Tractor recommendations for hobby farm

[KYDan]

There is a lot of information available, and we all have our opinions about what might be best for you. A couple of items that I did not notice that might help are. Check with people in your area if you can and ask about their opinions of their dealer. Service after the sale is a big deal. There is no perfect tractor and when you purchase a general use machine it is not going to perform specific tasks as well as a single use dedicated machine. I had a Kubota L2900 4WD for years with a lot of attachments and it was all I could afford at the time. It was a great tractor and I had the loader, backhoe, PTO driven finishing mower, PTO PHD, etc. Since then I have zero turn mowers and I rent a small trackhoe, or pay a professional for certain tasks that I don't want to tackle. Just some additional things to think about. Good luck and enjoy the hunt!

 

[berryhillfarms]

Ok Gentleman- No electronics wasnt an accurate statement- I just want less to fail and feeling a bit gun shy from buying a heap...I might want to cut hay as the ground is GOOD and would support it- That said what do you think about a NH TC 40D? Some of the grades are between 5-15% but I wont be cutting the steep grades...Im too chicken! It looks like I might be spending 16K?? Any good sites to check pricing? If I want to cut/ bale hay should I consider a NH Boomer 50?

Regardless of 40 or 50- I still need to have methanol placed in all 4 tires, correct?

Also, are NH fairly reliable? I just want a solid tractor- if it performs under load well, the FEL holds after power is turned off, 3 PT lifts & holds- anything else?? I am thinking of a dealer want to avoid the ride I already took. How many hours to too many??

Thank you for all your comments and suggestions! It is very, very appreciated! I will put a tractor pic up but after I find one that I am proud of!

Thanks! Sue

 

[Creamer]

Well if you are going to run a baler I wouldn't go under 40 hp - are you talking small square bales or small round? Round will take more HP.

A lot of people will recommend loading the rear tires - not methanol though - your tire guy will have what they use locally. I personally think it is a little overkill but if you are going to handle round bales on the loader you are going to need some weight on the back. A loader on the front will take care of any need for weighting up front.

Brands - you will hear lots of advice but NH are good as are JD, MF, Kioti, Kubota, Mahindra, LS, etc. Having a dealer is kind of important - the closer the better. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with the tractor.

5-15% grade are all workable with any tractor as long as you use common sense, i.e not running sideways 9on a hill with the loader way up in the air.

For haying you are going to want a live PTO. I personally prefer a geared tractor but there area lot of people that prefer hydrostatic. If you get hydrostatic add another 5 hp for the losses.

Tires - probably Ag tires since you have not mentioned any lawn work. Ag will give you the most grip and stability but are not quite as tough as industrial tires with regard to punctures that you can get from working around sharp rocks, construction sties or in trees.

have fun trying the potential new toys out!

 

[tcreeley]

Beet juice- rim guard is great for filling tires and does not pollute or rust the rims like calcium chloride. And it won't ever freeze on you. (Methanol is natural gas - wrong words) I like my NH TC30. Does 5' bush hog, 5'tiller no problem. But for a baler, 40 hp is the minimum (though they now make smaller balers for smaller tractors- or get one with its own power source).

Check out LS tractors. RCO online (in Texas) ships and has some good deals.
RCO Tractor - Compact Tractors and Utility Tractors from LS Tractor USA and Yanmar of America on Sale Now!

 

[Creamer]

Beet juice- rim guard is great for filling tires and does not pollute or rust the rims like calcium chloride.

You northerners sure like that beet juice. Got talked into putting that crap in my zero turn mower tires. What a mess - when the tire went all the tire guy could do was swear at that sticky goo as he was trying to clean up the wheel. Never again. I doubt it is even available in MO it isn't in my area - I had to go to Michigan to get it done I only live 30 miles from there.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

You northerners sure like that beet juice. Got talked into putting that crap in my zero turn mower tires. What a mess - when the tire went all the tire guy could do was swear at that sticky goo as he was trying to clean up the wheel. Never again. I doubt it is even available in MO it isn't in my area - I had to go to Michigan to get it done I only live 30 miles from there.

That beet juice is the way to go thank you. It's as heavy as cacl and doesn't eat rims.

As for the baling question, that sounds like it could be your highest HP needs. I'm not sure how small of a baler you can run, but if you pull a wagon full of hay, you better have a decently heavy tractor or another means of gathering the bales if time is of any concern.

 

[tractorshopper]

My dealer uses antifreeze and water for ballast.

I had an L3800 as my last tractor and it was a very capable machine for your listed tasks, but I don't know about baling. I've never been around that type of operation.

 

[berryhillfarms]

Beet Juice is interesting......methyl alcohol was put in this beater tiny tractor I purchased- where does one buy beet juice??? I like the antifreeze/ water combo..... Also the LS tractors are appealing- maybe I might look at a new one-

If the unthinkable like an EMP happens will any of these tractors work? Dont mean to bring politics into a conversation but the Iran thing has me wondering....maybe its just a little crazy thinking but a really nasty solar flare that we have not seen or an EMP could fry electronics- that is why I was considering less electronics.

 

[Citydude]

Beet Juice is interesting......methyl alcohol was put in this beater tiny tractor I purchased- where does one buy beet juice??? I like the antifreeze/ water combo..... Also the LS tractors are appealing- maybe I might look at a new one- If the unthinkable like an EMP happens will any of these tractors work? Dont mean to bring politics into a conversation but the Iran thing has me wondering....maybe its just a little crazy thinking but a really nasty solar flare that we have not seen or an EMP could fry electronics- that is why I was considering less electronics.

Haven't heard about an Electro Magnetic Pulse warning from Al Gore yet, so I'd feel comfortable buying electronics....

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Anti-freeze and water is fine for ballast but its about 30% lighter than RimGuard (beet juice). When you start talking over 50 gallons to fill a tire, that's a lot of weight difference!