Considering best bang for the buck for acreage

[TractorOnMyMind]

Thanks bspeedy and everyone. Yes, I am pretty new to tractors, although I have ridden an L34xx on my land...and it definitely didn't look or feel like a hot wheels to me, but I get your meaning.

But I'm definitely not new to mowing smaller acreage. I have a different experience mowing the 3.5-4 acres we have fenced (for our dogs) around the house. My little 42" lawn tractor has been fine with that for several years now. I usually do it in about three parts (since that's how the land lies), and it has never been a problem. I can generally move at close to top speed, but then again, I'm doing it every two weeks or so (maybe every week for a month or two in the Spring). I guess I like mowing more than others here - I find it relaxing. I also mow paths around the rest of the property with it, and it does okay (not great) when dry.

You're right though, mowing is never done. That's just the nature of mowing, no matter how fast we do it.

I'm not disagreeing with anything said here, but it seems some think a 25hp tractor can do it fine and others think it can't. I guess I might rent one with a 60" r/c for a few days and see...seems like the logical next step.

 

[bspeedy]

Thanks bspeedy and everyone. Yes, I am pretty new to tractors, although I have ridden an L34xx on my land...and it definitely didn't look or feel like a hot wheels to me, but I get your meaning.

But I'm definitely not new to mowing smaller acreage. I have a different experience mowing the 3.5-4 acres we have fenced (for our dogs) around the house. My little 42" lawn tractor has been fine with that for several years now. I usually do it in about three parts (since that's how the land lies), and it has never been a problem. I can generally move at close to top speed, but then again, I'm doing it every two weeks or so (maybe every week for a month or two in the Spring). I guess I like mowing more than others here - I find it relaxing. I also mow paths around the rest of the property with it, and it does okay (not great) when dry.

You're right though, mowing is never done. That's just the nature of mowing, no matter how fast we do it.

I'm not disagreeing with anything said here, but it seems some think a 25hp tractor can do it fine and others think it can't. I guess I might rent one with a 60" r/c for a few days and see...seems like the logical next step.

:thumbsup:

4 acres with a 42" mower??!!?? You definitely are blessed with patience that I do not possess. Perhaps the 25hp with the 5-foot cutter is just what you need. I think the rental is a great idea. Nothing like trying it out on your own place.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[jeff9366]

I'm not disagreeing with anything said here, but it seems some think a 25hp tractor can do it fine and others think it can't.

You set two parameters: 1) TIME isn't really an issue. 2) I think I can accomplish everything I need for $20,000 new.

If you change parameters, forget this thread, start a new one.

 

[newbury]

Hi all,

We have 45 *hilly* acres in southwestern VA, of which about 25 acres is grass (former pasture). The remainder is wooded. I am looking for something(s) that will accomplish the following tasks (in no particular order)...

• -keep the grass (20-25 acres worth) from getting out of control (rough rotary cut it is fine since it doesn't have to be pretty). Mowing is fine too. Unclear which is faster/cheaper (surprisingly, it seems that mowing might be?). NOTE - the grassland is very bumpy, and there are some good hills, so I think a Zero Turn would eventually fall apart and/or get stuck. VERY FEW OBSTACLES THOUGH, JUST BACK AND FORTH, ALL DAY LONG.
• -possibly grading an old dirt road that is now washed out severely, some big rocks in there.
• -occasional re-grading of a 1/4 mile long gravel driveway.
• -occasional snow plowing of the same driveway.
• -hauling firewood up to the house (I think a fel will be fine for this).
• -hauling other stuff like rocks (again, a fel should do it).
• -occasional light digging work (fel).
• -clearing brush in the woods, keeping paths clear (fel, possible rotary cutter eventually).

My budget is a little bit flexible, but I do want to be careful.
<snip>

A 25 to 40hp tractor will probably fill the bill. But one of the best ways to keep grass from getting out of control is planting pine seedlings over most of the land, maybe a few acres of orchard. Twenty acres of pine should yield about $60K in twenty to thirty years with virtually zero maintenance. Of course many of us would plan deer plots and hunting areas.

 

[nybirdman]

I cut 20-25 acres a year.Used to do it with a 5ft.mower on a L3130,now do it with a L4240 with a six ft. mower.I don't see a lot of time saving with another foot of mower.I also used to cut twice a year,now I only cut once a year starting in around the middle of August.
I am not looking for a "golf course"just keeping the brush down.I cut around a lot of trees so it takes quite a while.A normal day is about a half a tank of diesel or 3-4 hours,that's about all I can stand.Lots of backing under trees.

 

[Buxus]

How long does it take you

I'm not sure, because I usually rent the tractor for 2 days and do lots of other tasks in between mowing sessions. I suspect about 5 hours total.

 

[dragoneggs]

I enjoy mowing but I don't have the acreage so I probably shouldn't even chime in. I can say though a BX is way too small for you. I love mine but if I had that kind of acreage I would be looking at a Grand L and at least a 6ft mower. I am sure you will find all kinds of reasons to put the extra horsepower to work, cleaning up trees, stumps, etc. besides just mowing. Good luck with your hunt. for a place like yours... I would think it is easy to go too small than too large.

 

[MossRoad]

You could also get a tow-behind self-powered wing mower and cut your mowing time in half. Say you get a 60" belly mower for your tractor. Get a 60" wing mower and tow it offset, overlapping maybe a foot. So, you'd get 120" less the 12" overlap for 108" cut with a much smaller tractor. Basically cut your mowing time in half.

Something like this, for example.



6" Fast Finish 14.5 HP 12V Finish Cut Trail Mower FC1456CPKA

 

[MossRoad]

With a 9' cut at about 4mph you could cut 5280' X 4 = 21,120 feet long by 9' wide = 190,080 square feet. There's about 43,560 square feet in an acre, so 190,080/43,560 = about 4.36 acres per hour. So given turns and such, figure a little less than 4 acres per hour at 4mph with a 9' cut. 20 acres would be about 5 hours. Probably longer, but its a good starting point. With a 60" mower figure about double the time. That's how I'd figure it.

 

[Creamer]

With that much acreage I would not consider anything under 30 HP and CUT size. I would be thinking more int he 40-50 Hp range. As somebody has said earlier the prices for used under 40-100 hp tractors is much better because they are a gap that are larger than most "country dwellers" want and too small for Ag uses.

For mowing I would seriously consider a sickle bar mower as it doesn't take a lot of Hp since it is not chewing up the grass but just cutting it off and just let nature rot it. It just cuts the grass off and lets it fall where it is so it is no different than letting it go except that you keep it fro getting overgrown. This is another piece of equipment that there is not a good used market as the Ag community has moved on. I have less than $400 in my seven footer that I bought a few years ago and it serves me very well. I have cut up to 3" saplings with it and it leaves a pretty smooth cut field when I am done.

While a BX will allow you to grade the driveway a larger piece of equipment will be much more handy. Similarly an FEL with a little more mass behind it will do much more than a little BX. The SCUTs are very handy for getting into tight spots but it doesn't sound like space is an issue for what you are doing so don't be afraid to go larger.