Just purchased a farm

[Sparrky]

Another Dave Ramsey listener welcome, I had a somewhat good year last year and bought a Mahindra 6000 4wd with FEL with quick detach. Under DR's plan I only had one payment.:thumbsup: I like the height it will lift and after using a friends 28hp Kabota I knew something bigger was needed for any serious lifting with out tipping up on three wheels on a slight incline. With a 50 and above you will be able to get a rock bucket and thereby clearing some rocks from your fields and put them in the wet spots. The tractor had 650 hours and I paid 1650 for it.

 

[yucholian]

Don't buy a backhoe attachment for the tractor.
For the same money, get a dedicated used excavator.

 

[Bob Ha]

tngamecockfan, I want give a recommendation but will tell you a few things that has bit us.

We have two tractors both 72hp (62 pto). One is 4wd and both have FEL.

Been doing similar as you plan on doing. We have 4 ponds, raise cattle, brush hog, FEL work and produce hay. We produce about 500 bales yearly.

Purchased a baler.... oh crap our tractors wouldn't handle the baler so we sold it and purchased a small baler.

Purchased a 10' heavy duty brush hog and both tractor will handle it but in some cases when the grass (clover) is thick it pulls down our machines.

Purchased a 4 bottom plow (moldboard) and our machines will handle some of our soils but when we hit clay it pulls down our machines.

Purchased the rest of our equipment based on our tractors ability.

We've been doing this for 6 years now and already looking to upgrade our tractors.

Only suggestion I will give is think long and hard about the size and accessories prior to purchasing. Once you decide move up to the next machine size.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[ShenandoahJoe]

Renting your land to a farmer with a going concern is a great idea. It takes away all the time pressure to figure out what you want to do. You'll keep your tax status, you can learn a lot about what your land is good for, and you're making a few bucks while you do it.

 

[Old Red]

Been on a couple of those rock side paradise farms in your county chasing turkeys. I really like the area. I too am a big Ramsey fan from KY! Good luck. I have a Bobcat T190 skid steer and it has been a very handy machine on my farm!

 

[Smallplot]

When all is said and done, you can pick up an older - 70s or early 80's - full sized tractor with 100-120 HP a lot cheaper than buying a new 50 HP tractor. No need for front wheel assist with these brutes for what you have said you will be doing. There are several MFG that make aftermarket loaders to fit these older machines as well. They will have heavier front ends and better suited for people who may not know the limits of a small tractor.

Personally I would not worry about getting a back hoe to dig out a pond, especially a spring fed pond. You can hire someone to come in with a track hoe to do this, the right equipment for the right task. :thumbsup:

 

[Obed]

Personally I would not worry about getting a back hoe to dig out a pond, especially a spring fed pond. You can hire someone to come in with a track hoe to do this, the right equipment for the right task. :thumbsup:

Agreed.

Get a tractor big enough to do what you really need. Any bigger just means more fuel costs and that can add up quick at almost $4/gal. I'd get something big enough for your bush hog.

Hay making equipment for 100 acres may not pay for itself. You can hire out the making of the hay. My dad's farm in TN is the same size as yours. He raises about 80 head of cattle. He hasn't made hay himself in the past 35 years. It is cheaper and easier to hire it out. He now just buys hay from someone else and pastures his cattle longer. He says that is cheaper than lime and fertilizer and hiring out the haymaking. Thus, I wouldn't size the tractor for making hay. My dad's tractor is 45 HP and 37 years old and does everything he needs it to do.

Definitely get a FEL. That's one expense you won't regret. Buying used will get you the best bang for the buck.

Good luck and congrats on the farm purchase.

Obed

 

[Verticaltrx]

I'm going to give some advice that may not be popular on here, but here it goes.


To make money farming, you do not need all the big equipment everyone is suggesting. In fact, that is a good way to not make money farming. One of the more successful farms around here is over 100ac and the only tractor they have is an old B-series Kubota (maybe 25hp or so). They do direct market beef, poultry and pork and let the animals do the work. The tractor is only used for the occasional mowing around the fences, tilling, moving things around the farm, turning the compost pile, etc. They buy what hay they need which greatly reduces the size of tractor needed. There is a good book by Joel Salatin called 'You Can Farm', it explains the whole concept in good detail. Joel is a little out there on some things, but making money farming isn't one of them (and all of his monetary principles coincide with Dave Ramsey).

My wife and I are getting started in a similar operation and the only two tractors I have are a '53 Ford NAA and a B3200 Kubota. I make 500-700 square bales of hay a year with that combo as well as doing all the work around our farms.

Now with all that said, if you simply want to be a 'gentleman farmer' and not really care if the farm is profitable, then by all means buy as much tractor as you can afford.

Personally, If I were in your shoes (can you tell I'm a Dave listener too, lol) I'd buy a good 4wd compact tractor with a loader in the 30-40hp range (L series Kubota, 3000-4000 series Deere). It would do all the mowing around a farm, building fence, gardening, cleaning out barns, moving materials, grading driveways, and light field work. Just keep cows on the land during the growing months and you avoid the need for hay/big equipment altogether. Also if you run enough cattle you won't have the need to do much mowing anyways.

Attached are some pics of me doing farm work with what most would consider a miniscule little tractor:

 

[piller]

Welcome to TBN and congrats on your farm purchase. I'm in Oakdale, in between Crossville and Knoxville. I'm also a beekeeper, just started that last year. I lease out some of my farm and it is a good arrangement for me.

 

[Martian]

Two best posts so far a Roy's first comment and Verticaltrx's last comment.

Don't overextend yourself, and know what your getting. I bought a 85HP utility tractor because I wanted it, didn't need it. That said it's done everything and more I've asked of it and wouldn't trade down for a smaller model if I had a chance. But, by no means have I made money off the scenario. Many people will tell you, that if you don't enjoy doing this stuff yourself, hire it out, because it will more than likely be cheaper. All of us here enjoy the manual labor and seat time, and it is really fun.

Now that we got that out of the way, I think you would be very happy with, as Verticaltrx mentioned, a Deere 3x20/4x20, Kubota Grand L series, Kioti DK series (and the list goes on) Also be aware, that just like cars, there are premium and plane versions of these tractors. What I've listed is the premium versions and will cost you slightly more, I think it's worth it, others don't. The standard editions will usually do the same work, just not as comfortable.

Welcome and good luck on your search!