Suggestion for 16 acres

[roxynoodle]

Oh yeah, the horses will tear up your pasture over time and mowing will be rougher than your yard. I lightly disc mine at least once a year. You will find they wear out the areas they travel frequently like near the stock tank or where they have shade/shelter. I also ride in mine so I can make tracks pretty much all over. I have one mare that loves to do sliding stops (guess she should have been a reining horse rather than an eventer) and she does them all the time and leaves skid marks.

As a side note, I like your MF, flusher, nice looking older tractor!

[Jethro]

I own a landscape maintenance company and we mow 10 acre jobs with ztrs. For mowing grass on smooth land a ztr is the way to go, unless you have a huge finish mower. However, I think you will have a lot more going on than mowing grass on smooth land. I agree that the pastures will become uneven, even if they are smooth now. A tractor will be far more versatile. And come on, if you are going to have a horse farm, you gotta have a tractor. Why stop with one dream when you can satisfy two? It will be one of those toys...I mean tools... that you will quickly wonder how you ever did without.

[jbrumberg]

jkruer01:

Turf tires (R-3's) would probably meet your needs from what you have reported. If you need extra traction you could add chains. It is my opinion that chains on Turf tires probably work better than chains on R-1's as the chains tend to slip between the lugs on the Ag tires. There are also Galaxy "Turf Special" tires that do not have lugs on the tire's outer edge, but I do not know anythng else about the tire application. Jay

[shane]

You have been given a lot of very good advice so far. I am surely not an expert on tractors but I believe my advice would be not to run out and buy something right away. The mowing season is over and time is on your side. I would suggest that you continue to read the highly valuable information on this site. If I had done a better job I would have never bought my JD 790 (a great little machine) and I would have done a few things different in buying my JD 3120. Having said all that, my vote for your needs would be a 3X20 with a cx loader and R4 tires, along with a 7 foot finish mower and a brush hawg (actually anybodies anything in that class and you'll be a happy camper).

[daTeacha]

I just talked with my SIL. He has 6 acres of flat woods, new house heated by groundwater heat pump -- all electric. He just got a tractor for maintaining the woods, plowing the driveway, and running a generator when the power goes out, which it does around here with distressing frequency and irregularity. What did he get? An International 685 (?) -- 70 hp two wheel drive diesel with loader. He figures that should be enough engine to run a 15 kw generator, which is the next item on his shopping list. It helps that his father is an auctioneer and we are in an Ag area, so he got the tractor at a good price, cheaper than a JD 1050 went for a couple of weeks ago.

So, don't rule out big used equipment if you can make it work for your place. I have no idea how that machine is going to work in the woods, but I'm pretty sure he'll have enough power for whatever he wants to do.

[Soundguy]

That 685 will run a 24kw genny...

Soundguy

[GEB]

We cut about 6 acres, she uses a ZST Scagg 54in, up around the house.
I use a 1953 Ford Jubilee with a 6ft mower.
If your main thing for a tractor is cutting fields, look into
a old Ford 8N, Jubilee, NAA, these tractors run forever, parts
are easy to come by.
The rear tires are tall which makes the ride much better,
I also put turff tires on mine.
Nice thing is you can find one in real nice shape for around $3000-$4000
I cant think of anything I'd rather cut with!
Gene

[Soundguy]

Maybee a 660 /661 or 860/861 to get the live pto, and possibly optional power steering.. etc..

Soundguy

[jkruer01]

Originally Posted by GEB

We cut about 6 acres, she uses a ZST Scagg 54in, up around the house.
I use a 1953 Ford Jubilee with a 6ft mower.
If your main thing for a tractor is cutting fields, look into
a old Ford 8N, Jubilee, NAA, these tractors run forever, parts
are easy to come by.
The rear tires are tall which makes the ride much better,
I also put turff tires on mine.
Nice thing is you can find one in real nice shape for around $3000-$4000
I cant think of anything I'd rather cut with!
Gene

Originally Posted by Soundguy

Maybee a 660 /661 or 860/861 to get the live pto, and possibly optional power steering.. etc..

Soundguy

You all are talking over my head.

[jkruer01]

Originally Posted by daTeacha

I just talked with my SIL. He has 6 acres of flat woods, new house heated by groundwater heat pump -- all electric. He just got a tractor for maintaining the woods, plowing the driveway, and running a generator when the power goes out, which it does around here with distressing frequency and irregularity. What did he get? An International 685 (?) -- 70 hp two wheel drive diesel with loader. He figures that should be enough engine to run a 15 kw generator, which is the next item on his shopping list. It helps that his father is an auctioneer and we are in an Ag area, so he got the tractor at a good price, cheaper than a JD 1050 went for a couple of weeks ago.

So, don't rule out big used equipment if you can make it work for your place. I have no idea how that machine is going to work in the woods, but I'm pretty sure he'll have enough power for whatever he wants to do.

I would think a tractor that big would tear up the yard.