robertwhite
Silver Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2009
- Messages
- 233
I am in a bit of a quandry(sp)
I have 15 acres that is pretty much flat. I was seriously thinking about getting an L series Kubota for overall chores. BUT........ The more I think about it, the more I think that I would be making a bad choice.
The acreage is around 10-11 lawn and 4-5 field. The previous owner used an old MF with a 5ft finish and had a few cows in the field.
I have been giving a lot of thought to the fact that even on an L series, the FEL is not all that large and if it happened to have a backhoe, there really is no digging depth or reach on a CUT, so the thought was always to get a used dedicated loader/backhoe (Case, Ford, whatever) to go with the tractor.
The more that I think about it, the more it is starting to make more sense to get a ZT mower (Dixie Chopper, preferably X series & at least 60" deck) and then get the used loader/hoe for all other chores.
Dixie Chopper claims to cut 8 acres an hour with the 72" and even if I got the 60", it would still only take a few hours. I would be getting cows in the field so that would maybe need a cut 1 or 2 times a year. (and probably could raise the deck on the ZT enough to do that). Fall leave mulching is also an easy do for the ZT, the SCUT not so much.
Is a CUT really the "be all, end all" of small farm use or is my second line of thought making any sense? I see lots of new (2yrs old, never sold) Dixies on tractorhouse, so I know they can be had in the $6-9K range, which is easily less than half of a new L series. Then pick up the loader/hoe for $6-8K and be done with it.
Any input of any kind would be great. If my idea is dumb, tell me so (I can handle it )
I have 15 acres that is pretty much flat. I was seriously thinking about getting an L series Kubota for overall chores. BUT........ The more I think about it, the more I think that I would be making a bad choice.
The acreage is around 10-11 lawn and 4-5 field. The previous owner used an old MF with a 5ft finish and had a few cows in the field.
I have been giving a lot of thought to the fact that even on an L series, the FEL is not all that large and if it happened to have a backhoe, there really is no digging depth or reach on a CUT, so the thought was always to get a used dedicated loader/backhoe (Case, Ford, whatever) to go with the tractor.
The more that I think about it, the more it is starting to make more sense to get a ZT mower (Dixie Chopper, preferably X series & at least 60" deck) and then get the used loader/hoe for all other chores.
Dixie Chopper claims to cut 8 acres an hour with the 72" and even if I got the 60", it would still only take a few hours. I would be getting cows in the field so that would maybe need a cut 1 or 2 times a year. (and probably could raise the deck on the ZT enough to do that). Fall leave mulching is also an easy do for the ZT, the SCUT not so much.
Is a CUT really the "be all, end all" of small farm use or is my second line of thought making any sense? I see lots of new (2yrs old, never sold) Dixies on tractorhouse, so I know they can be had in the $6-9K range, which is easily less than half of a new L series. Then pick up the loader/hoe for $6-8K and be done with it.
Any input of any kind would be great. If my idea is dumb, tell me so (I can handle it )
Last edited: