I Have No Idea What I'm Talking About -- Do YOU?

[Silk Hope Soldier]

I've gotten a real kick out reading the posts on this forum; it's like learning a foreign language!

Buying a 100 acre farm -- it's only about 15% cleared with one 8 acre pasture
and about 7 acres around the 1920's restored farmhouse. Only about 40 acres is relatively flat, with the remainder rather hilly. I plan to clear about 20acres of land that was timbered about 7 years ago. I'm going to have cattle, horses and raise a little hay.

I plan to tree farm the remainder.

I like the 110 for its versatility--digging etc. , however Ive been advised to go with the 5425 with a cab. It's a beautiful machine, but for someone used to the "road feel" of a 110 type of machine, sitting inside the cab of the 5425 I felt so removed from the task at hand. It's like parking a caddy after driving a Subaru -- the loader seems a mile away! I operate the joy stick and I can see the loader move, but I can't feel it! Help!

 

[HappyCPE]

Yes, I prefer the open station on my 4320 rather than a cab. It makes me feel like I'm actually at the farm, and part of it, when I'm "working" outside.

At least, that's what I tell myself, plowing snow in the howling wind.

 

[jgrreed]

I like my 4720 open too, and never thought I'd want a cab, until last week when I plowed my first snow..... Now an upgrade to a cab machine is on the list, way down the list, but still on it.

Trust me, after spending hour upon hour in a 'non-caddie' style cab growing up, if you're going to do some actual field work get the comfy one with A/C, heat, stereo, sexy armrests and dash, etc. You won't regret it.

Also, be sure and consider what it'll take HP-wise to run your hay equipment (MoCo and Baler).

If you have more clearing to do, I'd strongly suggest hiring someone with a mulcher like the one below. My BIL owns a company that uses them. They are more expensive per hour than logging or a cat, but when your done your left with wood chips that quickly become compost rather than a huge pile of trees to burn & bury. If you get a big enough machine they can even get as deep as 6" down to get roots, etc. Check it out here, I love watching this thing work!!!:

Slasher | IronWolf | Construction Equipment and Attachments

Have fun with your new place!!

-Jer.

 

[Silk Hope Soldier]

Many Thanks to all!

I saw the Slasher Monster Land Clearing Rig -- now that's a big dog!

Which made me think I was crazy to try to clear 20 or so acres with a 110 -- or any conventional tractor. In my limited experience, at the end of the day, I find my self with a cleared plot, and a windrow of logs, branches, rocks and dirt.

I reckon I'll put out the word to these folks and see how much they charge to clear -- I heard 1300.00 / acre from someone about a year ago.

really wanted to do it myself and save money, but I'd rather have useable land afterwards!

 

[jeffster]

I just did 5 acres of my place and I wouldn't even consider it with the tractor unless you have no other choice. Granted I have some large fir trees, but after cutting them down to clear the house site and some open space, I can safely say it would have taken me FOREVER to do it in the tractor. I used our JD 550 dozer for most of the clearing and stump pulling work, as well as our old JD grapple skidder for some of the slash piling. The larger stumps, however, I had to borrow the neighbors JD 240 excavator he had on loan and even then it took about 45 minutes per large stump. For what its worth, my 3520 can't even push some of the larger logs, so for those I would have been completely out of luck unless I wanted to cut them. Couple of pics of the progress and toys...

 

[jgrreed]

I saw the Slasher Monster Land Clearing Rig -- now that's a big dog!

Ya, crazy isn't it??!!! Check out those vids!! It's gotta be one of the nastiest machines out there!!!

Chad's machine's (the FTX140's) bill out at about 300$ an hour (CDN), I think. They'll handle trees up to 6". Would be worth getting a quote from one of the biggies if there's someone close. 20 acres with one of the 140's would take a while. Ironwolf's head office would likely be able to tell you if there's another close by.

I remember as a kid at the farm my Grandpa would get a Cat in to clear bush, and that land wasn't usable for between 3 to 5 years after the machine left, and I'd bet the Wolf wouldn't cost much more.

I bet there's at least a few oilfield contractors that are low on work now that oil is under 50$ a barrel. Maybe they'd even lower there prices accordingly??

-Jer.

 

[CurlyDave]

If you are going to farm and use a 3 point hitch implements more than just a little bit, a tractor is better than a 110 TLB.

If you are going to dig, make roads, that kind of stuff, the 110 beats a tractor.

 

[mjncad]

Personally I'm tired of eating wind blown dirt when using the loader, so I want a cab.

 

[AKfish]

Hay, cattle, horses on 40 acres? If you have the budget for a 5425... what're ya waitin' for?

You'll "adapt" very quickly to that cab... and the work won't seem "removed" at ALL!

If you're on a timeline and want/need to get those acres into production -- either hire it done or rent an excavator and dozer and start "smashin' and bashin'"!!

If you want to do the work yourself --- get insurance on the rental equipment. I just paid $150 to fix a busted hydraulic line on the excavator I was renting to clear trees on my place. And I can tell you... I got very lucky on more than a few occasions! Seriously greatful that I didn't have to replace a window or two and that the limbs that crashed down on the hand rails along the cab didn't break 'em or bend 'em so far out of shape that they needed to be replaced!

Many of the mulching projects that have been discussed here on TBN don't include dealing with the stumps and all the buried roots, etc. As mentioned, there are mulchers that can work all the stumps into the soil - but it takes some serious HP!

Best of luck.

AKfish

 

[LBrown59]

Yes, I prefer the open station on my 4320 rather than a cab. It makes me feel like I'm actually at the farm, and part of it, when I'm "working" outside.

At least, that's what I tell myself, plowing snow in the howling wind.

But not very convincing is it.

L . B .