Newb in Upstate NY

[ripHST]

Hi all,

Just found this forum as I'm doing research into purchasing my first non-lawn tractor. I'll probably just start reading the "first tractor advice" threads, but thanks in advance for any help with questions I may come up with. Mostly I'll just mine the existing info.....I'm sure any questions I have now have been asked before.

A little background: I'm currently shopping around for land to build a house on and plan to do some improvements on my own. We haven't made an offer yet, but we found one lot that looks really good....just under 11 acres, about 2/3rds wooded, the rest open and grassy. A pretty deep ravine along one edge and a shallow and partly overgrown pond in one of the open areas. It's got some nice elevation changes as well.

I'll contract with a builder for the house excavation, but plan to do some clearing and possibly the gravel driveway on my own (2-500 feet maybe?) There will probably be a lot of brush hogging, stump pulling, log dragging and stone moving in the beginning....then mainly snow removal and leveling/grading after that for maintenance.

Anyway....looking forward to learning all about tractors. I've been looking for an excuse to buy one for years.

craig

 

[Dutch445]

Welcome Craig!
tons of great info here, and very good folks with a great knowledge base, on just about anything!
just hope there's no pallets in the fields you are looking at...

 

[3930dave]

Welcome, from the other side of the (great) Lake !

Rgds, D.

 

[flusher]

Welcome to TBN. Join the fun.

I had a 10-acre ranch in Northern CA about 120 North of Sacramento.

My tractor was a 2008 Mahindra 5525 (55 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, partially synchronized gear tranny 8F/2R, ag tires, triple rear hydraulic remotes) with a front end loader (FEL, 6-ft wide bucket, 2950 lb lift to 10.5 ft height, skid steer quick attach option). Cost:$18K new.

For your needs, I'd look for a 40 hp (engine) tractor, 4WD, hydrostatic tranny, ag tires, dual rear remotes with a 6-ft FEL and the skid steer quick attach option.

All the major tractor manufacturers have models with these specs.

I'd recommend making a detailed 5-year plan that lists the jobs you want/need to do with your tractor and the implements needed. Then go tractor shopping

Look around dealers in your area. Get familiar with tractor jargon. Test drive as many as you can before making your decision to buy.

Good luck

 

[TBN Support]

Welcome to the forum, Craig!

:welcome:

 

[nybirdman]

Welcome and enjoy your search.Ithaca is a very nice area;lots of hills+snow=4WD for sure.

 

[ripHST]

Welcome Craig!
tons of great info here, and very good folks with a great knowledge base, on just about anything!
just hope there's no pallets in the fields you are looking at...

thanks.....you mean from dumping? Man, I hope not. I walked it and looks pristine.

 

[ripHST]

Welcome, from the other side of the (great) Lake !

Rgds, D.

not far as a crow flies. Are you closer to the Toronto end or the Kingston end? My wife has family up near Kingston (on the States side).

 

[Dutch445]

thanks.....you mean from dumping? Man, I hope not. I walked it and looks pristine.

not referring to dumping, more of an inside joke... there just happens to be a lengthy discussion about pallets in fields:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/299453-pallets-fields.html

might want to set aside a few minutes, or hours, to catch up on that thread!

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

thanks.....you mean from dumping? Man, I hope not. I walked it and looks pristine.

Trust me, just let the pallets lie....