trees from growing in the areas outlined in the map. Eventually, I may grow and bale a little hay in areas A and C, if I can get some equipment cheap (like a small square baler). I'll need to plow the driveway in the winter. We don't get huge snows, but might see a few storms a year with a potential of 6 to 12 inches each. For putting up fencing in the future, I'd like to run a post hole digger. We'd like to put in a garden, perhaps eventually getting it to 1/2 acre in size, so running a 3 pt tiller might be nice. Then of course, there's the other uses that I'll know I'll use the tractor for, and soon wonder how I ever got along without it. My immediate needs, though, are to keep the weeds down and plow the drive.
Third, my budget. Since we're buying this place, cash is a little tight, so my budget for the tractor isn't very large. I've been looking in the $2000 to $5000 range.
My first thoughts were to get something like a Ford 8n. The smaller size (both for learning to use to a tractor, and maneuvability) appeals to me, as well as the easy availability of parts. However, for garden tasks such as using a rototiller, 1st gear is way too fast. I then looked at the 20 hp range Kubota tractors. I'd love one with a loader, but those are above my price range. I've also recently become concerned with the amount of time I'm going to spend mowing. So, that leads me to my current thoughts.
There's what looks to be a nice Allis Chalmers D17 nearby, for $2700. I think I could run a 6' brush hog on this, rather than a 4' behind a Kubota. I'm also thinking that I could maybe run a bit faster, such that I'd at least cut my mowing time by a third. This would also certainly be big enough to plow the drive with a back blade, and in the future if I was cutting and baling hay, big enough to run the baler. I understand than while an 8n could run a baler, it's a bit of a chore to do so. I could also run a 3 point post hole digger off this.
When a little more cash become available, I'm thinking I could then acquire something like an older smaller 15hp Kubota with a loader for the smaller chores, and to run a rototiller behind in the garden.
I'd be interested in any input on what I'm thinking, if I'm missing something, or what you would do if you were in the same position. Will the larger tractor be a pain to turn when mowing the fields (the large field is aout 700 ft E-W)? Will I find it harder to handle for plowing snow? I'm grateful for any input. Thanks!
Scott
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