Maddog10
Member
Hello everyone. New to the forum but I've used it for years to research various questions and issues I've come across. My wife and I are in the market for a new tractor. From my research I have an idea of what I *THINK* I need, but rather than coming here and saying I'm looking at tractor X, Y, and Z I think I'd rather explain the uses and see if I'm close or if I'm out of line. I will say I'm primarily looking at Kubota, Mahindra, and JD. Just trying to narrow down on the models. I am open to suggestions on other brands though.
Background
I've used a Mahindra 3505 DI for pretty light duty applications all my life. My family lives on about 18 acres. 10 of it is rented to a farmer but the other 8 we maintain. Tractor use has always been limited pretty much to just using the brush-hog around the field, tilling the garden, hauling off the occasional dead tree, things like that. It's a 2WD tractor and has no FEL.
Property
My wife and I just bought a property down the road that is an additional 15 acres and is primarily wooded. It has a long gravel driveway up through the woods to the clearing where we plan to build a home in the next two or three years. The clearing is about 3 acres that I currently keep mowed with the brush hog, but the woods have been neglected for many years and are full of debris, fallen trees, thorn thickets, etc. The property has a gentle slope up from the road to the top of the hill where the clearing is, but the back portion of the property (North of the barn) has some pretty significant hills. I've been doing some work out here but the current tractor just isn't cutting it. See below for some pictures to get an idea of the property. In the aerial photo it is the wooded property shaped like a boot.
New Tractor Uses
- Mowing. Initially just the 3 acre clearing and sides of the driveway, but as I clean up the woods I want to make/maintain trails and potentially even have the woods thinned enough to mow the entire property underneath the canopy of mature trees. Once home is built the 3 acres clearing will become a yard and will be mowed with zero-turn.
- Maintaining Driveway and grading
- Cleaning up and maintaining woods. This will involve removing a lot (and I mean a lot) of downed trees. Many are small, many are not. I think I absolutely want a grapple attachment and the ability to lift trees that are in the 24" diameter range. Will be collecting firewood as well.
- General FEL work
- Possibly fencing/post holes in the future but not a priority
Using the information given, I'd love to get your thoughts on what would be a good fit for my property and uses. Like I said, I feel like I have an idea of what I think I need to get the job done but I'm curious to hear from many of you who are more experienced than me to see if I'm under/over estimating my needs. Please let me know your thoughts and the reasoning behind them. If you have any questions, obviously don't hesitate to ask. Thanks!
Background
I've used a Mahindra 3505 DI for pretty light duty applications all my life. My family lives on about 18 acres. 10 of it is rented to a farmer but the other 8 we maintain. Tractor use has always been limited pretty much to just using the brush-hog around the field, tilling the garden, hauling off the occasional dead tree, things like that. It's a 2WD tractor and has no FEL.
Property
My wife and I just bought a property down the road that is an additional 15 acres and is primarily wooded. It has a long gravel driveway up through the woods to the clearing where we plan to build a home in the next two or three years. The clearing is about 3 acres that I currently keep mowed with the brush hog, but the woods have been neglected for many years and are full of debris, fallen trees, thorn thickets, etc. The property has a gentle slope up from the road to the top of the hill where the clearing is, but the back portion of the property (North of the barn) has some pretty significant hills. I've been doing some work out here but the current tractor just isn't cutting it. See below for some pictures to get an idea of the property. In the aerial photo it is the wooded property shaped like a boot.
New Tractor Uses
- Mowing. Initially just the 3 acre clearing and sides of the driveway, but as I clean up the woods I want to make/maintain trails and potentially even have the woods thinned enough to mow the entire property underneath the canopy of mature trees. Once home is built the 3 acres clearing will become a yard and will be mowed with zero-turn.
- Maintaining Driveway and grading
- Cleaning up and maintaining woods. This will involve removing a lot (and I mean a lot) of downed trees. Many are small, many are not. I think I absolutely want a grapple attachment and the ability to lift trees that are in the 24" diameter range. Will be collecting firewood as well.
- General FEL work
- Possibly fencing/post holes in the future but not a priority
Using the information given, I'd love to get your thoughts on what would be a good fit for my property and uses. Like I said, I feel like I have an idea of what I think I need to get the job done but I'm curious to hear from many of you who are more experienced than me to see if I'm under/over estimating my needs. Please let me know your thoughts and the reasoning behind them. If you have any questions, obviously don't hesitate to ask. Thanks!
