City Slicker Escapes to Country

[Sassy Fras]

Hi! I learned so much reading through the 2-wheel tractor conversations that I had to join the group. Husband and I, recently retired, have escaped at long last to the country and are now nestled in the foothills of the Blue Mountains in NE Oregon (Zone 6b), along a creek. Wildlife abounds, so last summer we devoted our energy towards fencing the virgin garden plot of 70' x 30.' It's a bit too much to work by hand - baby-boomers that we are - which is why I'm snooping out the idea of buying a 2-wheeler. I have enjoyed gardening since the 70's (whenever possible), but never had anything the size we have now. It often prompts me to ask, "WHAT was I thinking!" Look for me in the 2-wheel forum!

 

[jeff9366]

Consider light, four wheel tractors too.

Buckeye Tractor Online Catalog - Garden Series Page 01

 

[TBN Support]

:welcome: Welcome to the forum!

That sounds like a nice place to retire

 

[ericm979]

My wife's wanted a BCS for years. Last year we saw a similar dedicated rototiller at the rental yard when we were picking up a cement mixer. She hefted the tiller and felt it was going to be too heavy. Then the same with a neighbor's old BCS. They're just too heavy for her to muscle around. She's about average height and weight and fitness.

Our current garden is mostly in beds. We (ok, mostly me) tilled them with a Mantis. But now we're doing no till in the existing beds, only tilling new ones.

The auxiliary garden we're planning will be accessible by the tractor and I'll use it do do the initial dirt work, then it'll probably be no till as well.

 

[Sassy Fras]

Thanks for the tip, Jeff. Funny you should mention them. Before I even knew walk-behind tractors existed, I was resigned to buying a small utility or "garden" tractor to help manage the property...even visited a Kubota dealer. Always returned home dejected and perplexed. Then, I discovered 2-wheelers, and I've never looked back. Tomorrow, I may get my hands on one to "test drive."

 

[Sassy Fras]

Thanks for the welcome, Catherine.

 

[Sassy Fras]

Eric, thanks for the caution. I'm pretty average, too, (and retired) so being able to handle a BCS is definitely a concern. A dealer warned me that the 749 and 853 would simply pound me....probably why we only see men driving them in those U-tube videos, eh? Thankfully, he mentioned the 732 or 739 should be OK. I was fine with a rented 'Godzilla' tiller last summer (ok, it wiped me out), so I''m hoping a 2-wheeler won't be much different. We shall see. Tomorrow, I'll be visiting a dealer who will let me test-drive the 739.

 

[goeduck]

Great place you live in! My wife was from Walla Walla and we regularly go to Pendleton for the Roundup. I liked the Ukiah area a little farther out but it was getting pretty remote. Then my roots pulled me back to Western WA. As far as 2 wheeled tractors go, I have an older BCS 722 and a Troybilt Horse. The Troybilt is much more of an animal and less refined. As far as handling them, bigger can be a challenge as the garden grows into the rows at which time I park them both. Turning them at the end of the row can be a chore as well if you do not have independent left and right wheels (like a differential in a car). I would tend to the smaller side of a machine. When you do your test drive, make sure you turn it yourself at the end of a row. Good Luck!

 

[Wagtail]

G'day Sassy Fras and welcome to TBN from Downunder.

Hopefully you've also noticed that 'we' talk about all sorts of things related to rural living.

Enjoy the site.

 

[Sassy Fras]

Hi, Wagtail!
As a matter of fact, I found the index just last night and discovered a whole mess of interesting subjects. And here I was... thinking TBN was only about 2- and 4-wheel tractors. Thanks for the 'heads up'! Funny to see you're in St. Helens....we have a St. Helens here in Oregon (sits west of Portland along the Columbia). ...and then there's the St. Helens that blew her top back in '81, just northeast of there. Seems Helen was a popular gal.