Buying Advice I just signed the paper on a house with 14+ acres, need advice

[vanguard]

I think a natural field of grasses and wild flowers is prettier and more conducive to wildlife, butterflies etc. Why make a 14 acre lawn? It just creates more work and more expense. Therefore I would get a 30 to 45 horse tractor ( any of the name brands) with a FEL, and then start with a good 72" rotary cutter like a Woods BB 72.

This lines up with my current mindset. I think part of the issue is the terms I've been using. To be it's either "yard/lawn" or "woods". I've never had a pasture/field/etc. before.

I intend to keep a few acres around the house nice and the rest will take care of itself depending on what we grow to prefer. I will avoid the manpower white elephant of a 14 acres golf course.

So yeah, a tractor between 35 and 45 hp with a FEL and a 72" ztr mower should hit the spot. Anybody have an extra $35,000 they don't need?

 

[jeff9366]

Once you start playing with the tractor the $12.00 per operating hour it will depreciate will seem like cheap entertainment.

You will eagerly await wifie's next visit to her sister (mother),
out of town, so you can schedule another implement delivery on the sly.

You family will be amazed when you forsake Saturday-Sunday-Monday TV football for more tractor time.

Don't talk to your tractor, where anyone can hear, the first year.

 

[HCJtractor]

This lines up with my current mindset. I think part of the issue is the terms I've been using. To be it's either "yard/lawn" or "woods". I've never had a pasture/field/etc. before. I intend to keep a few acres around the house nice and the rest will take care of itself depending on what we grow to prefer. I will avoid the manpower white elephant of a 14 acres golf course. So yeah, a tractor between 35 and 45 hp with a FEL and a 72" ztr mower should hit the spot. Anybody have an extra $35,000 they don't need?

Consider it a gift to yourself! But you should be able to achieve what you need for way less. For example here are two in my area.







Then get a cheap riding lawn mower and a rotary cutter for $1500 ish. The other things can be used.

 

[grainger12002]

awesome home\farm purchase Vanguard !! Hope all goes as planned, good used ag tractor w loader sounds like a plan,can do a lot of work, then if you decide on something else you can usually get your money back out of it !! Need some pics when you have a chance !!!!!


From CT

 

[okfirefighter55]

Congratulations on your land, 3 years ago I purchased 10 acres and built a house on it, I retired from the military with 23 years, and then retired from the fire dept after 20 years, my dream was to live out in the country and have some land, I did some work on a farm when I was a teen (Long time ago). I had alot of clearing of trees and the soil is the same here as it is in NC, I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, real sandy soil, after researching prices of tractors and warranties, I purchased a GC 1710 Massey Ferguson tractor, 3 cyl diesel with 29 hp it came with a trailer and brush hog and front end bucket as a package. I learned everything by trial and error, research and friends who are farmers. Ok down to the nut cutting, I used the brush hog once and that was to clear the pasture/yard because this land was vacant for 21 years, it did a great job, but I dont use it anymore, I purchased a used finish mower and use it all the time for mowing, its a better deal and value to have a tractor and finish mower, than to have a tractor and then purchase a zero turn mower, I already had a riding lawn mower, but the tractor can get into the tight places as well as the riding mower, and really only leaves tire trails (no ruts). My brush hog is really a waste, not that's its not good, but I have only used it once. If you stay on top of pasture/land/yard the finish mower cuts just like a riding mower, I get a nice cut, even when I have waited a bit too long between mowing. My tractor is considered a sub-compact, it has a three point hook-up and can use any implements that rate a cat 1 or 2, I have cleared approx 2 1/2 acres of trees and then pulled the stumps with the tractor, its perfect for residential and some commercial use. In my opinion for the price and use this was the way to go for me, its big enough to do any work I have put it through, ground leveling, stump pulling, dirt and gravel trenching, mowing. It has a 6.6 gal tank, I have used it from day light to dusk for a week straight and only then had to fill it up. I would recommend a sub-compact tractor with a 3 point mower (there is and option for a drive over mower deck) and definitely a front end loader/bucket, if I would of had the option I would have purchased it with a finish mower rather than a brush hog. I hope this helps good luck.