Hello,
I currently mow about 2 acres of my farm as a lawn. I have a Sears lawn tractor (16hp 42" deck) I use to mow this. Last year I purchased a 44" Swisher trail mower so I could cut my mowing time down. I figured I could pull it behind my ATV while my wife mowed on the lawn tractor. My ATV is a Suziki 250cc 4wd. Very nice ATV (2 or 4 wheel drive, high, low, and superlow range, differential lock, rear hitch on frame rather than rear axle) but it is air cooled. Could not mow fast enough to keep the ATV cool enough. So now I pull the trail mower offset behind the lawn tractor and it cuts my mowing time in half.
My recomendation's would be as follows:
1)If you decide to go the ATV route, either get a water cooled ATV, or get the electric colling fan
option, and a 66" trail mower.
2)If you can swing the $$$ get the ATV, trailmower, and a lawn tractor, the extra cutting width
will cut your mow time considerablely. You can use the ATV to plow the driveway and pull the
trailmower in the steeper rougher areas. The lawn tractor will be more manuverable for the tight
areas around the house. You could get the ATV, lawn tractor, and trail mower for around the
same price as the compact tractor.
Hope this helps,
Ed