Just got my 80 acres -- now what?

[Ken45101]

Welcome. FWIW, I used a 40hp tractor with 6' bush hog for mowing 30 acres of pasture for several years. That works fine, but take time. You need to mow to keep the weeds down. Then I finally went to a 90 hp tractor with a 15' batwing. Much, much faster, but also a lot more expensive!

Be careful with horses, it's easy to end up with too many!

Coyotes are not typically a problem unless you have small animals. We have lots of them around here and the horses ignore them. A couple of winters ago, I spotted two coyotes within 75 ft of where our horses were grazing. The horses totally ignored them, weren't even watching them. We have had a couple of small dogs disappear that I suspect the coyotes are responsible for, but last winter, our dogs returned the favor and killed a coyote.

 

[TripleR]

I can't improve on the excellent advice already given on tractor selection, so I will just offer my congratulations on your new land.

 

[bucktaker]

I can't improve on the excellent advice already given on tractor selection, so I will just offer my congratulations on your new land.

I agree its multiple tractor size acreage, Congrats

 

[dodge man]

What now? Its time to enjoy!

I'd start out with a single tractor. I think of all of Canada as getting a lot of snow, which may or may not be the case. If you get a lot, and it gets really cold, I'd look at a tractor with a cab.

As far as how big? I think people on this board get hung up on size of a tractor on how many acres you have. In some cases a person with 80 acres might get by with a 20 hp subcompact, in another case the person might need a 100 hp full sized ag tractor. It just depends on what you are doing. If you only plan on having one or two horses, I can't imagine you would need 2 tractors. I'd think you would be looking for something in the 35 to 50 hp range depending on how much mowing and how fast you want to mow. I agree with a choice of a front mount snow blower, a brush hog, front end loader, maybe a box blade for grading your driveway.

Enjoy the new land and the learning process.

 

[bigbull338]

youll enjoy having a farm.youll need a min 50hp tractor to tend to your place.but if you have the money you might want to go to a 70hp tractor.

 

[CharlieTR]

I would for sure get a large tractor. I have 46 acres, 40 ac are for hay. I takes me almost 5 6 hour days of cutting with my 52 hp with a 3 cyc desiel and 6 ft cutter. I tried to buy a 8 ft cutter, but the salesman said my 3 cyc was too small and he would not sell me one. If you never sat on a tractor for 6 to 8 hours a day at 5 to 10 MPH it really is a mind numbing experience. I can't do it more the 6 hours a day. Get 80 to 100 HP and 15 to 18 ft cutter. The bigger the less they work hard and last longer.

Have fun and be sure get a tractor safty book and read it well!

 

[Soundguy]

youll enjoy having a farm.youll need a min 50hp tractor to tend to your place.but if you have the money you might want to go to a 70hp tractor.

i agree.. a nice beefy 70hp .. even 2wd.. and then a smaller cut or large scut, 4wd, shutyle shift or hydro, and a loader...

 

[greasemonkeyok]

As an alternative to consider, identify the first project. Then rent a tractor in the size you are considering and use it for a long weekend or a week. But first, read some in the safety thread to get an idea of what you should and should't do. I know a 60-year old farmer who lost an eye to a widow-maker, and he was lucky. Main thing, in my book, is go slow and think ahead like you would if you were flying an airplane.

Then, have fun cause there ain't nothin' else like it.

 

[RobertN]

Just curious, why mow 30 acres of pasture?

 

[Tororider]

Just curious, why mow 30 acres of pasture?

That was my thought. If you are going to have horses why don't you rotate them through different pastures?