2 acres too small for a tractor?

[chim]

That model Kubota M5660suhd, seems like overkill for a two acre plot. Its a 56 HP tractor according to Kubota. I've used a Ford 1220 FWD, with Box Scrapper, Brush Hog, and Front End Loader to do almost everything on my 4 acres for over 20 years.........................

We have your Ford's smaller brother, a 1210 since back in 1991 or so. It's incredible what that little guy can do. Bought it as a used bare tractor and have been using a 5' RFM, scraper blade, 3-point scoop, York rake and other stuff ever since.

Of course, when the opportunity to get larger toys, who can resist?

 

[radios1]

I keep wondering if I over bought. I wish I didn't have theis blasted hill so I had more level land to work. I think that makes a world of difference. I just don't have that much to be able to till or plow and plant. I can do a bit more than I've started so far, but not a lot.


It has made some of the work a lot easier and I've been able to do things I wouldn't have without it. But none of those really NEEDED to be done.

I can make use of it, but I'm pretty sure I could have done with a lesser machine like a JD X5XX or X7XX series or equivalent. But then I realize I would have been near $10K or a bit less and not able to do some of the things I can with this.

I don't need a grapple or anything like it. I can chainsaw trees where they fall and load the bucket or a trailer. I would like a stump grinder, but I was a bit (OK a LOT) shocked at the prices.

with a bit of grading, no more hill!..

 

[mike69440]

It's not the size of the property, it's the size of the work and the abilities of the workers. I did much of what you're describing with a field and brush mower, a tiller, a small riding mower with trailer, a variety of hand tools, gallons of sweat equity and a whole lot of aches and pains.

I now have a SCUT that may or may not be 'too much' for the routine yearly work on my 5 acres. But it sure does make what work there is a whole lot easier to do with the 15 year older bones I now also have. Planting trees with a backhoe doesn't even begin to compare to doing it with a shovel, let alone digging one up to transplant it.

Shovel,

You mean an excavator I hope, not one of those sticks with a sort of flat piece of metal at the end.

 

[mike69440]

Used tractors are an interesting purchase. I recommend everyone have one unless you live in an apartment. If you shop around and buy something a few years old at a reasonable price, i my experience this will happen:

Build a dry storage location for a tractor. You buy the tractor for say $15,000. You use it to work around you place while taking good care of it. Once you finish your projects, you put it back on the market and recover your original costs. Yes the tractor will take a hit for maybe putting say 1000 hours on it. You sell the tractor for $12,000. The cost of operation becomes depreciation, fuel and maintenance. The storage building you can continue to use so no loss there. The money you saved on physician expenses and ibuprofen can be written off the purchase price as you no longer need to dig stuff up by hand. This may bring the total cost of ownership down as well. Now you are looking at a loss of $4,000 for 1000 hours of work or $4/hour to get at least 10 times the amount of work accomplished as a shovel, rake and wheelbarrow would most have provided you.

PLUS! you own a tractor. BTW, do not buy a trailer as they lead to loaning and add to your cost of ownership..... Just take care of it and it will hold it's value well.

Brilliant plan, except if you sell the first tractor, you end up buying a more expensive one. I'm not sure that is a bad thing.