Buying Advice 130 acre new purchase

[TripleR]

A word of advice on digging a pond with a tractor, it "can" be done, but the size you are talking about is going to take a LOT of time and diesel with a tractor. We have moved a lot of dirt with our L5030 and M8540, so I have a good idea what it entails and it would have been about as cheap to get someone in with a dozer to do the work and not have the hours on our tractors.

The spring rains this year came in and washed away pretty much all of our work.

Check with Soil Conservation and any other agency and you may be able to get some assistance with certain projects. Many years ago when our farms were bought, we had several ponds built for flood control as well as conservation and it worked well for us. We had a construction company come in to do the ponds.

Once you get started, it only take a little bit of heavy rain to pretty much put you at a standstill even with some pumping.

Good luck.

 

[acme97]

Congratulations on the new place. As others have said, you are do the right thing and thinking about what your needs are first before getting any equipment. I would offer that you go one step further and develop your plan for what you want the place to end up as, then do the old Course of Action development to see what is your best options. In you plan, come up with a list of things you need to do, and prioritize them so that you can make sure you are doing things when you need to do them. For example if you have a lot of low area that needs to be drained, when do you need to do that? Can it wait, or does it need to be drained before anything can be done. I have only 20 acres, and have two units, one is a Kubota L35 backhoe w 4n1 bucket, and the other is a Kioit DK50SE HST w root grapple, rotary cutter, rear blade, box blade, posthole digger. My place was clear cut about 10 years ago, and there is still things all over it. I'm digging most of the stumps out myself, but there are some that are just too big. I'm thinking of renting a trackhoe later on to move them and dig a pond in the low area. I'll follow that with renting a dozer to move the pond dirt and level off areas. So good luck and have fun.

 

[TripleR]

Another caveat, before draining anything, check with local authorities as we have 5 acres that has been designated "wetlands" and we can't touch it.

 

[AK Migrator]

Great info, me like the flail mower. O yea, you are right OR is a hoot. I grew up there!

Thanks guys.

AK

 

[Carykong]

If your timetable for developing your farm is flexible, your choice of tractor and flail mower sounds reasonable. As long as your can drive your flail over the slash and most of the stumps while leaving some choice trees to grow and mature,time is on your side. Within several years your property will develop beatiful pastures and the stumps will be so rotten that you will able to push them over and break them up with just a nudge from your FEL Your flail will actually vaporize the pine and gum stumps within five years. Oak and poplar a bit longer. As long as you can keep the aftergrowth saplings from re-growing without having to dismount,you are home free. Ya gotta have time for this option to avoid the purchase or rental of big dozers,excavators etc. You will enjoy making your new farm more valuable.

 

[Rancher Ed]

I would look at the true utility tractors (John Deer 5000s, Kubota Ms) in the 50-60hp range. It would cost about the same as a 45-50hp compact utility tractor (John Deer 4000s, Kubota Ls) but would have a stronger loader, more ground clearence, and larger tires which would be very nice if you have any mud or soft ground which it sounds like you do.

Consider getting a grapple instead of the 4in1 bucket. It will grab branches and logs better and you could use it to push the slash into small piles and then stack it to burn. A grapple and flail mower along with a normal bucket for the loader and a good boxblade plus whatever is needed for food plots sounds like it should work for you.

If you are going to dig the first foot or two or you pond, get a tooth bar for your loader bucket. It will make digging and what not much easier. Also, consider a subsoiler/ripper to use at 8-12" where you what you food plots and pond will go to take out the roots.

I would think seriously before getting a backhoe for the tractor. For a tractor that size (50+ hp) you would be looking at upwards of 7k and most likely closer to 10k. For that kind of money you could get an older but still in good shape full size backhoe (JD 310, Case 580) which would be much better at digging out stumps, etc.

It sounds like you want a john deer, and the 5055E or 5065E are nice basic utility tractors with a nice price.

Ed

 

[Carykong]

I echo Rancher Ed in regard to a true utility tractor that has superior ground clearance than a compact. You will want to straddle the stumps with ease without ripping out hydraulic lines. Don't ask how I know this is so important. A skid pan would be a nice add-on for your utility tractor,too. Creating a beatiful property from logged out slash will be very rewarding. Post back and keep this thread rolling.

 

[scoutcub]

AK -

How's the progress? Any pics?

 

[karverind]

Another caveat, before draining anything, check with local authorities as we have 5 acres that has been designated "wetlands" and we can't touch it.

EXACTLY. I am going through this crap now...

 

[Sulla]

Hello and thank you for your service to our country!

I am undertaking a similar project in the mountains of New Hampshire. The thread is " big multiple year project". A few things I have learned. It's never big enough applies to all kinds of equipment! You will most likely need a full on tractor not a CUT. I just got rid of an almost brand new KIOTI not because it wasn't good or underpowered, the frame just wasn't big or strong enough. I now have a New Holland Work Master. Bigger stiffer frame and a little more power.

If you can swing it get an excavator. There are a lot of them around. We bought a 94 Hatachi (John Deere) 40k lbs with hydraulic thumb with 4000 hours for $30,000. It can go places and do things no tractor or backhoe could dream of going. The backhoe on the Kioti was nothing more than a counter weight on this job. Useful at home dead weight in the woods.

If you can, move the water it messes with everything.

If you are cutting wood or scrub that you won't keep, chip it as you go. Building piles and doing it later is a nightmare. Plus you handle the stuff twice.

All stuff You probably already know, hope it helps.

Again, thank you for standing watch for us!