Buying Advice Pros and Cons on equipment

[jeff9366]

Your budget is going to have to increase quite a bit to accomplish what you want.

Yes, QUITE a bit.

 

[motownbrowne]

Maybe sell 200 acres to buy equipment. 700 acres is a huge amount of land to even walk over, much less maintain.

25k can get a decent tractor, but that doesn't include any implements, of which you'll need several to many.

 

[Xfaxman]

Since you didn't know about telehandlers, this is what I have, a Bobcat V417 Compact Telehander.



It has a standard SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach) and auxiliary hydraulics on the boom.

With the 7' brush hog.


Click for more info and pictures: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...mpact-telehandler.html?highlight=#post3243370

 

[charles todd]

Since you didn't know about telehandlers, this is what I have, a Bobcat V417 Compact Telehander.

Thats sweet! I could use that on my creeks for sure!

CT

 

[Grandad4]

Welcome to TBN, Steve. I can't add much to the good advice you've already received, but it's going to be hard for anyone here to be more specific without having walked your property to see what and how much work is really needed. Your acreage suggests a vast amount of work and I'm going to propose that you need some expert advice directly on the scene. Who might give such advice? Maybe someone who has done property development work in the area, a major farmer/rancher nearby, a consulting engineer, even a grading contractor if you could find one who'd be willing to give advice.

The goal would be to turn your list of jobs into a more complete work plan: What major tasks, the approximate extent of work involved in each, a basic timetable and their relative priorities.

Seems to me you really can't make sound equipment decisions until you get the work planning figured out in some detail. If you just get on your tractor and head off into your 700 acres to do chores here and there, you may disappear and never be heard from again! Just kidding, of course, but you know what I mean.

 

[Shblack]

Since you didn't know about telehandlers, this is what I have, a Bobcat V417 Compact Telehander.

View attachment 389985 View attachment 389986 View attachment 389987

It has a standard SSQA (Skid Steer Quick Attach) and auxiliary hydraulics on the boom.

With the 7' brush hog.
View attachment 389988 View attachment 389989

Click for more info and pictures: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...mpact-telehandler.html?highlight=#post3243370

Good point - actually I have been working with the county forester for a while, I have some general prescriptions. Will work up a more detailed plan once we get back there. About 300 acres need little work, just let the trees grow until harvest. I have no plans to do the harvest, it will be by managed sale by our forester. I don't see going on a major shipping trip for equipment on day one, will probably purchase one major piece (and a long list of incidentals) then see where the gaps are and how the budget works out.

Steve

 

[dave1949]

Good point - actually I have been working with the county forester for a while, I have some general prescriptions. Will work up a more detailed plan once we get back there. About 300 acres need little work, just let the trees grow until harvest. I have no plans to do the harvest, it will be by managed sale by our forester. I don't see going on a major shipping trip for equipment on day one, will probably purchase one major piece (and a long list of incidentals) then see where the gaps are and how the budget works out.

Steve

Good idea to have a consulting forester. Lots of shenanigans in the timber business, and a lot to understand about profitably growing and harvesting timber.

If you haven't yet, I think you should get familiar with IRS Form F dealing with timber. Or, speak with an accountant who is knowledgeable in that area of taxes. You want to create the very best (highest) basis cost possible for your timber value. I have not used Form F personally, but I think things like logging/access roads and such improvements, forestry management costs, etc. can be added to your basis cost--which lowers your taxable proceeds when you do a harvest. Otherwise, the gross of whatever you receive from timber sales is treated as ordinary income. Big ouch.

As Grandad4 said, what you can accomplish with an agricultural tractor on 700 acres or whatever portion you work on, depends a lot on the terrain and conditions you are dealing with. You will need a tractor or two, so that is a good place to begin. You really can't make a mistake starting from there unless the tractor is way too small or way too big to be useful.

 

[dcdtn]

Hello, Steve. I have also been lurking lately getting ideas for equipment. I grew up in Dickson and know a couple of folks with large acreage in TN Ridge. A relative has bought equipment from Dickson Farm Sales (Kubota M7040, 1140RTV, ZD331 plus implements) and speaks highly of them. Also, Clarksville is a much bigger town nearby with more dealers to choose from.

