Don't even know where to start. New tractor for 85 acre property

[Luke82]

Hello all! First time posting on the forums although I've been a lurker here for a couple of months. I'm in the process of moving into an 85 acre former, old, neglected farm in desperate need of some (A LOT) of TLC. Roof of this 1800's farm house leaked for the last 20 years with no repairs unless you want to count the previous owners rotation of buckets under the leak "fixing it". That combined with many other issues meant that I needed to completely gut the house down to the plank walls and start over. It's a major work in progress. None of that is really relevant, but I figure the background on the house will give an idea of what I have to work with for the property as a whole. It all needs extensive work.

I'm looking to purchase my first (2nd?) tractor to assist with the work I've got ahead of me. I've got a late 70's Ford 6600 that came with the property and it was easily the best maintained thing on this property. I've used it extensively already for some FEL work. I made an immeasurable number of trips back and forth from the house to the sand pit on the property where we burned everything that could be. Also used it for digging up, pushing over, and/or dragging out a lot of the unchecked growth around the house as I try to get the place ready for the contractors to come in and get started. I want to get another tractor though. Out of the 85 acres maybe 20 of it is fields and the rest is woods. The property is going to be used for hunting mainly, but I do plan on getting a few cows and pigs a couple years down the road. I'm used to animals and farm life as my father has a 200 acre farm with black angus and pigs, but I'm not looking for mine to be a full time farm operation. I just want to raise a couple of each a year for my families consumption. There's 6 in my family plus my in-laws who are moving in with us in an in-law suite that was added to the main house.

Now that the background is out of the way here's what I have in mind and looking to do:
1. Field maintenance - disc, rake, bail, etc. Some fields will be clover or mix of some kind for deer food plots and some may eventually be hay for a couple cows.
2. Land clearing - brush hogging, tree removal, leveling, etc
3. Fence posts - auger or driver not sure yet
4. Driveway maintenance - house is at the end of a half mile private road. Hauling and spreading stone, digging new drainage, and then upkeep.
5. Snow removal - see above
6. Timber work - House is heated by an outdoor wood burner. Figuring ~12 cords a year I'll need. Will be skidding trees to flat land next to wood shed for cutting, splitting, and stacking.

#1 will be done with the 6600. It has 70hp and is what's been used for all this in the past. If it's not broke why fix it? It's the rest of the chores that are making me look at a new tractor. I'm thinking something smaller (30-40hp?) would probably be better for this. Definitely want 4wd for some of these tasks and the 6600 is only 2wd.

I'm familiar with Deere and Kubota from my fathers farm, but personally have no brand loyalty. The only thing I know for sure is that I don't want is a single rocker pedal HST like Kubota has. I prefer gears, but shuttle shift or two pedal hst is acceptable. I also haven't decided yet on a cab. It would be really nice for sure, especially when blowing snow on cold winter days. However, I'm leaning towards open cab due to the work in the woods.

I haven't been to any dealerships yet, but I have looked a lot online at the Mahindra 2638 and 3640, Kubota L3901, Deere 3039R and 4044M. Even checked out the Massey Ferguson 1740E. Whichever I get it will definitely be ordered with loader and backhoe. I'm kind of leaning towards a Mahindra right now. No personal experience with them, but they seem to be a good combination of features, weight, and cost. AAm I in the right hp range for what I'm looking to do? Cab or open? brand? other considerations? Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks!

 

[jaxs]

I seriously doubt you will find better advive than your paw's who know's you. I'd advise not getting carried away with ripping out trees,they are hard to replace later on. As for Mahindra,I seldom see any old ones, and suspect there's a reason I don't.

 

[shooterdon]

Have a forester determine if you can harvest 12 cords a year from your woodlot

I use a 40 HP LS 4100 series with grapple for processing logs. Run a 74 blower with it. Does a good job. Saved $8k over green and orange.

HST is handy for FEL and snow removal

 

[Luke82]

I seriously doubt you will find better advive than your paw's who know's you. I'd advise not getting carried away with ripping out trees,they are hard to replace later on. As for Mahindra,I seldom see any old ones, and suspect there's a reason I don't.

You might be right about Mahindra. I know some people like them, but I'm with you on not seeing a lot of older ones.

Have a forester determine if you can harvest 12 cords a year....I use a 40 HP LS 4100 series...Saved $8k over green and orange. HST is handy for FEL and snow removal

Definitely a smart idea and something I've already started looking into. Don't want to purchase my wood, but don't want the property to be clear cut eventually because I'm taking it faster than it's replaced. I'm not saying thanks for giving me another brand to now look at and consider.

I recommend adding your LOCATION to your T-B-N PROFILE....Whether or not you will work sloping ground has a big influence on tractor selection. Is your twenty acre field flat?

Thanks for that recommendation. Done. The majority of the fields are relatively flat. Most of the sloping/hilly areas are the forest.

