mogwai
Member
Hi folks,
Great forum, lots of good experience and nice folks. I'm about to buy a new tractor and would appreciate some feedback from the collective.
8-10 yrs from retirement; 60 ac mostly level ground, about 35ac are fallow tillable acres; 300yd driveway and farm-style dooryard in northern WI. Want to buy new & use it until we leave the farm. We can afford to spend some money, but are not made of money.
I've driven smaller older tractors most of my life. The newest was probably 1980s mfg. and the biggest was probably <50hp. I've sat on new Bobcat & NH compacts and find them to be very confining. Workmaster gives me room to spread out.
I plan to move snow with this tractor, FEL w/ snowplow attachment. I till a 1ac garden & 2-3 ac foodplot/squash garden annually. I have old bldgs, downed trees, etc, that need to be cleaned up.
We have not finalized plans, but options include native grass seed nursery & u-pick fruit trees, shrubs & vines for the fallow fields. I'm thinking about little beef cattle on the10-15 ac rougher pasture & that means boundary fence & possibly haying. I might also do some custom foodplot work, but that is really fuzzy.
I think 45-55 hp & fwd would be the right target for my needs & plans. I've been looking at utility and not compact. Possible tillage and haying make me leery of hydrostatic transmission.
Given the above, I'm leaning towards a NH WM55. Important consideration is that we have a good NH dealer nearby. But set that aside and tell me if you have a better suggestion for a tractor that will last 20 yrs and then help me load the family treasures as we head for warmer climes.
Great forum, lots of good experience and nice folks. I'm about to buy a new tractor and would appreciate some feedback from the collective.
8-10 yrs from retirement; 60 ac mostly level ground, about 35ac are fallow tillable acres; 300yd driveway and farm-style dooryard in northern WI. Want to buy new & use it until we leave the farm. We can afford to spend some money, but are not made of money.
I've driven smaller older tractors most of my life. The newest was probably 1980s mfg. and the biggest was probably <50hp. I've sat on new Bobcat & NH compacts and find them to be very confining. Workmaster gives me room to spread out.
I plan to move snow with this tractor, FEL w/ snowplow attachment. I till a 1ac garden & 2-3 ac foodplot/squash garden annually. I have old bldgs, downed trees, etc, that need to be cleaned up.
We have not finalized plans, but options include native grass seed nursery & u-pick fruit trees, shrubs & vines for the fallow fields. I'm thinking about little beef cattle on the10-15 ac rougher pasture & that means boundary fence & possibly haying. I might also do some custom foodplot work, but that is really fuzzy.
I think 45-55 hp & fwd would be the right target for my needs & plans. I've been looking at utility and not compact. Possible tillage and haying make me leery of hydrostatic transmission.
Given the above, I'm leaning towards a NH WM55. Important consideration is that we have a good NH dealer nearby. But set that aside and tell me if you have a better suggestion for a tractor that will last 20 yrs and then help me load the family treasures as we head for warmer climes.
