Recommendation for 6 acre hobby farm

[TuckR]

Hello everyone,

I was very glad to stumble onto this forum, I've already saved some great information. Hoping you guys can help me with some traction recommendations. I've owned a 20 acre parcel for a couple years now and I'm just getting around to preparing to build on it. I'll have about a six acre fenced area that will mostly be used for horses, and a large (1acre) garden for my wife. I also have a 300yd gravel driveway I'll need to maintain and plow in the winter. On top of all this, I have a bad back so the tractor will see a lot of use with very light projects, things you may normally just muscle around or use a wheel barrow for. I realize these are subjective questions, but I appreciate the opinions of folks who operate the equipment, I haven't felt like I've got straight talk from the dealership. I plan on using a front end loader, mower, rake, and probably a box blade. Maybe a dedicated snow plow.

1) How much horsepower do I need? A relative has told me I shouldn't go any smaller than 40hp. I don't see myself doing much in the way of dirt work, is 40hp more than I need?

2) I've been encouraged to primarily shop for John Deere or Kubota. I see a lot of LS, Mahindra, Yanmar, Kioti, etc. sitting in my neighbors fields. I don't mind paying more when the quality is superior, but for a consumer like me am I going to realize the benefits of the big two brands there?

3) Any special considerations when purchasing used over new? I haven't decided which way to go here, will probably depend on "how much tractor" I end up deciding that I need.

4) HST vs gear drive?

Thanks in advance - Tucker

 

[Jchonline]

You accounted for 7 of 20 acres. What is happening with the rest?

What climate area are you in? How much snow?

 

[Jchonline]

You dont need HP for dirt work. You need weight.

A 1 acre garden can be tilled with a SCUT, so this wont be a limiting factor.

Mowing? You didnt mention How many acres, how much grass you have on it.

Brand? Many reliable brands. As a new tractor owner to me a solid dealership and service center is important. The good thing about Deere, Kubota is parts network and years in business.

New vs Used - both are fine. These days with interest rates you may find yourself with New.

HST vs Gear - Personally I prefer gear for field work/mowing. HST for everything else.

 

[WVH1977]

1) How much horsepower do I need? A relative has told me I shouldn't go any smaller than 40hp. I don't see myself doing much in the way of dirt work, is 40hp more than I need? I personally like 40 HP and up. You will never regret not having the extra. Especially on 20 acres. Tilling an acre garden, bush hogging, grading is a lot faster with 6 ft implements. Smaller will work as well just not as fast.

2) I've been encouraged to primarily shop for John Deere or Kubota. I see a lot of LS, Mahindra, Yanmar, Kioti, etc. sitting in my neighbors fields. I don't mind paying more when the quality is superior, but for a consumer like me am I going to realize the benefits of the big two brands there? I would also consider Massey Ferguson if you have a dealer close to you. They are making nice compact machines in the 25 to 50 HP range.

3) Any special considerations when purchasing used over new? I haven't decided which way to go here, will probably depend on "how much tractor" I end up deciding that I need. New is easy to finance and you are the only one who can screw it up and know the maintenance from the beginning. Buying used, if you can find the right deal, has the potential to give you more bang for your buck. There a lot of 10 to 20 year old compact tractors with decent hours that are great machines.

4) HST vs gear drive? This is more of an opinion question. I personally like shuttle shift, gear drive. A lot of folks love the HST. From my experience running HST for field work, I did not like it. I plowed up 2, 1 acre plates for my Uncle on his Massey 1643 HST. My knee, leg and foot hurt for a day after from pushing on the pedal for those couple of hours. Other than that they are great. There are a TON of opinions on here about which is better. I suggest trying both and making your own decision on this based on how it feels to you and how much field work you are going to be doing.

 

[TuckR]

You accounted for 7 of 20 acres. What is happening with the rest?

What climate area are you in? How much snow?

The rest will be left as forest land. The only work I'll need to do in there is run around and cut dead fall and load it up in the bucket. That section of my property is not easily accessed. A future project will be to cut a road down the slope to get to that 13 acres, but that will be done with heavy equipment on loan from a relative.

Pacific Northwest, on the dry side of Washington State. We get a pretty good amount of snow here.

 

[Have tractor did travel]

See my comments in bold I plan on using a front end loader, mower, rake, and probably a box blade. Maybe a dedicated snow plow.

