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

[Skypuppy]

I'll weigh in on the Kubota BX2xxx series. Mine is a 2012 model, with 25.5 hp. With stock setups, it can lift 630 in the loader safely but you must keep the loader low to the ground but that's true for all loaders in general. My Kubota has performed flawlessly since new, except for that common malady PIA of all tractors: those stinking safety switches! I finally just straight wired the one for the seat because I got supremely tired of replacing safety switch wiring all the time. No more problems. Dealer repair cost over $600; DIY repair cost: less than 25cents. I have used my BX with mid-mount mower to mow (NO large rocks) property from small yard to 3+ acres with no problems. That includes one clubhouse with about half an acre with the grass TALLER than the tractor! I really don't need a backhoe but I've lusted after one often. The original purpose of the BX was to also cut, trim, clean up, and maintain my mothers place way out in the country on 12 acres. Only 2 acres of that was to be mowed, the rest to be bush hogged as every spring. I never got a chance to do that as she moved into town less than a month after I got the BX!!! A major plus is that Kubota often puts on the interest free loans for 5 years and that almost feels like free! Payments about $220/month (while I was working) was not even noticeable in the budget.
So I'm very happy with my BX2660. I keep threatening to trade it in for the newer bucket and much easier loader installation/removal but I have to keep reminding myself that I'm on SS now and don't have that kind of money.
I looked at almost every brand when deciding which one to get and I kept coming back to the Kubota for the quality and low maintenance. Glad I did!
And, Oh yeah, if you get one with the mid-mount mower, you save the $8,000 you'd have spent on a zero-turn. Which reminds me. In 2012, my 2660 with loader, weighted tires, hooks welded on the bucket, and several other add-ons, came in at a bit over $13k. Later, I added some more implements including a post hole digger that is a 5 footer and have used it many times over the years. It was under $500.

 

[allthebacon]

We’ve got 2.5 acres, ~15 degree slope, garden recovery, lawn, trees, clay soil, veggie beds, 70 year old timber house.

Bought a BX23S with underbelly mowing deck, also liked Kubota or JD equivalents.

It’s like having an 800lb gorilla with a swim army knife. And always sitting there when I have the opportunity to work it.

Moving pallets, box blading new paths, moving firewood, towing log splitter or chipper around, demolished a septic system, moved mulch quickly, transplanted ferns, burn piles, backhoe thumb holds large branches while I buck them. Oh and mow the lawn.

Check out A Tale of Three Cabins on YouTube, he’s got loads of use projects.

 

[jaybrad]

Hey all! I've been lurking for a bit but I've yet to see a use case quite like mine.

We recently bought a large ~1.5 acre property and historic home in a small town center in Maine. Originally a small horse farm, it was at one point extensively landscaped like a park, with lots of garden plots and about 60 old growth maples and while it's not a big property, it's been a fairly high maintenance one for its small size. The whole property is on a gently sloping hillside with about an acre of lawn, which currently takes me about 90+ minutes to mow with a commercial walk behind (there's a ZTR in our near future). On top of that, it had been neglected for a couple of decades when we bought it, and we're in the process of digging it out from the overgrowth and restoring it to its former glory.

We've got a long list of major landscaping projects planned, including building stone stairs and doing a lot of terracing/retaining wall construction to build foundations for an outdoor dining pavilion as well as a workshop/sugar shack/garage for the ZTR. In addition, the 60 maples generate about 20 cubic yards of leaves every year, which has been "fun" to manage and sustains a leaf pile that's about 45'x25'x6' deep. We're also doing the millennial hobby farmer thing and expanding a large vegetable garden and I'm growing a large hobbyist/small commercial scale maple syrup operation.

With the cost of getting any work done these days, I figure I'm easily at $30-40k or more to get all of the outstanding landscaping projects done, and between moving sap barrels around the yard during syrup season, gardening/landscaping odds and ends, and turning over our large compost pile, a loader would be nice to have. Am I crazy for thinking that a tractor more than pays for itself with the landscaping/earthmoving projects and afterwards becomes a useful tool for managing a small but high maintenance property while raising a growing family and often being pressed for time? What size/hp range should I be considering?

