Need sizing and recommendations - 51 acres

[dog13]

Thanks Everyone! The input has been very helpful. Looking a bit more at the new vs used -- While i feel good about keeping an older machine running (and think it would be somewhat fun too) the problem is the distance. It hit me when swapping out a motor mount on my daughter's car that my tools would be at my current house for the next few years while we get ready to start construction. I can certainly pack up the necessary tools for PMs and small maintenance, but the tool chest is definitely not portable nor is the air compressor and it's a few hours drive so not easy to go run and get what is needed while work is underway.

As for how often I'm planning to cut the 45 acres - I'm not sure yet, we bought it at the beginning of December so i don't have a feel for how fast things will grow. The property will be our weekend destination as we get things ready for the cabin construction so mowing monthly would be do-able but not sure if that would be necessary or if it would be overkill at this point.

Budget wise i haven't fixed a single number. If it costs more than i'd like it pushes out the timeline for other purchases as i'd rather take that approach than risk going too small. At this point i'd like to keep the package under 40k for a tractor with SSQA loader, rotary cutter, road grader/land plane, trailer, and if the budget permitted adding in a grapple and maybe the backhoe. Eventually i'd like to add forks and a post hole digger, but those wouldn't necessarily be day one.

Thanks
Al

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I am fortunate to have 2 tractors. I would recommend at least 85-100 hp if you want to pull a 12' cutter or even more HP. Don't limit yourself, but "utility' is the key word for the work machine you want.

I would shy away from 2WD unless your land is totally dry and no wet spots. 2WD limits how well you can work a FEL.

A lot of good advice. Another suggestion is to look at how much time you have available. You can mow it all with a weed eater if you have enough time.

 

[ovrszd]

I think you need to start with the cheapest HP you can find that will do the tasks at a minimum pace. After all, you have purchased less than 50 acres. There are posts in this thread that suggest you buy $50K of equipment. Do not do this. Calm down. Spend $4-5K on tractor and necessary equipment to get you started. Then expand as you see the need.

We here are always eager to encourage the spending of money, especially when it's not ours.

 

[ovrszd]

Oooppss, sorry, welcome to TBN!!!!

 

[rustyshakelford]

Thanks Everyone! The input has been very helpful. Looking a bit more at the new vs used -- While i feel good about keeping an older machine running (and think it would be somewhat fun too) the problem is the distance. It hit me when swapping out a motor mount on my daughter's car that my tools would be at my current house for the next few years while we get ready to start construction. I can certainly pack up the necessary tools for PMs and small maintenance, but the tool chest is definitely not portable nor is the air compressor and it's a few hours drive so not easy to go run and get what is needed while work is underway.

As for how often I'm planning to cut the 45 acres - I'm not sure yet, we bought it at the beginning of December so i don't have a feel for how fast things will grow. The property will be our weekend destination as we get things ready for the cabin construction so mowing monthly would be do-able but not sure if that would be necessary or if it would be overkill at this point.

Budget wise i haven't fixed a single number. If it costs more than i'd like it pushes out the timeline for other purchases as i'd rather take that approach than risk going too small. At this point i'd like to keep the package under 40k for a tractor with SSQA loader, rotary cutter, road grader/land plane, trailer, and if the budget permitted adding in a grapple and maybe the backhoe. Eventually i'd like to add forks and a post hole digger, but those wouldn't necessarily be day one.

Thanks
Al

My neighbor has 25 acres and a 70hp mahindra with cab and 7’ cutter. They come up on saturday. It’s the dad and his daughter and her family pretty consistent. They would have to just about mow every time they come for several hours just maybe keep up with it. Have you considered hiring a neighbor until you can figure out exactly what you want. I can assure you it’ll be much cheaper it have someone else do it 4 times while you shop.

I take care of their place so they can enjoy it now. Since they are so close and great people I only charge $20 per acre. That’s 460 each time I cut their 23acres. That’s 4 times a year for a place that looks great. Might work till you know what you want or can gauge how much time in the seat it’ll take to mow with a smaller shredder. It gets boring real fast

Brett

 

[plowhog]

We are in different terrains and climates, but your needs sound similar to mine. Pasture cutting, driveway maintenance, and woods with trees to manage.

I purchased a Massey Ferguson 1758 cab model for this property. The '58' in the model is the horsepower- 58 hp. That tractor seems about right with power and capability, although I'm sure I have only scratched the surface on what it can do. I am a fairly new operator and am still learning. It has +/- 45 PTO horsepower. I've been using a Woods 8' dual spindle rotary cutter behind it with no issues. Some here felt I would need more PTO horsepower for an 8 foot cutter but it has operated flawlessly. And I have a box scraper, landscape rake with flip down blade option, and grapple. All around, that combo can do quite a few things.

I am considering Jeff's suggestion about the middle buster. For not much $$, adding that seems to add a lot of utility.

All in all, I've been very pleased with the MF1758 for my size property. It has performed well.

 

[cphilip]

You can pretty much offer it out to be cut for hay and eliminate that chore. Almost always someone looking for a hay field. Your getting it cut two or three times a year for free.

Then you can just get a larger CUT for everything else you need to do and save a lot of money on implements and initial cost.

 

[RSKY]

I think you need to start with the cheapest HP you can find that will do the tasks at a minimum pace. After all, you have purchased less than 50 acres. There are posts in this thread that suggest you buy $50K of equipment. Do not do this. Calm down. Spend $4-5K on tractor and necessary equipment to get you started. Then expand as you see the need.

We here are always eager to encourage the spending of money, especially when it's not ours.

Good advice!

You could spend the money on a massive 100+hp with a heavy duty 21' batwing cutter. But why? You would have all that money tied up sitting there as a field ornament. Of course you could get your 45 acres mowed in a day but once again you would have a ton of money tied up that you couldn't use for anything else like building a house.

When I was a teen we row cropped about eighty acres and cared for another fifty acres of pasture with a 52-hp 2wd Ford. Which my mother still owns. Before that we used a 45-hp 2wd gas burner. The point I'm trying to make is 'don't tie up money in equipment you don't need if you might need that money elsewhere'.

You can mow that 45 acres once a year and keep it under control. I mowed 24 acres this year, well last year now, and some of it hadn't been touched in two years and it was rough. It took me two days with about a half day of that in low range knocking trees over and chopping them up. If the land is cleared and not overgrown you can mow your 45 in three good days with a 50-hp and 6-7' mower. Drop down to a 30-hp and a 5' or 6' cutter and you are adding an extra day or so to your mowing time.

Get a front end loader when you purchase your tractor. Handiest tool you will ever have. Do not get an older Ford gas burner. They are wonderful tractors designed to pull ground engaging implements in a straight line. Most people I know who have them wash, wax, and start them once a year or so.

And remember to leave room in your budget for implements. Without them a tractor is a field ornament.

RSKY

 

[bspeedy]

I'd suggest spending 12-15 grand on a good used 40-ish hp 4wd tractor with FEL and 6-foot cutter. $40K is a LOT to spend on something for a weekend place. I presume that the machinery will live outside for a while, so it doesn't make sense to get shiny new. Also, you said you have a Cummins truck, so the addition of a 10 or 12k trailer will allow you to haul the tractor home if it needs any work done (which it probably won't). This size and price tractor will allow you get in and get your feet wet without spending a bundle. Also, it will be a handy second tractor or 'general use' tractor if / when you decide to upgrade.

Here's a question for anyone on here (and the OP). If you have open pasture and no use for this open pasture, why cut it? Why not plant it with pines or let it go into woods or something else? I have the same size acreage as the OP except it is all woods except for our trails and lawn area. No long days spent cutting a pasture for no reason.