buying advice?

[old bubblehead]

I'm formerly from TN.

Knowing your hills in that area, an RK55 would be the ideal ticket, balancing power and frame for your needs.

There are several RK stores in your area too.
RK tractors are TYM/Kukje and Yanmar engines. A 60 year history together.
Tractors | RK55 Series Tractor | RK Tractors

Yanmar has made Deere compacts and larger engines for the past 48+ years.
The engines are found in Komatsu, CAT, and other earth moving equipment.
The engines are also in Marine for sail boats to tuggers to ocean cruise ships.

Yanmar engines are global, found in many brands and have wide parts support for decades to come.
When looking for a machine, you need to know about future parts support in the long run.

We've raised several hog breeds. Some are mean and will not hesitate to eat a human. After 5 different breeds, we settled on the Duroc.
Duroc pig - Wikipedia

If you plan on raising other livestock and prefer NOT to have you pastures turn into mud pits, then the grass grassing Red Wattle Hogs are the best. And their meat is closer to beef too.
Red Wattle hogs are known for their hardiness, foraging activity, and rapid growth rate – they may be fully mature at the age of three.

Red Wattle Hog - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Great data, Thank you sir!

 

[Little Red Tractor]

I'm not a fan of tractor mounted backhoes. You would be money ahead to block out a chunk of time to do your digging work and rent a decently-sized excavator.
Others have already mentioned the importance of the dealership for the tractor you buy...whatever the brand. Check out its reputation for parts and service--not to mention the availability of parts in general for whatever you buy, particularly if you buy used.
Have fun with your project.
I'll wave as I pass through E. TN.

 

[Hay Dude]

Backhoe on/off on a new compact tractor will become tiresome with the other multiple switching of baler/rake/tedder off & on.

I’d avoid any lightweight, non-legacy brand tractor. As an alternative, buy multiple, older iron pieces for similar cost.

Maybe get
1. a used backhoe in the 10-20K range,
2. an older 80-100HP Deere/Massey/Kubota/New Holland/Case for baler in 20k range and
3. an older Kubota/Massey 60-75HP 4x4 tractor with a loader for rake/tedder/bale moving in 30k range.

You could probably do that for similar price to new lightweight tractor and save yourself a lot of back breaking time consuming attachment switching.
You could sell the backhoe later if you get most or all of your digging done.

I’ve been farming and excavating for a long time and the best decision I made was multiple tractors for multiple attachments.

 

[old bubblehead]

thanks for the suggestion, but this place, by farm standards is SMALL. about 13 acres usable farm land, the rest is in trees. by the time I put all your suggested gear on the property there'll be no room left for the hay to grow. (speaking only slightly tongue in cheek)

 

[Hay Dude]

OK, then maybe a legacy brand 75HP tractor with loader and an older backhoe.
Use the tractor for all farming work and the backhoe for all digging work.

Something tells me you can buy an older Case backhoe for about the same price as a tractor backhoe attachment.

The older 75HP loader tractor will hold up better than a compact for hay farming

 

[Carl_NH]

Here's a full sized BH - $9250 Log into Facebook

Here's another $15K Log into Facebook

Yes, these will need some wrenching from time to time and hoses and seals but will do a lot of work and you can sell when done. Otherwise maybe rent an excavator for a month $4-5K and do the bulk of your work.

 

[kenmac]

@kenmac McCormick compact utility tractors are made by TYM, they're legacy Branson models and have been for perhaps a decade. That said, they make the rest of their own lineup.

I don't own a McCormick compact tractor..
This is where and who built my McCormick tractor

McCormick CX-105 tractors, part of the larger McCormick brand (owned by Italian company Argo Tractors), were primarily built in Doncaster, England, at the former Case IH plant, with the line carrying heritage from Case IH's C, CX, and MX-C series, using Perkins engines and sold globally

 

[Torvy]

Seriously check into the rental market near you for excavation work. Here it was about $300 for a day+, delivered and picked up. A backhoe on a tractor runs $7-11k+. That's a lot of rentals and less stress on your tractor. (Not to mention a stronger ex).