16 acres and a hobby farm what tractor?

[Larry MO]

I have 16 acres of land mostly flat and i plan on getting a pole barn two horses and some other animals. I currently have a B2650 with 60" MMM, FEL, Front blade, 3PT rear snow blower, 5ft bush hog, rear blade.

Another farmer will make hay on my field, i think they are 5 ft round bales that he will let me have a few. There is no way the B2650 can lift them, i would like only one tractor that can do it all and was looking for suggestions.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I have 16 acres of land mostly flat and i plan on getting a pole barn two horses and some other animals. I currently have a B2650 with 60" MMM, FEL, Front blade, 3PT rear snow blower, 5ft bush hog, rear blade.

Another farmer will make hay on my field, i think they are 5 ft round bales that he will let me have a few. There is no way the B2650 can lift them, i would like only one tractor that can do it all and was looking for suggestions.

5 ft round bales can weigh up to 2000 lbs so you'll need a stout loader and tractor to deal with them. You'll need a heavier front axle so 4WD is probably a must.
Most likely you'll need a tractor with a minimum of ~50 horsepower. That means it will likely have a Category II three-point hitch and so all your implements may not be usable as is.

 

[Cougsfan]

There are a lot of good brands of tractors around (very few bad ones). I'd pick the horse power that you need (probably in the neighborhood of 50 hp, and look for a new or used one in good shape with the attachments you need (FEL at the minimum) and just start looking. You may get a lot of responses saying buy this brand or that brand. I wouldn't pay excessive attention to that.

 

[JWR]

Like many of us you may have other needs you have not described and/or a desire to own a bigger/better/newer tractor. Based on your description so far you cannot justify a bigger tractor based on a few hay bales a year. Your existing tractor will "do it all" with exception of picking up those bales. You probably can have the guy cutting hay to place the bales he leaves for you in a spot where you can feed from them through a fence or other workarounds. Maybe in the back of your new pole barn, or worst case under a tarp. You can probably get a bale spear attachment for the FEL you have and move parts of the round bales after you cut loose the binding too.
Your hay cutting guy can probably adjust his baler to put out a few lighter bales for the ones he is passing on to you to keep.

One problem is that you have to go a pretty large step up in terms of size and capacity (like 2000 lbs heavier and 30 more hp) to actually pick up the round bales. Do you really need to do that? It depends mainly on what you want. If you want to shop for a bigger tractor the one you have will bring good money used and/or as trade in. The snowblower, rear blade and 5 ft hog will probably work just fine on a bigger tractor if you go that way. One thing you'll likely NOT have on a bigger tractor is the mid mount mower and that may be one of your more used attachments (?)

 

[jeff9366]

You have some tractor seat time.

Your land is flat.

You will only be moving a few bales per year.

A 4-WD tractor with a bare tractor weight of 3,700 to 4,200 pounds will serve you well. Tractors in this weight range are about 66" wide for stability. All use minimum 72" wide implements. Some have Category 1 TPH, some have a Category 1/2 TPH. All will lift 2,000 pounds with the FEL.

This is the mid-weight in compact tractors. All manufacturers make at least two models, an economy and a deluxe model, in this weight range.

VIDEO:

When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.


If you intended to move a 50+ round bales, or had the need to stack round bales three high, I would recommend a 5,000 pound bare weight tractor.


VIDEO:

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Your existing tractor will "do it all" with exception of picking up round bales. Have the guy cutting hay place the bales he leaves you in a spot where you can feed from them through a fence or other workarounds. You can probably get a bale spear attachment for the FEL you have and move parts of the round bales after you cut loose the binding.

VENDER: Multi-Spear Ultra Fork

GOOD POST

 

[sea2summit]

I have 16 acres of land mostly flat and i plan on getting a pole barn two horses and some other animals. I currently have a B2650 with 60" MMM, FEL, Front blade, 3PT rear snow blower, 5ft bush hog, rear blade.

Another farmer will make hay on my field, i think they are 5 ft round bales that he will let me have a few. There is no way the B2650 can lift them, i would like only one tractor that can do it all and was looking for suggestions.

