Reality check for this newbie. What do I really need? 15 acres, but no livestock.

[2LabsTX]

Hello all, what a great resource this is!

So as the title states, I've never owned a tractor before, just your standard lawn mower and zero turns. We currently live on a city lot 1/2 acre in a small rural town, and we're buying 15 acres to build our new house on. Of that 15 acres, approximately 5 are wooded, and the rest is meadow/pasture with some sporadic cedars or elms around.

Our plans are to keep a yard around the house that will sit on the crest of a very gentle hill, and then just keep the rest of the property as natural as possible. We don't have any interest in any livestock now. The meadow is in pretty good shape aside from some wild blackberry brambles that have gotten out of control in a few spots. I plan on having a mulching company destroy those for me (followed up with some herbicide by me). Otherwise, looks like mexia grass with some native grasses.

The woods have some absolutely majestic 150 year old oaks, along with some troublesome black locusts, etc. Right now, we're cleaning up some underbrush.

Once we get everything cleaned up, I would imagine we'll only cut the meadow twice a year? I assume I can get someone local to cut/bale it for me. As far as the woods, we'll keep it cleaned up around some of the large oaks on the interior of the land, but plan on keeping it fairly thick around the perimeter for privacy. I can see the need for dealing with trees/brush piles, some shredding. We're in the south, so no snow clearing to deal with. I don't plan on having a high maintenance property to deal with, but of course reality may slap me sideways.

I'm trying to be realistic with myself, and I don't see a need for a huge 60hp with a backhoe. But I also don't want to be stuck with something too small that won't handle unforeseen needs.

Sorry I'm a little vague, just needing to think this out with some pros. Thanks!

 

[AllByteNoBark]

:welcome: from South Texas! You will get a lot of good info here. Sounds like you have a nice property. We have 20 acres and the Huisache and Mesquite looks like will be an ongoing battle. I just got a Kubota L3560 recently and it seems to be the perfect size for what I need to do. I'm sure several will jump in with recommendations.

 

[atsah]

A 30-40HP tractor with a loader and a grapple for brush would be my thoughts.. I wouldn't go any smaller in the frame size with 15 acres..

 

[Roadworthy]

Hello, and welcome to TBN. With what you plan to do to the property your current lawn mower should fill your needs for awhile. I see mowing your new lawn as the only ongoing task. If you feel you MUST get a tractor and it's a new one I would not get one over 25 horsepower. Larger tractors are subject to strict emission requirements and have expensive (and nuisance) ways of meeting them. If you can tinker or are on a budget an older tractor may be just the ticket. Be aware that besides horsepower ratings tractors come in different physical sizes and weights. A heavier tractor of the same horsepower can usually do more than a lighter tractor of that horsepower. You would do well to visit local dealerships. If you buy a tractor and don't plan to work on it you may have to take it to the dealer or pay for a service call. A near call is less expensive than a long distance call as they charge by time or distance. If you elect to save money with a grey market tractor be advised - finding parts can sometimes (frequently) be a challenge. They are generally well made but not well supported.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have 11 acres with pasture and a few trees. I find that after initial cleanup with my 70 HP moving some very large boulders, I can now do all my maintenance with my B26 TLB. I am amazed at what I can push and lift with it and I use the backhoe all the time for trenching in new water lines, repairing leaking lines and burying the occasional dead critter. You may not see a need for a backhoe, but for what you plan to do now, I think the B series Kubota (or equivalent) would do you fine. With a good chainsaw, you can reduce scrap trees to a size it can handle and a 5 foot bush hog will work fine with it as long as you dont let the weeds and grass get waist high before cutting.

 

[jeff9366]

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers.

The most efficient way to shop for tractors is to first identify potential tractor applications, then, through consulataton, establish bare tractor weight necessary to safely accomplish your applications. Tractor dealers, experienced tractor owners and TractorByNet.com are sources for weight recommendations.

Sufficient tractor weight is more important for most tractor applications than increased tractor horsepower. Bare tractor weight is a tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used.

Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range. I spreadsheet tractor and implement specs, often a revealing exercise. I have a column for cost per pound.

Most tractors under 3,000 pounds bare weight operate in residential or hobby farm applications on one to ten flat acres.

Selling a used tractor is easy. Selling multiple light implements in order to buy heavier, wider implements for a new, heavier tractor requires a lot of time. Depreciation on implements is worse than depreciation on a tractor.

A quality dealer, reasonably close, available for coaching, is important for tractor neophytes. Most new tractors are delivered with a glitch or two requiring correction. My kubota dealer is six miles away. I feel my local dealer continues to add value to my equipment after seven years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.


If you can restrain yourself after firing up your own tractor (few do) you could be will served by an < 25.4794 horsepower / 100 cubic inch, 2,700 pound bare weight tractor with 4-WD and a three (3) range HST transmission. Tractors < 25.4794 horsepower are exempt (for now) from strict Tier IV emission standards and the associated ameliorating paraphernalia.

Due to the requirement that new tractors over 25.479 horsepower meet stringent Tier IV emission rules, which requires two stages of emission upgrades over older models, new tractors jump from 25-horsepower to about 33-horsepower with very few, if any, new tractors around 30-horsepower. 33-37 horsepower tractors weigh 2,700 pounds to 3,700 pounds bare tractor weight.

Heavier tractors have larger diameter, greater breadth wheels/tires, creating larger tire tread "patch" in contact with the soil. Rear tires are often ballasted internally with liquid, placing weight directly over the tire tread. Larger wheels and tires and a longer wheelbase permit heavier tractors to bridge holes, burrows, ruts and tree debris, increasing tractor traction and reducing operator perturbation. Therefore, heavier tractors with large diameter wheels/tires have more tractive power pulling ground contact implements and tree trunks, pushing a loader bucket into dirt and pushing snow. Larger wheels and tires increase ground clearance, lengthening the period which row crops may be implement cultivated.

Heavier tractors have FEL lift and Three Point Hitch lift in proportion to weight.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.​

 

[dodge man]

I'd probably recommend you look at 25 to 35 hp tractors. If you have a decent zero turn keep it to mow with if you can, other wise you can get a finish mower with your tractor. In John Deere, I'd look at a 2 or a 3 series tractor. In Kubota, a B or L series. I'd get a end loader and a brush hog. The more horsepower you get the bigger brush hog you can get. I live on 3 acres and mow with my tractor but also have some snow removal on a 600 foot long driveway, and I will say you will surprise yourself on how often you use a tractor. You didn't mention your driveway either, what will it be and how long? You might also want a rear blade and/or a box blade. There are endless attachments you can get.

 

[nards444]

A lot of acres doesnt mean a lot of tractor, just all depends on what you are doing. yeah lots and lots of grass may mean more power for bigger mower to mow faster, etc. I would think anything in the 25-35 range would work, would probably stay away from the 1 series type tractors for that much , the JD 1025 and Kubota BX series etc, good tractors but not be enough for that much land

 

[nyone]

Zero turn what you can and lease out the hay field. You get what you want, clean field and some money on top of it with labor on your end.

As for cleaning up the woods...there woods trees and branches are natural.

This may sound odd but im voting for you dont need a tractor.

 

[3Ts]

If you're going to have someone come in to turn your field into hay, then you can get an agreement that they'll take care of it, they get the hay, and you get a little bit of money. Then I'll agree with nyone, you may not need a tractor. My neighbor with 25 acres got away with just a riding mower and leased out part of his property for haying and the woodlot was left to fend for itself. Sounds very similar to what you want to do.