Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field

   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #1  

dpcote

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What a great site. This is my first post and first day viewing and I am very impressed witht he helpfulness of the forum.

I just bought a property with 3 acres of nice lawn and 5 acres of fields that the previous owners sometimes mowed and sometimes bush hogged. They were using a 27 HP Kubota with a 5' bush hog and a regular craftsman lawn tractor 42" deck and it all takes 12 hours.

The driveway is about 900 feet climbs a hill at an easy incline and is gravel.

We are in Maine and get plenty of snow, so I am thinking a front mount snowblower.

I was thinking a 1026R or 2305 but I would love your suggestions. Would a big commercial zeroturn and a plow truck be the fastest and easiest?

I probably don't need the FEL but I think I will find uses for it so I am thinking of a SCUT.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #2  
Congrats on moving to the country, I'm sure you will enjoy the country life, but 8 acres of property will keep you busy.

I have about 5 acres, where about 3.5 are lawn. For your property and snow plowing/blowing, I would suggest somthing a little bigger that the 1026 or 2305. More like the 2320/2520/2720, would be more in line, in my opinion.

One of the 2xxx series will certainly mow grass and plow/blow your snow. Depending on the grades you have, you may have to use chains. My property is pretty flat, and my 2520, with the R4 tires & Ballast box, & front blade do the job for me without chains, your situation may be different.

I have not had any experience with zero turn mowers, so I really can't comment on them, but I don't really think they are intended for "Bush Hog" type mowing. A tractor with a 3pth can easily be adapted to any kind of cutting just by changing an attachment.

A plow truck would certainly be a more comfortable way to plow snow, and I'm sure would be a little faster. I thought of going with a plow on my pick-up, but I didn't like the idea of carrying the plow around on it all winter, or the fact that using a plow on your nice pick-up will certainly bash up the front end components in a hurry.

As far as a loader........GO FOR IT.....These things are great. I just got my 2520 last year, and it is my first loader tractor, and I should have bought one of these things 20 years ago. For anyone with upwards of 2/3 acres, a CUT with a FEL is the best helper you will ever find.

REV
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #3  
I have a NH T1510 and mow 3 acres with a 60" belly mower. The belly mower gives an excellent cut. I use a 3 point NH 64" blower on the rear for snow. I live in the Lake Erie snow belt, so I know what real snow is, and the T1510 handles it nicely. Just an idea.
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #4  
I suspect a 2520 or preferably a 2720 would be ideal for what you need to do. I like the extra power the 2720 has for mowing and other pto work and once you have a tractor you will find lots of jobs for it as you get more seat time.
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #5  
My property in Lehigh County Pennsylvania is about the same. About three acres of lawn, 11 acres of pasture and nine acres in woods,

Our property is very hilly with some very steep areas. I needed a tractor with a low center of gravity so the John Deere 2305 has proven to be a good choice for my situation. The 62" belly mower cuts my mowing time to about one quarter of the time it took with a small riding mower. The CX 200 FEL has had countless uses and I even added a Horst set of pallet forks to make the FEL even more useful. I have been clearing lots of brush and the FEL is perfect for that job.

I use the FEL for snow removal combined with a 5 foot three point hitch blade.

I use a Frontier 48" brush Hog for field mowing and to clear the outside perimeter of the fence lines. The Imatch adaptor makes changing out the ballast box and brush hog an easy task. The mid mount mower also changes out quickly as does the FEL with the CX series FEL

This is my third season with the 2305 and I have logged about 250 hours with out many problems other than overheating when I fail to clear the grass out of the front on the grill.

I joke that the little 2305 is like a lawn tractor on steriods!
 
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   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #6  
I'd suggest looking at a Deere 3005 (or used 790...same tractor) since my usage is quite similar to yours...and I had a 790 for 6 years.
Another option is to look for a used Deere 4300 or 4310...that would be a very good fit, especially since you have a pretty long drive way.
These are bigger then most of the tractors suggested thus far, but I think these would be a better fit for your needs.
Prices should be in the $12K-$15K range for used 790's, 4300's or 4310's...probably less then you'd pay for a new SubCUT.

I'm a Deere owner and I'm mostly familar with the Deere models. Another brand, as long as you have a good dealership to work with, is fine too.
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Are the 3000 and 4000 series tractors too heavy for regular belly mowing? The previous owners used a regular lawn tractor (craftsman) for the lawn about 3-4 acres and a Kubota B2710 for the bush hog and snow clearing. They used a rear snowblower and this seemed like a pain in the neck waiting to happen. They offered this tractor to me with the FEL, 5 ft bushog, york rake and 60 inch rear snowblower for $14k. It has 360 hours on the machine. I really didn't like the orange color, and I have alway run greene equipment. I know it is a good tractor but it has always slept outside and that certainly shows.

I appreciate the input, I am trying hard to make a good decision while having little experience with tractors.
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #8  
Are the 3000 and 4000 series tractors too heavy for regular belly mowing? The previous owners used a regular lawn tractor (craftsman) for the lawn about 3-4 acres and a Kubota B2710 for the bush hog and snow clearing. They used a rear snowblower and this seemed like a pain in the neck waiting to happen. They offered this tractor to me with the FEL, 5 ft bushog, york rake and 60 inch rear snowblower for $14k. It has 360 hours on the machine. I really didn't like the orange color, and I have alway run greene equipment. I know it is a good tractor but it has always slept outside and that certainly shows.

I appreciate the input, I am trying hard to make a good decision while having little experience with tractors.

The 3x20 series and the older 4x00/4x10 machines would be fine for mowing.

Although I think the B2710 is priced about $2K to $3K too high, it would be a good machine too. If it's just weathered paint, that should compound out OK if you think that's necessary.
Since the Kubota doesn't have a belly mower, you'd have to find one (first, make sure it has a mid-PTO!!) or pick up a rear finishing mower.
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #9  
I purchased the 3320 and it is a great machine. I never thought I'd need a FEL, but now I never take it off. Its like having an extra arm that can lift small houses!
 
   / Tractor Suggestion 3 acres Lawn 5 acres Field #10  
Would a big commercial zeroturn and a plow truck be the fastest and easiest?

Yes, by far, but then you have to cut all 8 acres regularly. My Ferris IS3000 (60" commercial ztr) cuts my 3 acre lawn in about an hour.

If you can swing it, I'd buy a used ztr for the grass and a tractor for the snow and maintenance and possibly bush hogging some or all of the 5 acres. You have no idea how much you'll use the FEL! Once you take mowing grass away from the tractor, the bigger heavier the tractor, the better!
 
 
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