stlawrence
Bronze Member
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2010
- Messages
- 69
I've read years worth of posts on this website - I'll tell you, ya'll are a wealth of information. I marvel at the power of the web - at the information available.
Well, here's my situation. We're buying (I hope, Good Lord willin' and the loan comes through) about 80 acres in upstate New York. It is in the Finger Lakes area, which means we have drumlins (rounded hills). Some of the land is steep enough that it will require up and down working, I think. The land has about 50 acres of abandoned pastures that are grown up with brush, saplings, and goldenrod. The saplings are around 1" - those that are bigger, I guess I'll just cut out with a chainsaw.
I would like to be able to bushhawg the pastures to get them presentable. If I want to cultivate later and plant a crop (alfalfa, white clover, or some other good ground cover), I might contract that out. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I would like to have a FEL, but my wife says money is tight and we might have to get the tractor without the FEL first, then get the FEL in a year or two (after I win the Lottery, which could be any day now).
We will have about five acres of lawn that I would like to be able to cut with the tractor, which would save having to buy another piece of machinery.
So.
I would love to have a JD 4120. That, without the FEL, would just about max out my tractor budget. The bush hog is a necessity - the FEL will be a luxury, I guess. I think a 4105 might work, but I fear it would be a little underpowered for my need to bush hog about 50 acres.
On the other hand, I really like the 5045. That would give me extra hp for a bigger bush hog. It brings several questions, though:
1. For the average farming, is the 4x4 worth the extra cost? I grew up with RWD tractors, and they did everything we wanted them to do. Will I be sorry later if I go with the 5045D, rather than the 5045E? (If I get the D, I can afford the FEL now)
2. What about the HSL drive? I won't be doing a whole lot of FEL work, but is that one of those things that mitigates toward the 4105 or 4120 over the 5045?
3. Mowing the yard - I can't go too big, or I'll leave ruts in Miz Shelley's yard, which would be bad news for everybody. What about turf tires? Would they keep the yard nice, but still be tough enough for field bush hogging?
So, to pin it down - I'm deciding between the 4105, 4120, and 5045. I'd like your opinions, because you know what you're doing, and I clearly don't.
Thanks. Dave
Well, here's my situation. We're buying (I hope, Good Lord willin' and the loan comes through) about 80 acres in upstate New York. It is in the Finger Lakes area, which means we have drumlins (rounded hills). Some of the land is steep enough that it will require up and down working, I think. The land has about 50 acres of abandoned pastures that are grown up with brush, saplings, and goldenrod. The saplings are around 1" - those that are bigger, I guess I'll just cut out with a chainsaw.
I would like to be able to bushhawg the pastures to get them presentable. If I want to cultivate later and plant a crop (alfalfa, white clover, or some other good ground cover), I might contract that out. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.
I would like to have a FEL, but my wife says money is tight and we might have to get the tractor without the FEL first, then get the FEL in a year or two (after I win the Lottery, which could be any day now).
We will have about five acres of lawn that I would like to be able to cut with the tractor, which would save having to buy another piece of machinery.
So.
I would love to have a JD 4120. That, without the FEL, would just about max out my tractor budget. The bush hog is a necessity - the FEL will be a luxury, I guess. I think a 4105 might work, but I fear it would be a little underpowered for my need to bush hog about 50 acres.
On the other hand, I really like the 5045. That would give me extra hp for a bigger bush hog. It brings several questions, though:
1. For the average farming, is the 4x4 worth the extra cost? I grew up with RWD tractors, and they did everything we wanted them to do. Will I be sorry later if I go with the 5045D, rather than the 5045E? (If I get the D, I can afford the FEL now)
2. What about the HSL drive? I won't be doing a whole lot of FEL work, but is that one of those things that mitigates toward the 4105 or 4120 over the 5045?
3. Mowing the yard - I can't go too big, or I'll leave ruts in Miz Shelley's yard, which would be bad news for everybody. What about turf tires? Would they keep the yard nice, but still be tough enough for field bush hogging?
So, to pin it down - I'm deciding between the 4105, 4120, and 5045. I'd like your opinions, because you know what you're doing, and I clearly don't.
Thanks. Dave