TheCommissioner
Member
Greetings to all from someone who knows next to nothing about the kinds of tractors you own and write about! I am impressed with your knowledge and eagerness to share information. I am writing with the hope you can advise me on what size of tractor to purchase.
Last summer I bought 43 acres in southern Indiana. The acreage is essentially a forested hill with a few acres of open ground on top including a half-acre pond. I'm planning to purchase another 4 adjoining acres on top that is also open.
Of the 47 acres, maybe there three (3) acres that are not flat. Everything else is on a slope. The elevation difference from the property line along the county road to the top is about 100 ft. So, the new tractor will hardly ever be working on level ground. I expect to use the tractor on weekends only.
Some of the jobs I envision for the tractor include:
1) Assisting with the cutting of firewood. I see the tractor dragging logs or carrying cut pieces in an FEL bucket. Some of that travel will have to be uphill. Not sure of the grades, but some are steep.
2) Road maintenance. The roads rut out after heavy rains from the water flowing down hill. If I buy gravel, it will be dumped at the base of the hill and will need the tractor to carry it uphill.
3) Some snow plowing, but not much. We don't get much snow here.
4) Annual mowing of brush and heavy weeds. Probably no more than a few acres worth of mowing, but once again, very little is flat ground. I want to plant pine trees and will have to mow between them
5) Maintenance around the pond. I am considering a future purchase of a back hoe attachment or something to dig out the roots of willows and cattails that infest the pond banks.
6) Pulling a wagon. I have a picnic ground on top of the hill and since the road is so bad from washouts, I have visitors walk up the hill. I'd like to be able to haul them on a wagon pulled by the tractor.
7) Ripping out old fence and cleaning up a old trash dump.
I'm sure there are other tasks I haven't considered yet.
The closest local dealers are JD and Kubota, but I am willing to consider other makes.
Thanks for reading this post and for offering your comments!
Last summer I bought 43 acres in southern Indiana. The acreage is essentially a forested hill with a few acres of open ground on top including a half-acre pond. I'm planning to purchase another 4 adjoining acres on top that is also open.
Of the 47 acres, maybe there three (3) acres that are not flat. Everything else is on a slope. The elevation difference from the property line along the county road to the top is about 100 ft. So, the new tractor will hardly ever be working on level ground. I expect to use the tractor on weekends only.
Some of the jobs I envision for the tractor include:
1) Assisting with the cutting of firewood. I see the tractor dragging logs or carrying cut pieces in an FEL bucket. Some of that travel will have to be uphill. Not sure of the grades, but some are steep.
2) Road maintenance. The roads rut out after heavy rains from the water flowing down hill. If I buy gravel, it will be dumped at the base of the hill and will need the tractor to carry it uphill.
3) Some snow plowing, but not much. We don't get much snow here.
4) Annual mowing of brush and heavy weeds. Probably no more than a few acres worth of mowing, but once again, very little is flat ground. I want to plant pine trees and will have to mow between them
5) Maintenance around the pond. I am considering a future purchase of a back hoe attachment or something to dig out the roots of willows and cattails that infest the pond banks.
6) Pulling a wagon. I have a picnic ground on top of the hill and since the road is so bad from washouts, I have visitors walk up the hill. I'd like to be able to haul them on a wagon pulled by the tractor.
7) Ripping out old fence and cleaning up a old trash dump.
I'm sure there are other tasks I haven't considered yet.
The closest local dealers are JD and Kubota, but I am willing to consider other makes.
Thanks for reading this post and for offering your comments!