Buying Advice Need a tractor for heavily brushed/sapplinged 50ac and future maintenance

[merrickvilleguy]

So as the title says, we're looking for a tractor to turn what was probably 30-40yrs ago a apple farm into a pasture. It is heavily overgrown with sapplings most under 3/4 dia but quite tall (in some cases bushes are 12' across and 20' tall), most others are under 4" dia.

After removing the brush, typical till and grade field, some fel work to remove some hills etc

Ideas ? I am partial to MF, but beyond that I am open.

 

[wallace]

Interested in a used 2009 Branson 5530R with a loader for $19,500?

 

[merrickvilleguy]

Shipping alone to get it up here would be prohibitive (Ottawa, Ont area)

Interested in a used 2009 Branson 5530R with a loader for $19,500?

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Are you opposed to renting or hiring a dozer to get the stuff out the way? Then use a decent tractor to build some burn piles. I am partial to my old Kubota L3750. Depending on your budget any tractor in that range would do you just fine. You might want the Backhoe version.

 

[TripleR]

So as the title says, we're looking for a tractor to turn what was probably 30-40yrs ago a apple farm into a pasture. It is heavily overgrown with sapplings most under 3/4 dia but quite tall (in some cases bushes are 12' across and 20' tall), most others are under 4" dia.

After removing the brush, typical till and grade field, some fel work to remove some hills etc

Ideas ? I am partial to MF, but beyond that I am open.

Have you ever done anything remotely like this before?

 

[jenkinsph]

Sounds to me that you have enough small hardwoods that you need to push these out or shear at the ground and push into piles. The one thing I wouldn't want is to have these short small saplings cut off above grade where they will can poke holes in your tires.

If it were me I would want a way to uproot the saplings and trees in order to till the land effectively. A dozer may be best for this and a large mulcher to chew everything up.

For the rest of the work a large frame 70 hp tractor should work nicely for you.

 

[flusher]

So as the title says, we're looking for a tractor to turn what was probably 30-40yrs ago a apple farm into a pasture. It is heavily overgrown with sapplings most under 3/4 dia but quite tall (in some cases bushes are 12' across and 20' tall), most others are under 4" dia.

After removing the brush, typical till and grade field, some fel work to remove some hills etc

Ideas ? I am partial to MF, but beyond that I am open.

3/4 inch dia or foot dia saplings?

If 3/4 inch dia, then you should be able to mow them with a heavy duty rotary mower (aka brush hog, bush hog, shredder, slasher).
If 3/4 ft dia, then you're talking trees, not saplings, and big roots and a lot of dollars to clear 50 acres.

 

[Soundguy]

sounds like a 1-time dozer or excatator rental ( dozer probably ).. then your UT sized tractor for cleanup and maintenance.

i bet you could hire a good dozer guy and pay him for 1 days work, and he could bust up allt he big stuff and get it piled.. and then you could take it from there.

soundguy

 

[Treemonkey1000]

I am sensing a common theme in all of the replies guys... Get a dozer in to take care of it initially....Then what ever flavor of tractor suits his fancy....

 

[Soundguy]

the reason we suggest that it it's good to buy your (tractor, equipment, whatever ) designed to do about 80% of your work.. and the 1-time stuff that would significantly raise the price of the machine if you bought one specialized for it.. hire that done..

soundguy