Buying Advice Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky

   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky #1  

m0darn01

New member
Joined
Jun 16, 2019
Messages
5
Tractor
Ford 1700
Hi,

I am looking at buying a new tractor. I'm not really into farming, but who knows what the future holds. For now I just want to be able to bush hog my large fields, pull my truck out when it gets stuck, haul mulch/rocks in the loader, etc. The land is very hilly and my current tractor (ford 1700 2wd) once rode down a hill backwards while I was riding up after a rain. I want to minimize my risk of anything like that ever again.

I've priced a few different tractors:

new holland work master 70 4wd w/loader: $27,000
Kubota m5660 4wd w/loader: $36,500
Mahindra 2555 4wd w/loader: $26,600

Should any of these be ok for my needs? I guess overall I'm looking at the new holland, it looks the best to me so far.
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky #2  
Of your 300 acres, how much will potentially be worked by the tractor to produce a market crop?

Of the acres that will be worked by the tractor how much is level, somewhat sloped and how many acres are on actual hills?

What is the balance of your land?


new holland work master 70 4wd ********************5,000 pounds, Category 2 TPH
Kubota m5660 4wd *********************************5,000 pounds, Category 2 TPH

Mahindra 2555 4wd ********************I*************4,000 pounds Category 1 TPH


Most here would not recommend an open station tractor for over 50 acres of so. Too many hours in the sun, heat and cold.

To increase tractor stability on hills have the dealer spread the rear wheels wider than standard. This may require optional wheel spacers.
 
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   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky #3  
Don't know how your uses would differ from mine.... I'm in the middle of 250 acres... but... we'll call it 100 acres in fields (rest is woods)

I'm outside of Knoxville so it's hilly here.

I bought a big International and a 15' flexwing mower. Because both were older and I don't mind turning a wrench (in fact, I actually enjoy it) I got them combined for less than a brand new 15' flexwing alone.

What used to take me up to the entire summer to cut (with a 5' mower behind a similarly aged International 444), I can now do in a day if I get cracking when I get up and work all day.

Not only has the 15' cutter verses 5' cutter improved my times, but the larger tractor can pull the 15' UP our hills much faster(we're on what I'm told is the tallest hill in the county) and, the big tractor can do it while cruising along in either 3rd or 4th gear (low range). The 444 would still bog down in low range, 1st gear (grass around belt height)

Don't have a cab, but am looking into a canopy.

I would think R1 tires would give you less slip than R4 tires....and if you got a loader, I'd expect R4's on it.

If you are leaning on a new tractor, well....forget what I've read and know you'll never get that 30 seconds back!

;)
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Don't know how your uses would differ from mine.... I'm in the middle of 250 acres... but... we'll call it 100 acres in fields (rest is woods)

I'm outside of Knoxville so it's hilly here.

I bought a big International and a 15' flexwing mower. Because both were older and I don't mind turning a wrench (in fact, I actually enjoy it) I got them combined for less than a brand new 15' flexwing alone.

What used to take me up to the entire summer to cut (with a 5' mower behind a similarly aged International 444), I can now do in a day if I get cracking when I get up and work all day.

Not only has the 15' cutter verses 5' cutter improved my times, but the larger tractor can pull the 15' UP our hills much faster(we're on what I'm told is the tallest hill in the county) and, the big tractor can do it while cruising along in either 3rd or 4th gear (low range). The 444 would still bog down in low range, 1st gear (grass around belt height)

Don't have a cab, but am looking into a canopy.

I would think R1 tires would give you less slip than R4 tires....and if you got a loader, I'd expect R4's on it.

If you are leaning on a new tractor, well....forget what I've read and know you'll never get that 30 seconds back!

;)


Interesting. The Mahindra place had a used 2007 model 6500 for $15k. Apparently it needs new tires but runs well, over 1000 hours but the meter is broken. I'm not against getting a used tractor, I'm just not the most mechanically knowledgeable. I think you're right, though, I probably do need a 15' cutter. My largest field is around 50 acres by itself. Most of my land is forested, but there are several large fields.

What kind of International did you get? Wondering what hp I would need for a big cutter.
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Of your 300 acres, how much will potentially be worked by the tractor to produce a market crop?

Of the acres that will be worked by the tractor how much is level, somewhat sloped and how many acres are on actual hills?

What is the balance of your land?

Mostly forests, some large fields, the fields are somewhat sloped but nothing crazy.
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky #6  
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Of your 300 acres, how much will potentially be worked by the tractor to produce a market crop?

60 acres max, not less than 50.


Of the acres that will be worked by the tractor how much is level, somewhat sloped and how many acres are on actual hills?

The entire 50 acre field is sloped running from a hill down to a creek, none of that is steep. I would like to be able to drive it up a steep hill on a trail (an old logging road) to get to my cabin area sometimes.
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky #8  
Make a list of everything you know you need to do and then make a list of all the things you "might" want to do. You will find much of the want list will move to need to do list. If you think you will ever want or need front end loader buy tractor with it for example. You will find four wheel drive can be big help on poor traction such as up wet hills. You think you want 15 foot bat wing mower, get specs on it, such as acres per hour it will mow, how large of material it will handle and how tall and see if those specs work for you. In the specs you should find recommended hp for the mower. I do not live on sloped ground but you will need additional hp to climb any real slope, ask dealer for recommendation. Dealer of mower of tractor.

Seldom does a person buy a tractor and later say I over bought size of tractor but it does happen. More often they (me is part of they) wish they had more hp as we learn how to use say bat wing mower we realize we can run faster than we thought if we had the necessary hp or such.

When trying to match hp needs for a pto implement like mower, you need to know the tractors pto hp and not the engines over all hp or the drawbar hp.

With sloped land two things would consider required, roll bar and seat belt. Tractors will roll over. If no roll bar and not using seat belt often a tragedy.
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky #9  
Hi,

I am looking at buying a new tractor. I'm not really into farming, but who knows what the future holds. For now I just want to be able to bush hog my large fields, pull my truck out when it gets stuck, haul mulch/rocks in the loader, etc. The land is very hilly and my current tractor (ford 1700 2wd) once rode down a hill backwards while I was riding up after a rain. I want to minimize my risk of anything like that ever again.

OK. I've got a few questions.
Does it have to be new? There are some pretty nice used machines out there, and with large tractors especially you can get a lot for your money.

As for size, those are pretty much min. size machines for 100+ acres and for those chores you mention. Are you considering looking at the next size larger?
rScotty
 
   / Best tractor for 300 acres in Kentucky
  • Thread Starter
#10  
OK. I've got a few questions.
Does it have to be new? There are some pretty nice used machines out there, and with large tractors especially you can get a lot for your money.

As for size, those are pretty much min. size machines for 100+ acres and for those chores you mention. Are you considering looking at the next size larger?
rScotty


The problem is that I really don't know what I'm going to do. I bought this land for purely recreational purposes, now I'm finding that I can't enjoy it fully without being able to do basic chores on it. Will it ever evolve into a profit motive? Perhaps. So, I don't want to underbuy, but I don't want to go crazy, either.

The price is also a consideration, I don't think I'll be able to spend over $35,000 on this, and I would like to buy new.
 

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