1) How much horsepower do I need? A relative has told me I shouldn't go any smaller than 40hp. I don't see myself doing much in the way of dirt work, is 40hp more than I need? You want 30 hp at the PTO as a minimum. Many attachments require that much hp to run efficiently. So 40 hp at the engine recommendation is right. (HP is rated at engine, PTO, drawbar, and there is a 4th, but that eludes me, right now

2) I've been encouraged to primarily shop for John Deere or Kubota. I see a lot of LS, Mahindra, Yanmar, Kioti, etc. sitting in my neighbors fields. I don't mind paying more when the quality is superior, but for a consumer like me am I going to realize the benefits of the big two brands there? Borrowing from an old sales pitch of IBM - no-one ever got fired for buying IBM. You will not go wrong with the big 2. You may go wrong with most of the other brands - Yanmar, specifically, excluded.

3) Any special considerations when purchasing used over new? I haven't decided which way to go here, will probably depend on "how much tractor" I end up deciding that I need. See comment in (2) above. Wherever it says "IBM", insert "new". Only you know the importance of money vs. peace of mind - to you.

4) HST vs gear drive? Gear for agricultural work - back and forth in the pasture or cropland. No question in my mind - HST is the route to take.

Recommend not getting mower with tractor. Instead, spend the money on a good, consumer grade mower. If you lawn is relatively flat - zero turn. If quite hilly - lawn tractor (over traction issues). Vendor should be willing to let you test one on your property. Some of those under mount mowers can be a real bear to connect. With your bad back, there is no need to look for ways to aggravate the situation.

Unless you need the financing, no need to purchase the implements from the dealer. Look on Craigslist and expect to save 50%. But you already knew that.

Thanks in advance - Tucker

 

[repete]

Do not underestimate what you need for a tractor, within reason. It is far easier to not use all of the tractor potential than it is to not have enough tractor for the work you need done.

On the "dry side" you may want a model you can add a cab with A/C and a heater to and on the "wet side" a canopy is a must have. Not that there is a "wet side" this year...

As WHV1977 says, gear or hydro is a matter of preference. There are times when working hay I wish I had hydro for slowing while maintaining a constant engine RPM but not pushing the pedal during all of the the other times is nice.

If this is a new toy for you, enjoy the learning along the way.

 

[jeff9366]

1) How much horsepower do I need? A relative has told me I shouldn't go any smaller than 40hp. I don't see myself doing much in the way of dirt work, is 40hp more than I need?


The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor capability is more closely correlated to tractor weight than any other single (1) 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.

I'll have a six acre fenced area that will be used for horses, and a large (1acre) garden for my wife. I also have a 300yd gravel driveway I'll need to maintain and plow in the winter. On top of all this, I have a bad back so the tractor will see a lot of use with very light projects, things you may normally just muscle around or use a wheelbarrow for.

For your six acres, plus driveway, a 4-WD tractor of 2,000 to 2,200 pounds bare weight is enough. This assumes your land is flat and the altitude of your land is under 4,000 feet. Tractors with a bare tractor weight of 2,000 to 2,200 pounds will be powered with 20-horsepower to 25-horsepowert engines, exempt from moderately complex Tier IV emission controls.


2) I've been encouraged to primarily shop for John Deere or Kubota. I see a lot of LS, Mahindra, Yanmar, Kioti, etc. sitting in my neighbors fields. I don't mind paying more when the quality is superior, but for a consumer like me am I going to realize the benefits of the big two brands there?

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.

Brand? Models to look at or avoid? Buy new or used?

The design of the Three Point Hitch tractor has been marketed in the USA since 1939 -- 83 years in 2022.

The basic design is generic.

Kubota and Deere have most of the market through 6,000 pound bare weight tractors. But this Kubota/Deere predominance is regional.

The up and coming compact tractor brands are Korean: Kioti, LS and Branson. There are other Korean brands. You have to critically assess dealer stability while shopping minor brands.

Korean manufacturing labor is paid 50% of what Deere pays its union work force. Japanese manufacturing labor is paid 70% of what Deere pays its union work force. Labor costs strongly influence tractor prices.



We have the following brands within an hour of us.

• Kubota
• LS
• TYM
• KIOTI
• Massey Ferguson
• John Deere

I know that a lot depends on the dealer and their willingness to help, but should I stay away from any of these brands?


Start with the nearest dealer and work out.

Transporting a tractor for service is expensive and inconvenient, whether you trailer it or the dealer trailers it.


CREDIT: 'FELIXEDO'

"It has been touched on a couple of times, but not directly as a buying factor.

Every major make has a machine that will do the job(s) you want. Check out your nearby dealers, and go with one you have confidence in.

A great machine with no support nearby is a hassle to repair and maintain.

