Thanks again for the howling good replies!!!
This isn't the Readers Digest version.
Here's the scoop on the usage. My home lot is 1 1/2 acres. I'm currently trying to prep my side pasture (1/4 acre-70' wide) for laying sod to use as a dog agility training area. I would like a tractor that I can also use to mow this area once it's planted. So, that brings up another question. Should the tractor have turf tires to avoid ripping up the agility area? The 4110 with a possible HST tranny and mid-mount pto for mowing might work. Or, is putting on and removing a mid-mount mower on a weekly basis as big a pain as scratching fleas and ticks. Maybe a rear pto mower is the way to go. Remember, the area is only 70 ft. wide, and I'm trying to avoid having to buy a small riding mower. So far the prep work is (was) being done with my Polaris 500cc ATV with a “quadravator”, harrows mat etc.. Just about burned it up (the ATV that is) which brought up the whole need (want) for a tractor to begin with. Side note: I see the 4110 has a 540/1000 pto, the 4530 just 540. So, what implements do you need the 1000 speed for? Show of hands please.
There is another 1/2 acre out back, which my wife uses for training stock dogs and pasturing a small flock of sheep. This fall I plan to prepare this area for planting pasture and will likely have someone come in and hydro-seed it.
Then there is the “River Bottoms Farm” which is 11 1/2 acres and a few miles away. We've cleared about 7 acres of those (@#*#@%) lovely Russian Olive trees so far, using our backhoe. This brings up yet another question. We have a nice JCB 214 4wd backhoe so I really don't have a need for an FEL on the new tractor, except maybe to enhance possible resale value and a small amount of misc. usage. My local dealer does not even like to order in a tractor without a FEL. Usage at the bottoms will probably include ongoing discing, plowing… some sort of Russian Olive removal plan, along with grooming our stockdog trail arena. Those removed Russian Olive trees now sit in two separate house sized piles waiting for a
chipper (no burning allowed, dog-gone EPA).
My current utility trailer has two 3500 pound axles, so the 4530 will put me slightly overweight for hauling, unless (here we go again) I upgrade to a larger model trailer. Can you just see me wife rolling her eyes. Most hobbies have a price tag of say, a 500 dollar set of clubs or maybe even a 50 dollar pack and hammer for you rock hounders.
I was also going to mention the half section of recreational land 175 miles away where I have a couple of miles of ATV trails to groom, but it's up for sale now and that need will go away for now. We'll probably replace with more ground somewhere else.
Well, the dog's dancing around holding her bladder so I guess I better go for now. Aren't you glad you asked?
Bruce