 

[jeff9366]

Ford 6600 - dimensions
1975 - 1981
Utility tractor

Weight (shipping): 5475 lbs [2483 kg]
Weight (operating): 5880 lbs [2667 kg] (ROPS)
7020 lbs [3184 kg] (cab)
Weight (ballasted): 9700 lbs [4399 kg]
Wheelbase: 88 inches [223 cm]
Length: 153.3 inches [389 cm]
Width: 73.2 inches [185 cm] *
Height (hood): 68.5 inches [173 cm]
Height (cab): 106.6 inches [270 cm]
Clearance (front axle): 18 inches [45 cm]
Front tread: 52.5 to 80.5 inches
[133 to 204 cm]
Rear tread: 52 to 80 inches
[132 to 203 cm]
66 to 90 inches (power adjust)
[167 to 228 cm] (power adjust)

3-Point Hitch:
Rear Type: II
Control: top-link draft sensing
Rear lift: 4040 lbs [1832 kg]


The fundamental importance of TRACTOR WEIGHT eludes many tractor shoppers. Tractor weight is more important identifying compact tractor capability than tractor horsepower.

Bare tractor weight is a fundamental tractor specification easily found in sales brochures and web sites, readily comparable across tractor brands and tractor models, new and used. Shop your weight range within tractor brands. Budget will eliminate some choices. Collect a dealer brochure for each tractor model in your weight range.


The best reason I perceive for a new tractor is having a Loader.

For twenty acres of field most here will recommend a tractor of 3,700 to 4,500 pounds bare tractor weight with 4-WD. Most tractors in this weight range will be around 66" wide, not that much narrower than your existing Ford unless the Ford's rear wheels have been spaced apart.

What implements do you have currently for the Ford 6600?

 

[dodge man]

Part of the reason I say this is because they have the best support in my area but I would stick with JD or Kubota. I would say you are looking at the right size tractor.

Something else to think about is implements. They can add up. Think about a log splitter, grapple, brush hog, box blade, rear blade, front blade, land plane, land scrap rake and snow blower. You don’t need all of them or buy them all at once but something to think about.

 

[RustyA]

If your thoughts are to cut and bale your own hay in the future consider 35 hp minimum gear and 40 go minimum HST for pto. We used a JD 1070 for years and it struggled a little with haybine and baler. 2nd tractor was utility 57 hp and it didn't know equipment was back there even on slopes. Food for thought.

 

[airbiscuit]

Over the long term, and given the length of your driveway, I think you'd be happier with a "large frame" Compact tractor. The Deere 3039R would be a mid frame, and the 4044M would be a large frame. There is a big difference weight, clearance and TRACTION. I would be looking at a 40hp to 50hp Kubota, Kioti, Yanmar or John Deere.

• Kubota - Gold Standard
• Yanmar - Gold Standard II (has the gold wheels to prove it)
• John Deere - Green Standard
• New Holland - Bronze Medal
• Massey Ferguson - Your Fathers Oldsmobile
• Kioti - Up and Comer 1
• LS - Up and Comer 2
• Mahindra - Committed to Success/Needs to improve quality
• TYM - In the game but sloppy
• Branson - Will be swallowed up by TYM
• McCormick - Dead man walking
• Any Chinese Brands - Non starters

 

[Luke82]

Thanks for the suggestions so far! For all the hay questions...I'm not getting rid of the 2wd Ford. Already have a plow, disc, rake, spreader, and loader for the Ford. Could have had a bailer as well, but what the previous owner had was a square bailer and I'd prefer a small round bailer for the convenience. A bailer and discbine are down the road though. Almost every field has a rock wall around it that has been neglected and seems to have just as many trees on the field side of the wall as on the other side! I need (want) to get that taken care of first. Plus it will be a couple years before I get any animals and have a need for hay. I'll keep buying half a cow and half a pig from my father a couple times a year until I get this property and all the out buildings straightened up a bit. Like I said at the start, ton of work at this place. It will be years before the property is up to my standards (let alone my fathers), but I'm at least familiar with and aware of the amount of work I've got ahead of me.

The desire for a new tractor is for all the other tasks and having 4wd to do them. There's a stream that runs down the middle of this property and a few springs that make some parts too muddy to feel comfortable taking the Ford. Dodge Man already nailed most of the attachments I'm looking at. Grapple, box blade, brush hog, rear blade, backhoe, auger and snowblower for a start. Definitely snowblower over a snow plow because most of the driveway is thick woods on both sides with nowhere to push the snow to. Just not sure on type of snowblower. What my father has and I'm used to using is a 3pt blower, but with the length of this driveway a mid pto and front mount blower would be pretty nice I think.

 

[airbiscuit]

Last year, I bought a Rear Pull Snowblower and I love it. Prior to that I had a standard rear 3pt snowblower, but backing up all the time is a pain. I now do my snow blowing going forward in half the time, and I still have the loader on the front. Here's a video. That's a 40hp large frame New Holland, which is about the size tractor I think would best suit your needs.