The only rear implements I'd likely be running are a box blade, a small rotary cultivator, and probably a wood chipper. I'd like to be able to lift/move ~800lbs for the landscaping projects. I was thinking that a 25hp emissions-exempt compact with loaded tires would be a good place to start. My local dealerships sell Deere, Kubota, Kioti, Massey Ferguson, and Yanmar, and they all seem pretty decent. If I even need a tractor, what should I look for?

Hi neighbor, and welcome to TBN.

I was in a similar situation about 15 years ago and on the fence about whether I could justify a tractor and if so, what. After spending hours clearing a relatively small driveway I decided to get serious before the following winter. That's when I found this forum.

I looked at all the local dealers, which were admittedly fewer then than now, and went to Sabattus for a Massey 2310 (23 hp with bucket and backhoe), then added a rear mount snow blower, and got a great deal on a wood chipper. And it was one of the best purchasing decisions I've ever made. At the time I was mowing my lawn with a push mower, but recently moved and bought an Ariens zero turn (which is so much fun!).

The Deere dealer at the time tried really hard to talk me out of a BH, which played a key role in my buying elsewhere. I knew the BH would be limited and it is. I will not be easily removing large stumps or digging foundations, but it has been perfect for moving rocks, rebuilding a wall, digging ditches, and so much more. The convenience of doing these projects on my schedule and not having to rent has been considerable.

I have friends with just about every color tractor out there and all except one (Bolens - not sure they're still made) has been happy with their decision as am I. There have been a lot of changes in dealerships in central Maine over the past few years, so I would shop around and ask around.

Good luck!

 

[marhar]

Be careful, it’s a slippery slope. First comes a tractor for 1.5 acres, then a 20 acre hunting lease and a larger tractor, and….

When you start googling implements and window shopping at TS you have a problem and you can turn to us to discuss your problem and get ideas on where you can use the implements. Just don't tell the wife what you are spending (a rookie mistake I have made).

 

[jim_wilson]

This general type of question comes up often I think. Just as a comparison point: I live in a suburban neighborhood on a 1/2 acre property. I had a Kubota BX23 (FEL and backhoe) - and put about 650 hours on that tractor before decided it just wasn't big enough and got a Kubota B3200 with FEL and backhoe. Now I've about about 350 hours on that.

I don't the property size really has a lot to do with whether or not you need a tractor - the determining factor is : what you need to get done. In my case I wanted a bigger tractor because I was burning a lot of time shuttling dirt back and forth and the backhoe on the BX just didn't dig deep enough for me for a number of jobs I wanted to do. Plus I kept running into rocks that it couldn't move - I needed more lifting capacity.

If it was me I would make a list of what you ultimately want to get done - and what sort of capability level you need to do that. Figure out what level of tractor you need to do that (FEL lifting capability etc) - and then balance that off against cost and tractor size (you might find a bigger tractor just won't fit in some areas)

I would also HIGHLY recommend getting a skid steer type quick attach on the FEL - whichever size tractor you get. My tractor probably spends a good 40% of it's time with the forks on the FEL as I use it to move things around.

 

[Bigbutler1532]

I’m in central Maine. I have 40 acres and do some sapping but most of the sap season, I can’t get the tractor to my buckets. You’re less spread out so probably you won’t have that issue, but I am pretty happy if we have a good old fashioned winter and I can tend my sap with my snowmobile. Sometimes an atv on tracks looks way better for the sugarbush.

That aside, there are (the last I knew) only three Massey dealers in the state and one of them is in PI so I’d rule that one out. Make sure you like the dealership as much as you like the tractor, or, make sure you have choices should one dealer turn sour on you. I love my Massey, but if I were to shop for a new tractor today, I’d be tempted to go orange for the variety of dealerships alone.

 

[NUTTERDW]

25 hp should be fine for you. Go and test drive a few.

I have a 23HP Kubota and it would do the jobs you are describing. I have had it since 2014 and it has been trouble free.

