My general needs in a tractor center around ground prep for deer hunting food plots, but I have future interest in Christmas tree farming on some rolling hills in marginal (rocky) ground. The first farm is 202 acres with 75 acres of tillable land that's 40 CRP and 35 share-cropped out to a local farmer. The remainder of this central Kentucky farm has steep ridges and deep hollows. I'll be putting in food plots on the tops of several ridges on old logging decks, probably at least 15 acres total. A considerable amount of brush clearing will be needed to clear out 1- to 1 1/2-inch saplings. The rotational mowing on the CRP is coming up this year, too. The second farm is 120 acres of Middle Tennessee mixed hay and boulder-strewn woods. Several acres of the hay ground were severely rutted up with logging trucks several years ago that make it impractical to cut hay. This accounts for 35 acres of ground (rather high clay content) that will need to be re-worked to be of any use. Between the two farms, there's probably 5 miles of old logging roads and trails that need to be mowed with some of it in steep terrain. Over the next five years, I want to put in approximately 20 acres of Christmas trees and maintain them.
Last summer, I had access to a 5050 AC with a loader to work the smaller farm. It did relatively well with bush-hogging duties on the smaller farm, but when I began breaking ground with a 2-bottom plow to start renovating some of the rutted up land it seemed to be max capacity for the AC. In addition to cutting hay on my own 50 +/- acres, I may be also cutting another 80 acres of hay.
A new Mahindra dealer just opened up about 20 miles from home. John Deere dealers are available around Nashville. My primary questions about what tractor to buy first go toward HP need vs. transporting. Then, I'm wondering if the price difference between red and green warrant going red. Is this too much to expect from a single tractor, or will it be more efficient to buy and use two tractors of varying sizes?
Last summer, I had access to a 5050 AC with a loader to work the smaller farm. It did relatively well with bush-hogging duties on the smaller farm, but when I began breaking ground with a 2-bottom plow to start renovating some of the rutted up land it seemed to be max capacity for the AC. In addition to cutting hay on my own 50 +/- acres, I may be also cutting another 80 acres of hay.
A new Mahindra dealer just opened up about 20 miles from home. John Deere dealers are available around Nashville. My primary questions about what tractor to buy first go toward HP need vs. transporting. Then, I'm wondering if the price difference between red and green warrant going red. Is this too much to expect from a single tractor, or will it be more efficient to buy and use two tractors of varying sizes?
