Getting started: 23 vs 30 HP

[riptides]

More than two machines.

I am doing 20 acres with a B7800 (30) hp, and multiple riders.

I had hoped on upgrading to a M, with cab.

Sorry but after one hour the sun, bugs and dust and general discomfort of the small frame will get to you.

The tractor is for the pastures, the riders are for the lawn. The operator is for everything including string trimming.

Good luck, IMHO, think bigger, and parcel your lot accordingly. Pasture, food plots, lawn.

 

[ByronBob]

I would go 30hp at a beginning. The B3030 really is a top notch model from Kubota. And it has a cab

 

[LBrown59]

I second the idea of two machines. I mow about two acres of lawn around the house and barn with an exmark ZTR mower and I have an L3830 with a 5 foot bushhog to do about 12 acres of pasture. I have industral tires on the tractor which I like when mowing the pasture, doing FEL work or plowing snow. That is another reason to consider seperate machines.
If you used R1's on the lawn with a finish mower you would probably rip up the turf. My L3830 has about 30 hp at the PTO and could run a 6ft bushhog probably as well. You would want at least a 6 foot mower for the pasture so that you could cut it in a reasonable amount of time. -
Mike

I don't see that as a problen with the smaller sub compacts and garden tractors.
My yard and BX23 with AGs get along just fine.

 

[canoetrpr]

I agree with the others.

• ZTR for the lawn.

• 30+ HP tractor (preferably with cab).
• Minimum what I would want here is what I currently have - L3400 with no cab. It will lift round bales with the 3PT.
• I'd much rather see you in a L4240 or up with a nice hefty loader and a nice cab.

 

[easygo]

Generally I advocate for smaller tractors but in your case I have to agree with the more HP crowd. If you (like most of us) can only afford one tractor get something in the 30hp range B7800/3030/ or one of the L series 2800/3400. Another option is that instead of spending the extra $$$ see if there is someone local you could hire to cut the pasture once a year and then the 2320 would handle the rest with ease. My neighbor cuts about 20 acres with a 5' bushog and he does it over 3-4 days. Work a few hours each morning and it is done for the year. He has a 27hp JD tractor that is a great match for every other task he does.

 

[canoetrpr]

I will respectfully disagree with easygo's suggestion. I'm in a similar situation to you - 1.5 acres or so of lawn and 15 or so of pasture. I've got a Husquvarana riding mower for the lawn and a L3400 for the rest of the farm.

If I were going to hire something out, I'd MUCH rather hire out the lawn cutting. Once you get a real tractor you will see how much more useful it is. A tractor will not only bush hog your pasture but will also be able to do a 100 other things with a FEL. BTW. Don't even think about getting one without a FEL.

While I find lawn cutting a real chore, I'm sure I'd enjoy it a heck of a a lot more if I was doing it from the seat of a B3030

 

[mcrame01]

I have 17.5 acres. About 2.5 acres of yard and the rest is pasture/trees. I only mow the lawn and not the pasture/tree areas (the deer like it thick). I recently purchased a B2320 and have been really happy with it. I would recommend it to anyone. The lack of position control is kind of a pain and it is a little loud, but all-in-all I'm pretty happy. I am a yard man myself. I enjoy taking my time mowing and enjoy looking at a nice clean cut yard. I was a little worried about using a tractor with MMM because of the size and didn't know how good the cut would be. I have been very happy with both. Other than mowing, I use mine for light FEL work and blading.

All that being said, if I were to mow any of my pasture I would immediately want to go to a bigger tractor. It would take forever to mow mine with a 4 ft. mower. The 23 horsepower is more than enough to do the things I do, but once you cross the mowing/light FEL threshold you need to look at two machines in my opinion. Right now my B2320 is great and does everything I need it to and will even mow pasture if I need to. On the other hand, if I ever start mowing my pasture I will immediately trade for a ZTR and tractor of at least 30hp. Like someone said though, it may be cheaper and easier to have someone mow the pasture for you now and again. In my case, I don't really want to give up garage space for two machines.

Like I said, if your situation is similar to mine, a B2320 will work great for you. If you want to do more, I would recommend two machines with the tractor being at least 30hp.

Note: I would not want a larger framed tractor for mowing my yard. A 3030 for example. Once again, that is just me.

Good luck.

 

[easygo]

Canoetrpr:

I thought I said the same thing you did. Get the bigger tractor (7800/3030/L2800/L3400) or you will have a very long beard by the time you are done cutting that 27 acres!!! Or hire it out. (That would be an option wouldn't it?!)

 

[canoetrpr]

easygo - definately an option. I missed the fact that you suggested a smaller tractor (assuming with an FEL) like the B2320 for the other tasks. I had a lawn tractor in mind which is no fun to drive compared to a SCUT.

Again, that said, I would much rather hire the lawn cutting out myself if I absolultely only wanted to do with one machine and get a larger machine with a larger loader etc. and do the pastures myself. With 20+ acres, stuff is bound to come up that the OP would prefer a bigger tractor / loader for.

 

[ihookem]

I have a Kubota 7510 and cut a 22 ac. parcel and it's a nightmare. I use the 60" mmm for the lawn and a 4' brush hog for the other 13 ac of weed,I really wish I had a 7800. For 2ac. of lawn, rotto tilling, and plowing snow it's good enough. If you are going to do this you better go with a 30 horse and a 5' hog at least.