1.5 acres. Am I nuts for thinking about a tractor?

[rScotty]

That's just it. The "top quality" is a marketing myth. You also seem pretty eager to spend other people's money. $15+k is a lot of money for us regular people. That will buy any implements you want. Heck, you could get another SCUT without a backhoe for that much extra. If the B26 is good for your budget, I am happy for you. Personally, even if I had unlimited funds, I would not waste it on an illusion of superiority.

I remember you saying that before - that in your opinion top quality is a "marketing myth".
That sounds to be like your expertise is somewhere else rather than in mechanical things.

I'm a gearhead, & have been involved in every aspect of mechanical things my entire life - including manufacturing, dealership, and mechanical engineering. For us gear guys, top quality certainly does exist in mechanical things, it is often coupled with high cost of manufacture - and results in a product that costs more to buy.

I maintain - as do most mechanical guys - that differences in quality of manufacture are real. Especially in tools and commercial equipment I see a wide range in quality. It is simply superiority, and not an illusion.

I also agree that high price does not guarantee quality. One does not guarantee the other.

rScotty

 

[Blue Mule]

At 1.5 acres, with a structure and trees taking up a lot of it, and a slope to the terrain, I can't imagine needing a tractor. Zero turn will mow MUCH faster. You can get a leaf bagger or leaf sweeper to pull behind in the fall. When jobs need to be done, rent the perfect machine for the job.

 

[scaredychicken]

Don't buy a ZTR at a big box store.

Agreed, not the same

I have my Kubota BX23S and love it, does everything that I need it to do.

If I still needed a heavier lift capacity for pallet forks, I'd be looking at something a bit larger ... B Series etc. we previously were beekeeping and lifting 1200 lbs of hives on pallets, with older, larger tractors. That is no longer the case.
it's only 1-2x a year that I think I would like something beefier, maybe next time. I'm on 7.5 acres so a second tractor may still be a thought, but that one will be a much older, cheaper tractor. Buy for your needs. Lots of advice, suggestions, knowledge and experience here on TBN

 

[tacticalturnip]

At 1.5 acres, with a structure and trees taking up a lot of it, and a slope to the terrain, I can't imagine needing a tractor. Zero turn will mow MUCH faster. You can get a leaf bagger or leaf sweeper to pull behind in the fall. When jobs need to be done, rent the perfect machine for the job.

Found the buzzkill pragmatist.

 

[GeneV]

At 1.5 acres, with a structure and trees taking up a lot of it, and a slope to the terrain, I can't imagine needing a tractor. Zero turn will mow MUCH faster. You can get a leaf bagger or leaf sweeper to pull behind in the fall. When jobs need to be done, rent the perfect machine for the job.

I can't argue too much with that logic, coz I myself for years got by with a Craftsman garden tractor and pull-behind cart on my 2.6 acre property. It could be done, but it's hella easier with a 4wd scut with loader and power steering. Hella lot!

Add a midmount mower, ballast box, some debris forks, and plow or blower, and that tractor is seeing year round use.

But some recommendations for the o/p on this thread, I gotta push back on them a little bit. Like backhoe or grapple, I mean yeh if he's got disposable income, those are nice! Like I got a hoe on my Massey GC...didn't need one, but I got a great deal on it so why not. I love the backhoe when I use it, but mostly it's off the tractor and parked in the barn. But I suppose if he wants to do a bunch of trenching or has lots of stuff he wants to dig up, maybe then.

Grapple, that's another one. Again, like how much use will this dude get out of a grapple on his 1.5 acres? Most likely, he'd get by just fine with some forks, spend the rest of the cash on coke and hookers (yes, I used that line again haha).

As for z-turn mowers, well I got me a stand-on one, and it's awesome! But then I got a bunch of lawn to mow, lots of obstacles and stuff...takes me about 2.5 hrs to do the whole thing. He's currently mowing with a walk-behind, which takes him 1.5 hrs. So doesn't sound like he'd have too much trouble mowing on a riding machine, whichever one...either way it would speed things up.

 

[stevem5215]

You have to prioritize what you want to do on your 1.5 acres. Then decide on a budget for the equipment. If the budget is cheap then get something used that's cheap to do that work you need. Like mentioned for 1.5 acres you don't need a $40,000 piece of equipment. Buy what you can afford and prioritize the needs. Easy.

 

[paulsharvey]

We Could make an argument that you could do a lot of this with a ZTR and 4 wheeler or SxS; But, it Will be harder; and less productive than with a tractor. You would have to add some other stuff too (wagons, leaf vac, atv rake, winches, maybe an engine hoist); and probably be at the same $ to $ figure; with less resale value. You could haul sap in a wagon with a atv or SxS; you Could move 800 lbs rocks with a winch and bars; but it will take 10x longer, and be a Lot more work.

I still think a 'full figured' 25hp open station would probably do the best job, the most efficiently. I would start the look at Rk25/Tym T25, MF1526 size on up to the Koiti Ck2610/L2501/TYM2515; and where ever the JDs and LS tractors size fall in this area. I would want atleast 1000lbs rated loader lift capacity (thats probably too low; 24" of additional lever plus bucket; plus 860#...);

 

[Citydude]

I have a 50" ZT for a .195 acre lawn. I'm the envy of the neighborhood or the laughingstock. Who cares?

By the tractor you want OP.

 

[Kennebec_Guy]

I have a 50" ZT for a .195 acre lawn. I'm the envy of the neighborhood or the laughingstock. Who cares?

By the tractor you want OP.

My neighbor has a 2038R on an even smaller lot, and so with my rough $25k budget I won't even have the most expensive tractor on my side of the street.

 

[thebmrust]

Do you “need” a tractor?

No!