 

[newbury]

Have been following this forum for some time, you all seem like a real helpful group, so here goes my first post:

End of last year I retired from a career in the high technology / aerospace world in southern California. Next spring we will be relocating to a place we purchased in mid-state Tennessee several years ago, very much a leave the left coast and go back to the land move. As we prepare for the move I have been considering what the optimum equipment solution would be for our new place. About the new place:

It's a total of about 700 acres, mostly wood land, a few overgrown fields
Land is in 3 tracts, separated by about 5 miles of county road
Some of the woodland has been logged and needs some clean up / control of invasive species
Several streams flow through the property
Terrain is mostly rolling
Driveway is about 1 mile long, gravel. Most is county maintained, but is pretty low priority when a big storm comes through (snow and downed trees can stay there for a while)

Tasks I see doing:
Fixing the driveway where the creek and driveway tend to coexist - probably need to dig out the driveway and get concrete poured
Cleaning out a mass of fallen trees in a creek that has diverted the creek and has it eroding one of our pastures
Earthwork (building pad and trenching) for a new shop building and mother-in-law quarters
Clearing snow from the driveway during the once every couple of year storms
Building a dam across a hollow to build a pond
Cleaning up the interior roads and making them passable to something other than a goat
Pulling logs / getting firewood
Digging holes & planting an orchard plus establishing a chestnut grove in one of the fields
Putting in fencing
Digging up stumps
Digging trenches for a ground coupled heat pump
Bush hogging fields and trails

First I looked into a small dozer, seemed like a good fit for the road related activities, but not a good fit for trenching and hole digging. Additionally, I would need means to transport it between tracts. Finally, I know absolutely nothing about the care and feeding of a tracked vehicle.

Next I considered a compact excavator, it is a good fit for trenching and hole digging, but didn't seem like a good fit for road work

So where I am currently headed is in the direction of a tractor / loader / backhoe for the dirt work and a lighter tractor (like a ford 8N, or alternatively get a ATV tow behind mower) for the mowing task. I am thinking that 4WD would be good, given the rough terrain and the hassle of getting stuck in some remote hollow. Rollover protection is a must, I would like to survive to become an experienced operator.

So what should I be thinking about in going down this path? Nearest town is Dickson, Tn, they have New Holland and Case dealers, there are others further away. This purchase is 7 months off, but would like figure out a path forward and start sniffing around for whats on the market.

Steve

Welcome to my world. I've about 400 acres 150 miles south of you and just bought our "retirement home" down here in late 2011. and it's basically in 4 plots scattered over 20 miles.

First thing you need to think of is Shelter. Down in my neck of the woods I watch a lot of equipment RIP (rust in place). Next is Power. If your going to maintain equipment your going to need electricity. If you don't have either of those look into getting two 40 foot ocean shipping containers spaced about 40' apart and build a roof over them like a pole barn and get about 400 amps of service.

Now you've got room to work on your equipment when the weather is not nice.

Next to equipment - 2 tractors or 1 tractor and a piece of equipment big enough to get the tractor unstuck (small dozer?). If your doing much work in the woods at least 50HP for the tractor. You'll also need a good truck to haul "stuff" with.

As far as your budget - if buying new you may have to add a 1 in front of the 25 (truck, 2 tractors w/FEL, rotary cutter, PHD, box blade, rake, pole barn, etc.).

I've about $50K invested in the equipment in my sig, and I've spent a lot of time looking for the lowest price.

And consider this - if you are RETIRED how much work do you want to do?

 

[Shblack]

Welcome to my world. I've about 400 acres 150 miles south of you and just bought our "retirement home" down here in late 2011. and it's basically in 4 plots scattered over 20 miles.

First thing you need to think of is Shelter. Down in my neck of the woods I watch a lot of equipment RIP (rust in place). Next is Power. If your going to maintain equipment your going to need electricity. If you don't have either of those look into getting two 40 foot ocean shipping containers spaced about 40' apart and build a roof over them like a pole barn and get about 400 amps of service.

Now you've got room to work on your equipment when the weather is not nice.

Next to equipment - 2 tractors or 1 tractor and a piece of equipment big enough to get the tractor unstuck (small dozer?). If your doing much work in the woods at least 50HP for the tractor. You'll also need a good truck to haul "stuff" with.

As far as your budget - if buying new you may have to add a 1 in front of the 25 (truck, 2 tractors w/FEL, rotary cutter, PHD, box blade, rake, pole barn, etc.).

I've about $50K invested in the equipment in my sig, and I've spent a lot of time looking for the lowest price.

And consider this - if you are RETIRED how much work do you want to do?

Good thoughts, we already have a house (14 year old log home), barn (100 years old) and various assorted other out buildings. Our first planned construction project is a shop building, thinking of a steel structure, three sections
Wood working shop (love to do it, enjoy spending the winter days)
Garage for mechanical repairs / parking the better equipment
Covered storage (sorta pole barn like)

Yes, the budget will certainly have to grow, the figure I put out was for the first purchase, thought is we will grow into other equipment as we figure out our needs. The good thing is that other than mowing a couple of fields and keeping the road up we really don't have to do anything if we decide not to. While so far I have enjoyed getting out and doing hard physical work, that may have been because it was such a contrast to my day job - will that change once we are here 365 days/year - will have to see.

Like to connect with you when we get out there - I have a lot to learn!
Steve