Are the round bales the only issue? Someone said 2k, I doubt it but you can talk to whoever is baling and have them wrap smaller/lighter very easily since they are doing custom bales for you. Then I'd just get a 3PT spear and call it good, with two horses it's not like you have to move multiple round bales a day maybe once every other week.

 

[Larry MO]

I never even thought about using the 3pt to lift them but i do want a larger tractor and to move away from the MMM and buy a rear finish mower to do my yard. I was looking at the Kubota L tractors. L39 or L4701.

My drive way is gravel and almost a mile long the B2650 feels to light when pushing snow not that it happens very often.............mowing is what i spend the most time doing with it in thick heavy grass with a bush hog the b2650 feel under powered seeing as to i only mow around the field once or twice a year along the fence line.

Now my yard i mow every week when we get rain. The MMM is a pain to work on and i have already broke one hanger off. The kubota weld did not hold up in it's defense it takes a beating on my ruff yard.

 

[jyoutz]

5 ft round bales can weigh up to 2000 lbs so you'll need a stout loader and tractor to deal with them. You'll need a heavier front axle so 4WD is probably a must.
Most likely you'll need a tractor with a minimum of ~50 horsepower. That means it will likely have a Category II three-point hitch and so all your implements may not be usable as is.

Agree. You’ve listed what he needs to look for. Minimum a Kubota MX or equivalent tractors in other colors.

 

[5030]

Are the round bales the only issue? Someone said 2k, I doubt it but you can talk to whoever is baling and have them wrap smaller/lighter very easily since they are doing custom bales for you. Then I'd just get a 3PT spear and call it good, with two horses it's not like you have to move multiple round bales a day maybe once every other week.

Exactly, Nothing says you have to have a FEL that is capable of a large round. You can use the 3 point and a bale spear just as easy and any of your Cat 1 implements will fit just fine. What they sell bushings for.

 

[sea2summit]

I never even thought about using the 3pt to lift them but i do want a larger tractor and to move away from the MMM and buy a rear finish mower to do my yard. I was looking at the Kubota L tractors. L39 or L4701.

My drive way is gravel and almost a mile long the B2650 feels to light when pushing snow not that it happens very often.............mowing is what i spend the most time doing with it in thick heavy grass with a bush hog the b2650 feel under powered seeing as to i only mow around the field once or twice a year along the fence line.

Now my yard i mow every week when we get rain. The MMM is a pain to work on and i have already broke one hanger off. The kubota weld did not hold up in it's defense it takes a beating on my ruff yard.

Rear finish mower is the worst attachment I ever spent money on, should have just gotten a zero turn.

If you're serous about an L47 I'd look hard at the MX, way more capability/capacity for not much more money.

 

[sea2summit]

Agree. You’ve listed what he needs to look for. Minimum a Kubota MX or equivalent tractors in other colors.

I'd be scared poopless to carry around a 2k lbs bale on the FEL of my MX.

 

[jeff9366]

1) I was looking at the Kubota L tractors. L39 or L4701.

2) Mowing thick heavy grass with a bush hog is how I spend the most tractor time. The b2650 feels under powered seeing as to i only mow around the field once or twice a year along the fence line.

3) The Kubota takes a beating on my ruff yard.

1) L3901 and L4701 are too light and too narrow to SAFELY move round hay bales with the FEL. You cannot enjoy your tractor if you are dead.

Few here would recommend a tractor of L3901 weight, 2,700 bare weight pounds, for working more than ten acres of flat ground.

2) Rotary Cutter / Bush Hog Considerations for Compact Tractors

3) I have a rough forty acre field.........

T-B-N ARCHIVE: smoothing a sloped field site:tractorbynet.com

Sometimes I feel a tractor is the wrong tool for the job.

Plowing and smoothing fields are what tractors are designed to do. Operating experience is important too.

1. Mow field as short as possible. Scalp.

2. When soil is moist, use a Tandem Disc Harrow with 22" diameter pans, 72" wide, set aggressively, to till soil to the bottom of ruts/holes. Repeat in different directions at least twice.

