compact/subcompact, what HP??

[RalphVa]

I visited a farm just being started up this weekend. This couple bought 5 acres of pasture land. They're putting about half of it into veggie gardening and plan a fruit tree area and wild area. They currently have a large greenhouse and live in a solar-powered trailer. They just sunk a 500' well.

Their tractor is a BCS, similar to a Gravely. In fact, theirs has the same size 12 hp Kohler engine as my Gravely. They could only afford the tiller and trencher plow, and that's all they currently need.

The BCS also has snow blower capability. It apparently doesn't offer a cart though. Think you could fabricate a cart to attach to the PTO end with big castor wheels on it. Rotate the handlebars opposite, and it would be a front end cart for carrying things. I've picked up HUGE rocks and moved them in my Gravely dump cart.

Unless you have lots of need for a FEL and are very lazy, I wonder about needing a very big tractor on only 3.6 acres. Then only buy one if you can pay cash for it.

Ralph

 

[MossRoad]

<font color="blue"> Unless you have lots of need for a FEL and are very lazy, I wonder about needing a very big tractor on only 3.6 acres. </font>

Or have little time, or a bad back, or want to be more productive, etc... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Henro]

<font color="blue">Unless you have lots of need for a FEL and are very lazy, I wonder about needing a very big tractor on only 3.6 acres. </font>

I love it!

Ralph, now my wife has a way to measure my lazyness...All she has to do is count my tractors!

I think this requires some refinement though.

Probably best to start another thread..."Developing the TBN Lazyness Index AKA the TBNLI... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

TBNLI = (total tractor HP) / (acres tractors used on)

For me that would be (30 + 22 + 20) / 3.7 = 19.46

Wow! That sounds pretty lazy! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Maybe I should not count that old 20HP gas MTD garden tractor /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Oh well, untill proven otherwise, I claim the title of:

Most Lazy TBN member! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I wish you would have suggested something that would result in a positive reason to add tractors though. I'm afraid if my wife stumbles on this train of thought I may regret it... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I better just wear that title in the closet until dethroned... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[dwnsouth]

I feel your pain! Plenty of choices out there. I just purchase the other day a JD 4010 with a 54" belly. I have 3 acres with more than enough trees. I thought about the compact and have a friend who recently purchased one. He went with the B1800 and the only complaint is clearance limits what he is able to do with the subcompact. (He had trouble with a simple Box Blade.) With that I went for something a lil more in height but same horsepower. The price I got from the dealer was about the same as the sub with same horsepower. Good luck with your decision!