Help Me Figure Out What Attachments I Need!

[Skyfair]

We just purchased a 50 acre property that cries out for a tractor and.... Gravel driveway is about 200 yds long and moderately steep end to end. Will plow in Winter and maintain in summer. Approximately 2 acres of lawn for finish mowing, another 2-3 acres of pasture that I plan to keep mowed at a higher cut, and back fields that will need cutting once or twice a summer to prevent brush and tree growth. While I wouldn't use it much, I might also need a post hole digger (rent?) to repair abundant fencing that needs attention. Loader will be very useful for moving gravel, cord wood, landscaping material, etc. I assume it is better first to determine what work I will need to do and then what attachments best meet my needs. Then I can make a better decision on the tractor.

Snow plow in front? Blade in rear? Rotary mower mid-way or in back? Land plane? The options are endless but my finance department says funding may not be. Having said that, I want to make the right investments. Thanks for your guidance!

 

[jeff9366]

1) Is the portion of your land that you will 'tractor' level or sloped? What about hills?

2) Are the two pasture parcels smooth or furrowed/rough?

3) Is all 50 acres tractor accessible, so the tractor will be selected on that basis?

Better a Zero Turn mower for your two acres of lawn, rather than a tractor. A big box store Zero Turn costs no more than tractor/mid-mount-mower (MMM) combination. The Zero Turn will give a better quality cut, faster, over smooth turf.


When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

 

[RalphVa]

Highly recommend a FEL. For your gravel and snow on driveway, a back blade is very useful. I have a back blade for snow. My neighbor uses his for his gravel driveway.

I'd rent the PHD and probably also a seeder if you ever need one.

For NH, you need either the plow in front or a blower. For there though, a plow in front and a rear blower might be the way to go if you don't mind looking and going backwards to blow snow. Or maybe the FEL and rear blower. This is what a friend in NW Va has had for years. I have the FEL and rear blade for here in central Va. Have had a couple years where a snow blower would have been nice because doing a lot of snow with the FEL and back blade takes some time.

Depending on size of your tractor, you'll want a 5 or 6 ft bush hog. I've only a 4 ft which is better for doing trails, which is mainly what I use mine for. Mowing the 1/2 acre around the house is done by self propelled walk behinds. I do one small field half way down the hill with the 4 ft hog.

If you have a lot of tree stuff to take care of, a wood chipper is very useful. I highly recommend the WM WC machines. Your property is big enough that you can probably make piles and burn. A grapple on the FEL would be useful for that.

Ralph

 

[Skyfair]

1) Is the portion of your land that you will 'tractor' level or sloped? What about hills?

2) Are the two pasture parcels smooth or furrowed/rough?

3) Is all 50 acres tractor accessible, so the tractor will be selected on that basis?

Better a Zero Turn mower for your two acres of lawn, rather than a tractor. A big box store Zero Turn costs no more than tractor/mid-mount-mower (MMM) combination. The Zero Turn will give a better quality cut, faster, over smooth turf.


When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

Most of the land that I plan to mow is sloped but not severe. It is generally smooth, having been mowed by the previous owner. Other than the acreage I described the remaining is wooded and not accessible, other than one old woods road. Thanks for your questions.

 

[jeff9366]

Approximately 2 acres of lawn for finish mowing, another 2-3 acres of pasture that I plan to keep mowed at a higher cut, and back fields that will need cutting once or twice a summer to prevent brush and tree growth.

Please clarify acreage of "back fields".

Are you residing on the property? Or will you access property mostly weekends?



As you plan to cut some acreage once or twice per summer you will need a tractor with 33 to 45 horsepower to spin a 60" wide or 72" wide Rotary Mower through tall grass and incipient brush rather than a tractor with <26 horsepower.

How may hours are you willing to spend mowing? Probable speed through tall grass 3 mph.

Mowing Calcuator | How many acres can I mow in an hour


Better a Zero Turn mower for your two acres of lawn, rather than a tractor. A big box store Zero Turn costs no more than tractor/mid-mount-mower (MMM) combination. The Zero Turn will give a better quality cut, faster, over smooth turf. The small wheels on a Zero turn limit its usefulness on land that is not smooth and lose grip on sloped land beyond a certain point.


When considering a tractor purchase bare tractor weight first, tractor horsepower second, rear axle width third, rear wheel/tire ballast fourth.

 

[jeff9366]

Snow plow in front? Blade in rear? Rotary mower mid-way or in back? Land plane? The options are endless but my finance department says funding may not be. Having said that, I want to make the right investments. Thanks for your guidance!

Gravel driveway maintenance: LAND PLANE and/or BOX BLADE.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=land+plane+or+box+blade+for+gravel+driveway


Gravel driveway snow: SSQA Snow Push Box if you have room to store snow.
For modest snow: Edge Tamers/Snow Edge attached to FEL bucket.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=TRACTOR+SNOW+BOX

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tractor+edge+tamer+

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ratchet+rake+snow+edge


Rotary mower mid-way or in back?

VIDEO: Comparing Finish Mowers (midmount VS 3-point) - Kubota B261 - YouTube

Finish Mower final drive is via rubber belts. Finish Mowers will not stand abuse.

Rotary Cutters / Bush Hogs are gear drive all the way.

 

[RjCorazza]

For a gravel driveway my implements of choice were a landscape take WITH gauge wheels, and a box blade. Land planes are also frequently recommended, but I have never used one.

For lawn and field mowing I have a used a heavy duty finish mower, but I can't let the rough areas get too high. I cut my property with a 6' then 7' Befco rfm for many years before getting a zero turn. The ZT makes much shorter work of my 6 acres, and leaves a better looking cut.

For snow, it really depends... I personally will not be without my fel, so I run a rear blade or blower on the back, and the bucket or ssqa blade on the front. I think for gravel you would be better off using a rear blade. My driveway is now paved, so the front blade works well.

The implement list can go on and on, but don't get a tractor without a front end loader with SSQA, and think real hard about front and rear hydraulics.
Happy shopping.

 

[BackRoad]

Do you have you any idea of a target budget? Most are very good at spending other people's money!

Mr. Jeff9366 has a well deserved reputation on TBN for using data and fact when recommending and sizing tractors and implements. I pay close attention when reading his thoughtful contributions.

Invest some time in review of the content he has provided, it will be educational.

Tractor's and implements are no different than hammers and saws. It's just a matter of deciding what YOU want to accomplish, then identifying the right tool to do it.

1. Suggest thinking through - - - and writing down - - - the work and improvements you want to accomplish on your property - - - then prioritize the ToDo list - - -

You can't do it all at once. So prioritization should help to sequence your implement purchases over time. The payback is providing additional time to search for good used hardware at lower cost.

2. What ever you decide, recommend thinking of the long-term when purchasing your tractor and implements.

If you plan on actively working and improving your ~50 acres (not just mowing), you'll likely benefit more from a small to mid size utility tractor rather than sub-compact or compact.

You will pay more for it, but your use - based on increased work able to be done in less time - is much higher. And larger tractors generally retain higher resale value over time.

3. Last point on implements - NEW hardware may be shiny...but look closely. It's not always as well built with weldments, weight and thickness as some of the older equipment.

 

[buck12]

My advice is to determine the work you plan to do ( things will come up that you never thought of after you buy a tractor), select the implements needed to do the work, then match a tractor to those implements.

 

[jeff9366]

Jeff9366 has a well deserved reputation on TBN for using data and fact when recommending and sizing tractors and implements. I pay close attention when reading his thoughtful contributions.

After ten years....... an accolade. How nice.