If you had to pick one

[tracer35]

OK Just got some land I am gonna have to cut a lot of grass, about 56 acres, got some brush to cut and about 50 acres of woods that got some downed trees to move around and get rid of so I will need to get something with a loader and a good cut, what would be the experts here's opinion if you were gonna buy a tractor what kind, HP, Mower type, etc. I would like to keep costs to under 20k total, including attachments. Where should I be looking, I have no dealers close so am at mercy of internet and you all to help! Thanks

 

[carpenter383]

If you're talking finish mowing, I'd say get a zero turn mower for the grass cutting and use the rest of the 20k to buy a tractor for the woods work.

 

[tracer35]

A zero turn mower for 56 acres? That could take a while cuttin dont ya think? I think the biggest they make is about 60 inches

 

[carpenter383]

A zero turn mower for 56 acres? That could take a while cuttin dont ya think? I think the biggest they make is about 60 inches

Oh I thought you meant you had a total of 56 acres, 50 being woods and 6 being grass!
So you want to finish mow 56 acres? Sounds like alot of seat ime

 

[tracer35]

LOL the farmer before me cut it for hay, I just wanna keep it lookin nice dont need the hay but wanna keep it presentable and cut dont know what size tractor/bushhog to get?

 

[carpenter383]

So you just want to keep it bush hogged, sounds like you need a tractor to handle a decent sized bush hog, but small enough to use in the woods. I'm no expert but I would think around a 50-60 hp tractor and an 8-10ft bush hog. What about letting a neighbor or someone just cut and bale the hay a couple times a yr. for you?

 

[dapper]

Tracer,
What did the farmer you bought from use to maintain the place? For a place that size you need considerable tractor. Take a look at what others around you are using, and it will give you some idea of what you need. Mowing all 50 acres is a sizable job, and believe me you will get tired of mowing pretty quickly. Like CARP says, continue to keep in hay. Let someone cut and bale for you and you make a nice profit off of something YOU don't have to work to hard at. Keeps you taxes as Ag based also.
For the acres you are talking about I would consider something in the 40 to 60 hp range. Real ag utility tractor of some sort. Many of them out there in your price range. Take a look at the dealers in your area, and talk to all and find one you like to work with. See what they have to offer, and go with them. You will be back to see them MANY times if you buy one, so pick one close, and kind.
Good luck, and post what you do get. WE love PICS!

 

[MarkV]

Tracer welcome to the forum. Cutting 56 acres even 2 or 3 times a year is a big job. About the only way to make it reasonable is to run a bat wing mower of 12 or 15 feet. A rule of thumb is 5 PTO hp per foot of mower so you see you are getting into a tractor in the 60 to 80 PTO hp range. You may be able to stay in your budget with a used Ag tractor and a used mower but it will be tight. The problem is it is hard to find AG tractors with the loader you need.

Personally I would look for a local that will hay the land for you. It is a common practice for a farmer to lease, cut for a share of the hay or keep the hay and improve the land with fertilizer and lime yearly in exchange.

MarkV

 

[Diamondpilot]

A zero turn mower for 56 acres? That could take a while cuttin dont ya think? I think the biggest they make is about 60 inches

My neighbor is commercial mower and has 72" deck mowers that mow 8 acres a hour no obstacle. 6 acres a hour is average with trees and houses and such. For that much land he needs what we have at the airport, a 3 gang finish mower that covers 18'.

Chris

 

[manganos]

Where are you located at? If you are close I know of some farmers who would probably cut the hay off of it. I'd say a 50hp tractor with loader and let someone else cut the hay

 

[MtnViewRanch]

72" deck mowers that mow 8 acres a hour no obstacle.

I know that this has been said before, but is is very hard for me to believe that a mower can cut grass at over 13MPH and actually have it be cut and look nice. I think that to be able to drive that fast at all, he would have to have the ground as smooth as a golf course. I doubt that a hay field is smooth enough to do any task that fast.

One other thing, if the speed is indeed possible, that would have to be on a lawn that is mowed every week, not a few times a year.

 

[Reg]

56 acres, under $20K, new tractor; pick any two.

 

[Reg]

BTW, effective width in inches (actual width minus overlap) times MPH ~= acres per hour.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

56 acres, under $20K, new tractor; pick any two.

No, no, no. The title is (If you had to pick one) Reg, your doubling the problem by having him choose any two.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

BTW, effective width in inches (actual width minus overlap) times MPH ~= acres per hour.

So 15 MPH?

 

[Reg]

No, no, no. The title is (If you had to pick one) Reg, your doubling the problem by having him choose any two.

Not my problem, I just read the TEXT as well as the title (-:
"I would like to keep costs to under 20k total, including attachments. "
That collides with 56 acres and new (or even new'ish).

 

[Reg]

So 15 MPH?

I didn't do the arithmetic for 72" and 8 acres per hour, I was just offering the formula for the O/P's general interest/use/guidance.

But YEAH, 15 MPH sounds like a FUN speed for mowing on rough pasture, as in FUNeral ?
Seat belts and ROPS notwithstanding (-:

 

[MtnViewRanch]

I didn't do the arithmetic for 72" and 8 acres per hour, I was just offering the formula for the O/P's general interest/use/guidance.

But YEAH, 15 MPH sounds like a FUN speed for mowing on rough pasture, as in FUNeral ?
Seat belts and ROPS notwithstanding (-:

When mowing comes up, I use this guide. Rotary Cutters from Bush-Whacker -- Production Chart

 

[kenstrac]

OK Just got some land I am gonna have to cut a lot of grass, about 56 acres, got some brush to cut and about 50 acres of woods that got some downed trees to move around and get rid of so I will need to get something with a loader and a good cut, what would be the experts here's opinion if you were gonna buy a tractor what kind, HP, Mower type, etc. I would like to keep costs to under 20k total, including attachments. Where should I be looking, I have no dealers close so am at mercy of internet and you all to help! Thanks

When you don't give anymore info of where you live,what is the terrain forest type any anything else that we could use to help you, all you will end up with is GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT!

 

[Gsquared]

I bought 42 acres 2 years ago and a 75 hp tractor with a 6' shredder. It took me just over 40 hours to mow it the first time. It is fairly flat and few trees, so now I look at the shredder size as a poor choice and I am looking for a good used hay cutter for cutting the field. I find that 4 to 5 mph is the fastest that I can go, depending on ants and gopher hills. If you are going to mow 40 or 50 acres you should get at least 50 hp tractor with rear hydraulics, front end loader and the largest shredder or hay cutter that will fit in the area you have (gates, trees). You might think about a back hoe too, but even used all this will probably exceed your budget.

Several folks have suggested keeping it in hay and the tax advantages that offers. Here in Texas keeping 42 acres in ag use saves me over $7000 a year. Plus, my tractor and implements and anything I buy for the place is exempt from sales tax. Think about the sales tax on your $20,000 purchase. Hay, done right makes a very pretty field and view. Good luck, I thnk you already made the important decision, which was to move to the country, everthing else is a detail.