 

[clarkharms]

I have no doubt with all those projects a tractor will earn its keep. Remember tractors that are well maintained in homeowner appreciations tend to hold their resale remarkably well, so you will have minimal loss and gain a lot more of your time back over not having the tractor.
I originally bought a L3901 and found it was too large for my application, the weight of that tractor mission ready, grapple on front, wood chipper on back, and loaded tires approached 5000#’s and would rut the yard in the spring. I went with a tym25 and love it. The loader can lift a tote of green red oak which is more than any other compact tractor. The engine is a bulletproof yanmar so should be reliable. I second the caution about loading the tires, I made a ballast box out of concrete to add stability when lifting to maximum with the loader but when in the woods using the grapple I like a lighter tractor. For whatever reason the tym feels more stable than the Kubota it replaced even though it is much smaller.
Final note. I am currently using our tym at our house in Connecticut which has about 5 acres. I intend on bringing it up to our house in New Hampshire when we move up there once my wife retires. The house in New Hampshire is only two acres and I only plan on being there 6 months a year but being forward thinking I know that tractor will be more and more useful as my body becomes less so. If your plans are long term for this property get the tractor.
Also definitely get a zero turn! I contemplated getting one, hated the price over a garden tractor but it cut my mowing time in half. I love the thing and look forward to mowing.

 

[350c]

Hey all! I've been lurking for a bit but I've yet to see a use case quite like mine.

We recently bought a large ~1.5 acre property and historic home in a small town center in Maine. Originally a small horse farm, it was at one point extensively landscaped like a park, with lots of garden plots and about 60 old growth maples and while it's not a big property, it's been a fairly high maintenance one for its small size. The whole property is on a gently sloping hillside with about an acre of lawn, which currently takes me about 90+ minutes to mow with a commercial walk behind (there's a ZTR in our near future). On top of that, it had been neglected for a couple of decades when we bought it, and we're in the process of digging it out from the overgrowth and restoring it to its former glory.

We've got a long list of major landscaping projects planned, including building stone stairs and doing a lot of terracing/retaining wall construction to build foundations for an outdoor dining pavilion as well as a workshop/sugar shack/garage for the ZTR. In addition, the 60 maples generate about 20 cubic yards of leaves every year, which has been "fun" to manage and sustains a leaf pile that's about 45'x25'x6' deep. We're also doing the millennial hobby farmer thing and expanding a large vegetable garden and I'm growing a large hobbyist/small commercial scale maple syrup operation.

With the cost of getting any work done these days, I figure I'm easily at $30-40k or more to get all of the outstanding landscaping projects done, and between moving sap barrels around the yard during syrup season, gardening/landscaping odds and ends, and turning over our large compost pile, a loader would be nice to have. Am I crazy for thinking that a tractor more than pays for itself with the landscaping/earthmoving projects and afterwards becomes a useful tool for managing a small but high maintenance property while raising a growing family and often being pressed for time? What size/hp range should I be considering?

The only rear implements I'd likely be running are a box blade, a small rotary cultivator, and probably a wood chipper. I'd like to be able to lift/move ~800lbs for the landscaping projects. I was thinking that a 25hp emissions-exempt compact with loaded tires would be a good place to start. My local dealerships sell Deere, Kubota, Kioti, Massey Ferguson, and Yanmar, and they all seem pretty decent. If I even need a tractor, what should I look for?

Check out the JD 2038R, with belly mower and loader. You might decide you don't need the ZTR.

 

[Soloz2]

Not crazy at all! I think the projects planned are more important than the size of property. I have just over an acre (about 1.3) and started looking at tractors end of last summer, early fall. I looked at them all and talked to the local dealers. In the end, I got a Kubota B2601 almost 2 months ago now and it's fantastic! I've done things in an hour that would have taken me a couple days by hand.
My property was also very park like, with over 100 mature trees. Sadly about 85 were ash and we were hit by EAB so I've been removing them and man the grapple is the best thing ever!
Last year we had a storm take down trees and part of my fence was hit. My tractor made clearing the last bit easy and I got my fence fixed yesterday.
It also meant not being hunched over to replace a spindle, sharpen the blades, and replace a deck belt on my lawn tractor last weekend.