And a good machine can't make a lousy dealer into a good dealer."



4) HST vs gear drive?

Six acres? HST

Traditional clutch and gear format obliterates compact tractor resale value.

Few today can competently operate traditional clutch and gear formats. Clutch rebuilds are $1,200 each for compact tractors, in low-cost Florida. Tractors are not the venue to acquire clutch and gear skills.

( An HST is SOMEWHAT like the automatic transmission in a car, but instead of having just two car ranges. LOW and DRIVE, compact tractors have three HST ranges: LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH.)

90% of compact tractors are sold with HST transmissions. Most of the exceptions are in the 60-horsepower/over 4,000 pound category, used by full time farmers pulling implements through row-crop fields where forward/reverse maneuverability is NOT important but a small improvement in fuel efficiency increases profitability.

 

[Hay Dude]

Ask 5030/Sidecarflip

 

[jeff9366]

Nearest dealer is an hour away. How big a deal is that?

Assuming one hour = 50 miles, for you or the dealer to trailer the tractor for service will require two round trips, which is 4 X 50 mile segments = 200 miles.

The dealer's driver/mechanic will require at least four hours for service discussion, transportation plus loading, chaining and unloading.

Thirteen to fifteen gallons of fuel. Wear and tear on HD truck and HD trailer.

Commercial insurance for HD truck, HD trailer and your tractor.

If the dealer trailers your tractor expect to pay $450 - $500 for transport.



3) Any special considerations when purchasing used over new?

Start with the nearest dealer and work out.

Transporting a tractor for service is expensive and inconvenient, whether you trailer it or the dealer trailers it.

 

[repete]

I do like my 2550 with the two speed PTO. When I finish mow the field (take down just lite tall stuff I like the 1000 RPM) because of the lower engine speed.

 

[Yander]

See my comments in bold I plan on using a front end loader, mower, rake, and probably a box blade. Maybe a dedicated snow plow.

1) How much horsepower do I need? A relative has told me I shouldn't go any smaller than 40hp. I don't see myself doing much in the way of dirt work, is 40hp more than I need? You want 30 hp at the PTO as a minimum. Many attachments require that much hp to run efficiently. So 40 hp at the engine recommendation is right. (HP is rated at engine, PTO, drawbar, and there is a 4th, but that eludes me, right now

2) I've been encouraged to primarily shop for John Deere or Kubota. I see a lot of LS, Mahindra, Yanmar, Kioti, etc. sitting in my neighbors fields. I don't mind paying more when the quality is superior, but for a consumer like me am I going to realize the benefits of the big two brands there? Borrowing from an old sales pitch of IBM - no-one ever got fired for buying IBM. You will not go wrong with the big 2. You may go wrong with most of the other brands - Yanmar, specifically, excluded.

3) Any special considerations when purchasing used over new? I haven't decided which way to go here, will probably depend on "how much tractor" I end up deciding that I need. See comment in (2) above. Wherever it says "IBM", insert "new". Only you know the importance of money vs. peace of mind - to you.

4) HST vs gear drive? Gear for agricultural work - back and forth in the pasture or cropland. No question in my mind - HST is the route to take.

Recommend not getting mower with tractor. Instead, spend the money on a good, consumer grade mower. If you lawn is relatively flat - zero turn. If quite hilly - lawn tractor (over traction issues). Vendor should be willing to let you test one on your property. Some of those under mount mowers can be a real bear to connect. With your bad back, there is no need to look for ways to aggravate the situation.

Unless you need the financing, no need to purchase the implements from the dealer. Look on Craigslist and expect to save 50%. But you already knew that.

Thanks in advance - Tucker

I will second everything he said... Other factors to consider, if you won't be doing the yearly maint. yourself, is dealer locations. Though any dealer will maintain most any make of tractor.

I wouldn't make close dealer location a deal breaker for serious issues with your tractor, expect those to be a rarity. Especially if you are not making a living with it.

Any of the tractors you note that are within an hour of you, the only ones I would lop off the list are TYM & LS. I know a lot of guys are plenty happy with both of those makes and you do get a lot of bang for the buck but my opinion is that they don't build the tractor that the other 4 on your list do. Unfortunately you don't have a Yanmar dealer nearby or that would be my top pick. My order of preference would be 1. MF 1740M series (not E) because of the emissions difference, 2. Kubota 3. JD 4. Kioti. I've not heard any bad things about Kioti on this or other sites I've frequented. I would buy one.

