Buying Advice What should I use to mow 5 acres?

[jgrreed]

I'd go small CUT (20-30hp) with a 59" Caroni flail mower. ZTR's are awesome, but are really a one job machine. Yes, you can get a blade, but seriously.....

 

[Gary Fowler]

AGAIN, check craigslist in your area and tractorhouse.com can give you a good idea of what is available and prices. Keep in mind that Tractorhouse prices may be inflated just like everything else and might be able to get those cheaper. Any way you can see what you can get for your budget. Flail mowers are nice, but BIG$$$$ and would blow half your budget on the mower when a rotary mower will do the job quiet well especially on the 5 acre deer plot. I agree with others that you will need to mow it occassionally other wise it will grow up with scrub trees and briars and be unmanageable. Deer actually prefer mown grass to graze which is why so many of them get hit by cars. You could leave some small bedding down for hiding areas if you wanted or needed them. These would work much better that having the whole area completely wild.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I would go with a sub-cut like a JD 2305 or close with a belly mower. It will not mow quite as well as a commercial zero turn as the blade speed is lower, but it will give you much more utility. If you buy a loader with it, you will never regret it. 5 acres + the other work would tax most gas lawn tractors. I would consider a diesel as it will save you $5 to $10 every time you mow. That could easily make up an extra $1000 in cost in just a couple years. Another benifit is that you will get probably 2-3 times the life of the gas engine.

 

[jgrreed]

AGAIN, check craigslist in your area and tractorhouse.com can give you a good idea of what is available and prices. Keep in mind that Tractorhouse prices may be inflated just like everything else and might be able to get those cheaper. Any way you can see what you can get for your budget. Flail mowers are nice, but BIG$$$$ and would blow half your budget on the mower when a rotary mower will do the job quiet well especially on the 5 acre deer plot. I agree with others that you will need to mow it occassionally other wise it will grow up with scrub trees and briars and be unmanageable. Deer actually prefer mown grass to graze which is why so many of them get hit by cars. You could leave some small bedding down for hiding areas if you wanted or needed them. These would work much better that having the whole area completely wild.

Agree with everything except the flail price. Most are VERY expensive, but the Caroni's from Agrisupply are great value.

48"- 1500$
59"- 1800$
72"- 2100$

Let's not start the bushhog vs flail discussion, but there are several advantages to a flail over a hog, especially safety.

I'd strongly suggest a loader, with pallet forks.. It's invaluable as an acreage tool.

I left some tall grass standing for deer too, wasn't sure if it'd work or not, but I'm glad to hear someone else thinks it will!!

-Jer.

 

[JCCinOhio]

Thanks Messmaker (and everyone else).. I was just getting on to see what the opinion was if I went berzerk and got a 2305 with a belly mower (is that the same as a MMM?).. Our lot doesn't have a garage so I was thinking of adding one, and with the 2305 I could get the backhoe and do the footers myself! Anyone know the approx price of the 260 Backhoe?

How does a 2305 handle slightly hilly terrain? Can you go across, or only up/down?

I'm so new to this I had to do a google search for CUT and MMM... but I can keep up with military acronyms with the best of them!

Thanks again to all!

 

[JCCinOhio]

JGRREED- Only been on the property for 1.5 weeks now.. looks like we have an old doe and two button bucks that come through together 1ce 2ce a day.. a lone doe, lone 6pt, and lone 8pt that roll through every other day.. and that's just what we've seen (haven't been home till after dark a few days).. So I'm sure the deer will enjoy the 5, less touched, acres.. Till deer season anyway.. ;-)

 

[LBrown59]

http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/lb59/?action=view&current=100_2550.jpg
One of these would be great.