3. Adjust Disc Harrow to less aggressive set. Till once.

4. Adjust Disc Harrow to less aggressive set. Till one or two final times.

5. Drag if you want the field smoother. I recommend a Chain Harrow to drag 40 acres, not an improvised drag.

Grass may regenerate. You may need to overseed.

ADJUSTING Three Point Hitch Mounted TANDEM DISC HARROWS

If you are considering the acquisition of a Disc Harrow, first read this LINK covering Disc Harrow selection: LINK: Disc Harrow Selection For 18-45 Horsepower Tractors (Revision 2b) The Three Point Hitch mounted Tandem Disc Harrow is a secondary tillage implement. The Disc Harrow is a...

www.tractorbynet.com

Chain Harrow videos: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tractor+TPH+Chain+Harrow

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR​

 

[jyoutz]

I'd be scared poopless to carry around a 2k lbs bale on the FEL of my MX.

I would do it with the quick attach bale spear (not a bucket mounted spear) and carrying low with good rear ballast. I wouldn’t want to stack those bales with my MX.

 

[sea2summit]

I would do it with the quick attach bale spear (not a bucket mounted spear) and carrying low with good rear ballast. I wouldn’t want to stack those bales with my MX.

Bet it wouldn't even pick up a 2K bale on a bucket spear....now I've got to nerd out and figure out how much that would be equivalent to at the pins

ETA, wont do it. Lift capacity at 500mm forward is only advertised at 1,691 lbs so no math required.

 

[jyoutz]

Bet it wouldn't even pick up a 2K bale on a bucket spear....now I've got to nerd out and figure out how much that would be equivalent to at the pins

I can pick up a 2k pallet with my SSQA forks. I carry low and don’t lift it 9’ high.

 

[jeff9366]

The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single specification.

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.

Within subcompact and compact tractor categories, a significant tractor capability increase requires a bare tractor weight increase of 50%. It takes a 100% increase in bare tractor weight to elicit MY-OH-MY!

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.

When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

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 eight years. Dealer proximity is less important for those experienced with tractors and qualified to perform their own maintenance.

BUY ENOUGH TRACTOR.​

 

[shooterdon]

Before spending a lot of money, get a handle on the weight. I do not know anything about bales, but Google is not coming up with 2000lbs.

Also, are you just moving or stacking as well?

 

[3gunr]

Rear finish mower is the worst attachment I ever spent money on, should have just gotten a zero turn.

If you're serous about an L47 I'd look hard at the MX, way more capability/capacity for not much more money.

I have used a rear finish mower for 25 yrs. Works great unless you have to mow around lots of trees. I now use a zt at my home but i still use the rear mower at my farm.

 

[Hay Dude]

I'd be scared poopless to carry around a 2k lbs bale on the FEL of my MX.

Also noteworthy that very seldom would a 5’ round bale weigh 2000lbs. Never seen anything close to that.
It would have to be soaking wet to weigh 2000lbs.
Ive made about 20,000 super dense 4x5’s in the last 10 years and they were about 950-1050lbs average. Even if it was a 5x5 round bale, it might weigh 1300.

2000 lbs is what my dense 4x4x8 square bales weigh.
If your loader can pick up 1200-1500 lbs, you’ll be fine moving any dry 4x5 bale and almost any dry 5x5 bale.

 

[jyoutz]

Also noteworthy that very seldom would a 5’ round bale weigh 2000lbs. Never seen anything close to that.
It would have to be soaking wet to weigh 2000lbs.
Ive made about 20,000 super dense 4x5’s in the last 10 years and they were about 950-1050lbs average. Even if it was a 5x5 round bale, it might weigh 1300.

2000 lbs is what my dense 4x4x8 square bales weigh.
If your loader can pick up 1200-1500 lbs, you’ll be fine moving any dry 4x5 bale and almost any dry 5x5 bale.

A lot depends on whether we are talking about grass or alfalfa hay. Alfalfa is going to be a lot heavier in the same bale size.