Again, you asked, and that is my opinion based on my experience. I have owned a couple MFs, 1 Kubota. We have (well MIL has but I operate it) a MF 1750m and it is a beast and I love it. I don't think you would hate owning any of those 4 tractors.

Get the rear tires loaded, Get a hydraulic third function if it doesn't have it, in preparation for a Grapple for woods work. If you have a bad back, the grapple becomes your back. Get a Grammerly seat, for the back.

Edit: if you have a Yanmar dealer even remotely close, go check out the YT235. For it's size it is a powerhouse of a tractor and may not be so intimidating for first tractor to own. Since you have mostly woods, that tractor would easily handle 6-10 acres of property.

 

[airbiscuit]

My recommendation would be a 30hp - 40-hp hydrostatic. I would add Kioti to the list. I'd take a look at these models first. The Kubota LX3310 is a small frame CUT with bigger tires. All the rest are mid frame CUTs. If you want to move up to 40hp+ large frame CUTs, you will pay more $$$, but have more capability.

Kubota LX3310

Kubota L3302 or L2902

John Deere 3032e

 

[airbiscuit]

Decent video about Kubota's 30hp models

 

[airbiscuit]

Informative video of the range of Kubota sizes.

 

[jyoutz]

Do not underestimate what you need for a tractor, within reason. It is far easier to not use all of the tractor potential than it is to not have enough tractor for the work you need done.

On the "dry side" you may want a model you can add a cab with A/C and a heater to and on the "wet side" a canopy is a must have. Not that there is a "wet side" this year...

As WHV1977 says, gear or hydro is a matter of preference. There are times when working hay I wish I had hydro for slowing while maintaining a constant engine RPM but not pushing the pedal during all of the the other times is nice.

If this is a new toy for you, enjoy the learning along the way.

Cruise control fixes the constant foot pressure on the pedal issue for HST

 

[hiddentacocatneddih]

Big as you can afford. I live on 6 acres and have a 48hp 6000lb tractor.

Gear drive is nice for putting more hp to the pto and less loss. And less complicated

I wouldn't take a smaller tractor but I'd take a bigger one.

 

[Monster5601]

Hoping you guys can help me with some traction recommendations.

I've read through the entire thread and there is a lot of solid information. What will work best for you is very subjective. When I was in your position, I was lucky enough to stumble into the showroom of a local Kubota dealer (this is back in 2009), a mom-and-pop dealership. It so happened the owner lived not far from me and did nearly the same as what I was looking to do so I got good direction and free education once I learned to listen to him.

The first lesson was to separate out land management activities, tractors in our setting don't do well cutting grass, particularly with belly mower decks (think navigating around obstacles and uneven ground), so I bought a Kubota zero turn. The next lesson was tractors don't do well pushing snow due to traction issues with R4s, a tread I needed for other tractor work. The type of snowfall we get does not lend itself well to snow blowers (wet snow), so I bought a Kubota RTV with a hydraulic angle blade. The RTV900 has become a very handy tool, it is small and navigates well in the woods, and does a top-notch job of skidding out trees. My wife uses it for all her hobby farming and greenhouse activities. It has become a very useful tool beyond what I initially imagined.

I ended up with a 30 HP Kubota, B3030, four-wheel drive, hydrostatic drive, with 3-speed ranges, front loader, and backhoe. The implements are in my signature. As has been stated, HP doesn't do much good if you don't have traction and if I come up a little short on traction, I will load the front-end loader with dirt or rock for added weight.

As I discovered, you have to learn how to use the tractor to do a particular task and as you do, you will find that horsepower is second to traction. The majority of tractor work I do is done in the 1,200 to 1,600 RPM range, well below the maximum RPM/HP. The only time I venture into the 1,800 and up RPM range is when I am bush-hogging.

The best advice I have is;
1. if you can find a dealer like the one I have, listen to him.
2. get a backhoe with a thumb, it will hold the tree you are bucking and cutting up saving your back!

 

[Yander]

I would have a hard time with the thought of cutting grass (racking up hours) on a $30k machine when you can cut it even faster and better on a $6,000 one. If you figure the price of a big deck for the tractor, your probably talking $2k or more. So the net difference to get a mower is only $4k if you leave the MMM off the tractor.

Use your big $ tractor for things that are more suited for that size tractor. But hey, you only live once and if you like to tractor, maybe worth the money to you to mow on a tractor.

 

[hornett22]

Mahindra 1626. Hst is good for a lot of direction changes. Gear is good for hills and field work.

I like gear personally and especially the shuttle option. I can't stand the gear shifter in the center of floor.