What is your time worth? You can move material with a shovel and a wheel barrow. Or a front end loader. You can rent or buy a wood chipper and still have to move the chips to storage or sales or the chipper to the wood source, or the wood to the chipper. Can do it in buckets and an armful of long sticks if you want.

Anyway, you get it.

A tractor can be an investment in time and power. Your body can only handle so much. If your starting a business it’s just another capital investment. Buy one.

If it’s a personal thing… like because they are cool! Then it’s a harder decision unless you are flush with cash. Most of us aren’t.

So, go get a tractor.

 

[C79]

No matter the brand you buy I would only recommend that you evaluate your property as to what you can get away with as far as size and weight when it is wet. My property goes through mud season generally every late winter and spring. I might have gone too big on my newest tractor at 55hp and nearly 9k lbs. It might be better to go a little bigger and never need it opposed to not having enough tractor for what you are doing all the time.

 

[Bigbutler1532]

I 100% agree with that advice. Sap season in central Maine overlaps mud season by a fair margin and an overly large or heavy machine is counter productive. I seldom use my tractor for sap collection for this reason. An atv on tracks would be fantastic but isn't in the cards for me so when I run out of good snow pack for the snowmobile I just haul buckets by hand to where I can get my tractor. With the projects the OP lists I think the tractor is the better tool even if it isn't perfect for getting to all the trees.

 

[Snezzy]

Run your sugar shack traditionally, using firewood. Do not think for a moment of sugaring-off in your kitchen. You will regret the way that condensed steam will wreck your ceilings and walls. Similar thoughts apply to lobsters, but not as much, because you only boil 'em for a short while. Ask locally for ideas on managing the sugarbush. Find some Really Old Guys. Maine's full of 'em. "Had the lobstah inspectah ovah ta dinnah, sehved him a chowdah made with nuthin but shawhhts."

Oh, and the tractor? Sure you'll learn a lot. You'll get additional ones and more land, too.

 

[Snezzy]

I 100% agree with that advice. Sap season in central Maine overlaps mud season by a fair margin and an overly large or heavy machine is counter productive. I seldom use my tractor for sap collection for this reason. An atv on tracks would be fantastic but isn't in the cards for me so when I run out of good snow pack for the snowmobile I just haul buckets by hand to where I can get my tractor. With the projects the OP lists I think the tractor is the better tool even if it isn't perfect for getting to all the trees.

For hauling during mud season a pair of horses may be better than a tractor. But you can't possibly keep horses on a couple of acres. Buy more land! Get logging horses. They'll already know the job.

 

[Duds13]

I'm in Charlton, NY on 5.5 acres and have a maple syrup operation. 100 taps all on buckets. My stone "road" that goes around the perimiter of the property goes from snow to sheer ice to mud then back to snow then ice then mud, rinse and repeat, during suagring season. I use my little Kubota BX2200 with turf tires for collecting sap. I recently purchased a Kioti CK2610 with R14 tires but I dont think I'll use it for sap collection, it would do a number on the road. Other than that though, I love the Kioti!

 

[Bigbutler1532]

For hauling during mud season a pair of horses may be better than a tractor. But you can't possibly keep horses on a couple of acres. Buy more land! Get logging horses. They'll already know the job.

I'm blessed to own 40 acres but I'll have a harder time affording the taxes and mortgage if I start feeding hayburners on top of everything and everybody else around here! My feet work fine. If I'm tired, I'll haul buckets that are only half full or drag them in a jet sled with a rope. I think the OP can probably consolidate some lines to a few collection points and make things work just with whatever equipment is available.

 

[jeff9366]

I 100% agree with that advice. Sap season in central Maine overlaps mud season by a fair margin and an overly large or heavy machine is counter productive. I seldom use my tractor for sap collection for this reason. An atv on tracks would be fantastic but isn't in the cards for me so when I run out of good snow pack for the snowmobile I just haul buckets by hand to where I can get my tractor. With the projects the OP lists I think the tractor is the better tool even if it isn't perfect for getting to all the trees.

Massey Ferguson 1532​

2007 - 2014 Model year 2007-20102011-2014 1500 Series Compact Utility tractor Iseki built

Massey Ferguson 1532 Weight
Shipping:	2590 lbs 1174 kg

 

[Bigbutler1532]

Massey Ferguson 1532​

2007 - 2014 Model year 2007-20102011-2014 1500 Series Compact Utility tractor Iseki built

Massey Ferguson 1532 Weight
Shipping:	2590 lbs 1174 kg

I'm not sure I understand your reply.

 

[jeff9366]

If your tractor is too heavy for the OP to use during sap/mud season but you do not inform the OP of your tractor's weight, your post is of limited value to the OP.

 

[Bigbutler1532]

If your say your tractor is too heavy for the OP to use in mud season but do not inform the OP of your tractor's weight, what value is your post to the OP?

I see your point. Judgement is going to have to come in to play given all the variables such as the nature of the ground, the tires, weather they are weighted or not, slope, the user/landowner's willingness to rut the ground or not. In my scenario, with no graveled access roads to all my trees, any tractor large enough to move sap in the combination of frozen/unfrozen ground and snow and ice would be heavy enough to make a mess and possibly do root damage. I guess my advise is to build improved access roads or don't plan on a tractor being the best tool for moving sap. That aside, I'd buy the tractor since the OP has a lot of vegetation maintenance and hardscaping to do. I'd also recommend a tractor of similar physical size and weight to my own but probably at 24hp to avoid the EPA regs and all the frustrations/complications that go along with them. I think most of the big brands have such offerings. The Massey 1526 isn't a bad machine but its a bit smaller then the others (so far as I know) and there are limited options for Massey dealerships in our area so I'd get real comfortable with that before I pulled the trigger on one again.