Hello,

We just bought a 10 acre lot, about 5 acres is tall grass and we plan to let the deer & rabbits have that. So that leaves us a maximum of 5 to cut (there's a small pond, the house, a few barns, road). Assuming we are going to cut this 5 acres, what would be the best type to do the job? Terrain is somewhat hilly, maybe a 20-25 degree slope in areas. Would also like to be able to move snow in the winter, maybe light scraping to smooth out the driveway, and eventually some small gardening (say a 300 sqft garden or two). I was looking at the JD x530, but supposedly they only go up to 5 acres so I'd be maxing it out? Under $8000 is my goal.. also would like to minimize seat time.. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks. John

 

[Argosy]

1700 DEISEL FORD TRACTOR

 

[piller]

Buy two calves (less than $1k) and let them mow that acreage for you. The calves can handle your slopes no problem You can rotate them through the wildlife plot also if you want.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Buy two calves (less than $1k) and let them mow that acreage for you. The calves can handle your slopes no problem You can rotate them through the wildlife plot also if you want.

Or if you have brush along the fence rows, two calves and two goats...
Mike

 

[JCCinOhio]

Would a 2305 hold it's value better than the x series (x500 or x700)?

 

[D33r3 6r33N]

Thanks Messmaker (and everyone else).. I was just getting on to see what the opinion was if I went berzerk and got a 2305 with a belly mower (is that the same as a MMM?).. Our lot doesn't have a garage so I was thinking of adding one, and with the 2305 I could get the backhoe and do the footers myself! Anyone know the approx price of the 260 Backhoe?

How does a 2305 handle slightly hilly terrain? Can you go across, or only up/down?

I'm so new to this I had to do a google search for CUT and MMM... but I can keep up with military acronyms with the best of them!

Thanks again to all!

I thought about getting a hoe for my 2305. But the more I thought about it, the more I talked myself out it. After all I can rent a mini escavator for about $200 a weekend. It's faster than that hoe would be, and that's a lot of weekends for the price of a hoe.
But if I'm spending your money that's a different story. :laughing:

 

[jgrreed]

I thought about getting a hoe for my 2305. But the more I thought about it, the more I talked myself out it. After all I can rent a mini escavator for about $200 a weekend. It's faster than that hoe would be, and that's a lot of weekends for the price of a hoe.
But if I'm spending your money that's a different story. :laughing:

Exactly the thoughts that ran through my head..... I couldn't agree more.

Just too much cash for me to put out with limited need.

-Jer.

 

[JCCinOhio]

Yeah, when I saw the backhoe was $5000+ that idea went right out the window.. Guess the next step is to go try and ride one.. looks like they have a $600 off deal if you get two implements.. so probably go with the 62c MMM and a front blade.. then in the spring get something for tilling. Have a lot to learn in that realm though..

Any worries I should have with this being the last year of the 2305? I guess parts would still not be too bad to come by in a few years?

 

[jgrreed]

Yeah, when I saw the backhoe was $5000+ that idea went right out the window.. Guess the next step is to go try and ride one.. looks like they have a $600 off deal if you get two implements.. so probably go with the 62c MMM and a front blade.. then in the spring get something for tilling. Have a lot to learn in that realm though..

Any worries I should have with this being the last year of the 2305? I guess parts would still not be too bad to come by in a few years?

I'm no JD veteran, but it should be OK.

Maybe think about waiting to see if any dealers are 'blowing out the old' ones?? Actually, it's Deere, that won't happen. They're likely to charge you more as "it's the last new one for miles around"!!!

-Jer.

 

[jenkinsph]

JCC,
Just something to think about but in your first post you mentioned the 20 to 25 degree slopes, that is fairly steep. I would suggest you compare the X748 or 749 to the 2305 very closely. The X749 should have a lower COG.

FWIW, I just finished installing the 540 pto and 3pt hitch to my new X749. Seems to work well so far and tried it out with my 5' landscape rake just before dark. Earlier this weekend I mowed the grass with the new mower and it is way faster then the older mower. The single range allows for just over 8 mph (fast for mowing) and I was very satisfied with this. I personally think this speed range is a better fit than the two ranges of the 2305 with low range being too slow and high range being too fast.

I am planning to get a 647 tiller before spring gets here and might buy some snow removal equipment if I have too.