Stackwood
Bronze Member
Greetings. This forum has been a tremendous help in my efforts to decide what tractor to buy. I'm down to the wire now. Here's my situation:
We have 55 acres comprised of a hillside and 2 acre hilltop, plus 65 acres adjoining in our extended family, located in Middle Tennessee. About 30 acres total are/were pasture. About half that needs heavy bushogging to wrest it back from the forest, coupled with plenty of chainsaw work and brush burning. Some of the pasture is steep enough to scare you when you're crossways (we currently bushog with a 1962 MF 165). Bushogging will comprise over half the use of the tractor.
We've come to realize BH isn't enough. We're getting a modest livestock operation off the ground, mainly goats at first to combat the trees, more sheep and some cows later. Already grazing has shown to make a huge difference in BH requirements. To make feeding easier, we want to go to round bales, bought locally. Figure 1500#. To unload them, we'll need a FEL with bale spear. Additionally, we'll need to haul those bales up the steep part of the hill, about 25% grade, up the driveway. We figure we'll be carrying up two at a time, front and back. Speed won't matter.
We'll need to renovate pastures. A lot of them are small and tight and steep. We'll be spreading seed and fertilizer, and doing some ground engagement with a 3 pt hitch, 5' or 6' disc.
We burn wood and may eventually do some small scale commercial timbering, although the big trees are so beautiful I don't know if I'll ever have the heart to cut them.
We garden, and we keep threatening to put in an orchard.
Now for the tough part: Which tractor will best serve our needs? The Kubota is smaller and lighter at 3560 lbs. It's a bit more nimble, has 4wd and a quick detach loader (LA852). Removing the loader would make hogging easier on our irregular pastures. I'd get gear drive transmission.
The JD doesn't have the 4wd, but it's significantly bigger and cheaper, weighing in at 4700 lbs. and about $5000 less. The bucket pops off easily, but not the rest of the loader. It has a somewhat stronger 3 pt hitch and slightly stronger loader. It only comes with a gear drive. Both tractors are 50 hp.
What a tough call. Such a lot of money for a decision that will affect us for decades. I look forward to your counsel.
We have 55 acres comprised of a hillside and 2 acre hilltop, plus 65 acres adjoining in our extended family, located in Middle Tennessee. About 30 acres total are/were pasture. About half that needs heavy bushogging to wrest it back from the forest, coupled with plenty of chainsaw work and brush burning. Some of the pasture is steep enough to scare you when you're crossways (we currently bushog with a 1962 MF 165). Bushogging will comprise over half the use of the tractor.
We've come to realize BH isn't enough. We're getting a modest livestock operation off the ground, mainly goats at first to combat the trees, more sheep and some cows later. Already grazing has shown to make a huge difference in BH requirements. To make feeding easier, we want to go to round bales, bought locally. Figure 1500#. To unload them, we'll need a FEL with bale spear. Additionally, we'll need to haul those bales up the steep part of the hill, about 25% grade, up the driveway. We figure we'll be carrying up two at a time, front and back. Speed won't matter.
We'll need to renovate pastures. A lot of them are small and tight and steep. We'll be spreading seed and fertilizer, and doing some ground engagement with a 3 pt hitch, 5' or 6' disc.
We burn wood and may eventually do some small scale commercial timbering, although the big trees are so beautiful I don't know if I'll ever have the heart to cut them.
We garden, and we keep threatening to put in an orchard.
Now for the tough part: Which tractor will best serve our needs? The Kubota is smaller and lighter at 3560 lbs. It's a bit more nimble, has 4wd and a quick detach loader (LA852). Removing the loader would make hogging easier on our irregular pastures. I'd get gear drive transmission.
The JD doesn't have the 4wd, but it's significantly bigger and cheaper, weighing in at 4700 lbs. and about $5000 less. The bucket pops off easily, but not the rest of the loader. It has a somewhat stronger 3 pt hitch and slightly stronger loader. It only comes with a gear drive. Both tractors are 50 hp.
What a tough call. Such a lot of money for a decision that will affect us for decades. I look forward to your counsel.