Lions_TX
Member
Ok so first of all this is my first post so, hello everyone.
I have about a 3 and 1/2 acre sand box. Thats why my profile says Sand Antonio, it wasnt a typo. Presently there are alot of trees on the place but not so many that it is "thick forest". Mostly they are living oaks, the kind that shoot up sucker trees everywhere. There is an earth tank on the property too, approx. About a 1/2 acre in size and about 9 feet deep. The tank is dry most of the year but will fill with extended heavy rains.
Basically the front acreage is open, medium treed pasture with the tank. The back acre was used as a dump for a while before we bought the place, it is beginning to get over grown with "brush". The center 3/4 acre has a fenced yard where the house and a few out buildings sit. I keep a small breeding flock of RI reds in the yard and a good sized garden.
Presently i am organic gardening in hopes of becoming organic certified once i meet all the requirements and the proper time has elapsed. What i would like to do is go from the gardener to a mini farmer/rancher. After weighing in all the factors involved i am sure i want a front wheel drive assist with a front loader. I am sure i will keep the loader busy with filling the tank in (in phases), moving compost, and helping make short of the dumping sights out back.
I have began to window shop for a tractor on line and in person. My questions are, 1) is 20hp enough tractor to do light loader work?, 2)What size brush mower can i pull with 20hp?, 3)What sized tractor will pull the next sized brush mower? 4)Could i get away with a smaller tractor?
A factor to consider that i am looking at seriously is that alot of people either have 2 tractors or wish they did. So i am thinking that after i have the front of the property leveled and fenced that i may get a bigger tractor.
If i was to buy new, i am looking at Mahindra, FarmPro, and Jinmar. I have also seen used in those 3 brands, and Kuboto, Mitsubishi, Lenar, ZenNoh and Yanmar are also on my list of potential used machines.
I have read through alot of post and i do appreciate the idea of great service from a "local" dealer, but the fact of the matter is that the closest dealer to me is about 45 minutes away, thats the Mahindra dealer, about the same distance in the opposite direction is the John Deer dealer. I think i would go a few extra miles to save some money or find good service, as a trip around San Antonio can easily take 3-4 hours.
Other impliments i have considered: Back hoe, i dont think so. While yes i will eventually have to do some stump removal, i think i could get my moneys worth out of a days rental. Post hole digger, i dont think so. My fence lines will run approx. 100ft X 300 ft, sq. I am planing on cedar corners and metal T-post so the digging will be minimal and i am still young enough to handle the chopsticks. A disk???, I dont know? Most of what i will be planting is in the way of row crops and i plan on a tiller for maintaining and turning my rows. A tiller, i think so, presently its me, the shovel and a hoe. A tiller would surely make short of turning vegitation and manures in. A plow, mabe eventually. Brush mower, defenetly. I have a lawn tractor for finish mowing, and a walk behind for tight spots.
Ok so a couple of more questions, 5)what other impliments may come in handy so that i may consider them? 6)Whats the biggest tiller (recomended) a 20hp tractor will spin? 7)Whats a disk used for mainly anyway? 8)What kind of and what sized plow can i pull with 20hp? 9)Can i use the front loader for light brush removal? 10)What am i forgetting about or not taking into consideration?
Thanks for any help...
Lions
I have about a 3 and 1/2 acre sand box. Thats why my profile says Sand Antonio, it wasnt a typo. Presently there are alot of trees on the place but not so many that it is "thick forest". Mostly they are living oaks, the kind that shoot up sucker trees everywhere. There is an earth tank on the property too, approx. About a 1/2 acre in size and about 9 feet deep. The tank is dry most of the year but will fill with extended heavy rains.
Basically the front acreage is open, medium treed pasture with the tank. The back acre was used as a dump for a while before we bought the place, it is beginning to get over grown with "brush". The center 3/4 acre has a fenced yard where the house and a few out buildings sit. I keep a small breeding flock of RI reds in the yard and a good sized garden.
Presently i am organic gardening in hopes of becoming organic certified once i meet all the requirements and the proper time has elapsed. What i would like to do is go from the gardener to a mini farmer/rancher. After weighing in all the factors involved i am sure i want a front wheel drive assist with a front loader. I am sure i will keep the loader busy with filling the tank in (in phases), moving compost, and helping make short of the dumping sights out back.
I have began to window shop for a tractor on line and in person. My questions are, 1) is 20hp enough tractor to do light loader work?, 2)What size brush mower can i pull with 20hp?, 3)What sized tractor will pull the next sized brush mower? 4)Could i get away with a smaller tractor?
A factor to consider that i am looking at seriously is that alot of people either have 2 tractors or wish they did. So i am thinking that after i have the front of the property leveled and fenced that i may get a bigger tractor.
If i was to buy new, i am looking at Mahindra, FarmPro, and Jinmar. I have also seen used in those 3 brands, and Kuboto, Mitsubishi, Lenar, ZenNoh and Yanmar are also on my list of potential used machines.
I have read through alot of post and i do appreciate the idea of great service from a "local" dealer, but the fact of the matter is that the closest dealer to me is about 45 minutes away, thats the Mahindra dealer, about the same distance in the opposite direction is the John Deer dealer. I think i would go a few extra miles to save some money or find good service, as a trip around San Antonio can easily take 3-4 hours.
Other impliments i have considered: Back hoe, i dont think so. While yes i will eventually have to do some stump removal, i think i could get my moneys worth out of a days rental. Post hole digger, i dont think so. My fence lines will run approx. 100ft X 300 ft, sq. I am planing on cedar corners and metal T-post so the digging will be minimal and i am still young enough to handle the chopsticks. A disk???, I dont know? Most of what i will be planting is in the way of row crops and i plan on a tiller for maintaining and turning my rows. A tiller, i think so, presently its me, the shovel and a hoe. A tiller would surely make short of turning vegitation and manures in. A plow, mabe eventually. Brush mower, defenetly. I have a lawn tractor for finish mowing, and a walk behind for tight spots.
Ok so a couple of more questions, 5)what other impliments may come in handy so that i may consider them? 6)Whats the biggest tiller (recomended) a 20hp tractor will spin? 7)Whats a disk used for mainly anyway? 8)What kind of and what sized plow can i pull with 20hp? 9)Can i use the front loader for light brush removal? 10)What am i forgetting about or not taking into consideration?
Thanks for any help...
Lions