Need Some Idea's Figuring Out What Equipment I Need.

[zzvyb6]

Before you drop a bunch of coin on a tractor mounted auger, if you can get by with 6" diameter holes, I highly recommend the powered auger sold at Harbor Freight for less than $200. I dug eight 2' holes for 4x4 posts in about 10 minutes in hard clay with that thing. Have also used it it for a flagpole project, and a lot of plantings. It's an excellent little machine, easily run by one person. Had been thinking I was going to buy a cat 1 auger, and very glad I didn't.

These work OK in soft sandy soil. If you hit a rock or a large stone, you are going to need 2 new shoulders. Been there. Only 1 shoulder was fixable. 45 ft-lbs of torque is restrained by YOU. Best fence procedure is to pull out the old stump, ream the hole and drop in a new one. Auger is flimsy, but for light work it's a good suggestion if it starts and the connection to the motor head doesn't crap out.

 

[Jchonline]

I知 kinda wondering if I might need some kind of side by side, she uses her gator as much as her truck. If I bought one I could probably drag the fields with it also. I don稚 know much about them. I think from my house to her barn area is 500 yards, I知 thinking something to jump in/on and be where I want to be in no time, I suppose an atv would work, just not as useful around the farm.

They are ridiculously expensive. Advantages are getting into/out of places that trucks cannot. If you dont have that issue a truck is a better value.

 

[atsah]

Before you drop a bunch of coin on a tractor mounted auger, if you can get by with 6" diameter holes, I highly recommend the powered auger sold at Harbor Freight for less than $200. I dug eight 2' holes for 4x4 posts in about 10 minutes in hard clay with that thing. Have also used it it for a flagpole project, and a lot of plantings. It's an excellent little machine, easily run by one person. Had been thinking I was going to buy a cat 1 auger, and very glad I didn't.

It would need to be on the tractor, I am confined to a wheelchair so no hand held for me.

 

[atsah]

I agree that the 3038 will be fine for the tractor needs of the horse property; it can handle round bales fine and can stack them 2 high for storage.

My question is, "how is the 26 acres divided up?" Other than an exercise yard, are there individual, smaller paddocks? Do they require daily cleaning (manure) or are the paddocks rotated so that they can be simply drag-harrowed after the horses have been shifted to the next paddock?

How are the horses fed? Daily rations? Rations + hay? If hay, is it a round bale or daily 'biscuits' from a square bale?

A friend of mine runs a thoroughbred/sporthorse agistment property (30+ horses and foals)... her main vehicle is a side-by-side.

There are many implements available for paddock management (smaller area) to be used with an ATV/UTV.

She feeds square bales, there are a few paddocks set up, weekly cleaning, she drags them.

 

[atsah]

They are ridiculously expensive. Advantages are getting into/out of places that trucks cannot. If you dont have that issue a truck is a better value.

I am confined to a wheelchair so the truck is out. The utv would be easy to get in and out of but I would need one with four seats so I can put my chair in the back seat. They are pretty costly.. It could be a very good tool for me though..

 

[mljenkins]

Sold my equipment up here, I will be moving to FL this summer, I will be helping to maintain a 26 acre horse farm, (my sisters place) across the street. All open grass land.

She has a 3038 that she bush hogs and drags fields with and it has a loader. She has a diesel Kubota zero turn.

My place will be a matter of mowing grass, about a 1 acre of grass and 3 acres of bush hogging field.

So I want to be able to help her out. She considered selling her place because it is to much for her to keep up but when I told her I am coming down and would help she decided to stay, (she knows I will do what I say I'm going to do) she is single and works hard, she loves her farm, I will be there all the time doing things to help.

No driveway maintenance at all. A ton of fencing though..

So we have a 3038 with a loader and bush hog, a Kubota zero turn and a Gator.

Give me some idea's that I might not be thinking about. Thanks in advance..

First off, congrats. My parents live near Ocala and the times I have visited I want to stay. We used to live around Jacksonville for around 4 years, two different times, when I was a kid. The only problems I recall were the summer heat and the constant rain. But that's much better than the winters up here IMO.

We are on our second farm, the first one we moved in around 2009, and we moved again 3 years ago. The first one we had a 30x40 building we turned into our horse barn, but had to clear and fence everything. The second place we are at now we cleared and built everything from ground up. I'm on my third tractor now. The first one was too small for our hills (Farmtrac Long 39HP), the second one I loved and wish I wouldn't have parted with (NH WM55), and the current one is a Kubota L6060HSTC with BH92 hoe. I needed a hoe for putting in drains and it was easier to finance it with the tractor.

All that being said, the most useful things I have had with the horse farm are pallet forks for transporting fence posts, rolls of fence, and a post auger for fence posts. In Florida, you might be able to get a fence driver if you have the budget or can find a good deal used. We used a hand auger at the first place and I could not get far with the number of posts required for good horse fence. I would swap the bucket to use it for tools when I was not transporting materials. So if you don't have to be concerned with theft in your area (hopefully), I would drop the materials through the week where I needed them and then load the bucket with tools and have the auger on to work the following days.

Now, we just recently (last year) purchased a Can-Am Defender HD10 DPS UTV. I wish I would have had it before. It is small, so we park it in our garage. When I am working, I leave the bed loaded with tools, and then out the next day to work with the same tools. I wish we would have had one long ago. For the horse farm, I would recommend thinking about the head rack and side/back racks so you can throw a lot of stuff in and not have to worry about strapping it down. That may come in useful for hay, although we don't transport hay with ours typically. The UTV is a game changer when working the farm because it saves a lot of steps when working not near the barn/house/shop. I used to use the tractor bucket, but the UTV can go so much faster so much smoother so you really speed up your maintenance operations. I would strongly consider one. You probably won't need a lot of power in one in Florida, heck most people just use golf-carts down there, which might get you by just as well (with a bed on the back) depending on the property. I wouldn't overbuy on this, but I would definitely consider something with a dump bed to help with maintenance. My wife especially loves it because she and my daughter can go back to the house and get stuff for me and then carry a ton of stuff back (without complaint, lol!).

I can't see needing a tractor larger than the JD 3038 for your property size as that is about the size of the first tractor I had. On the flat I would have had enough power to do everything I needed to do. The only exception is if you are limited on time and need a larger cutter to get mowing done faster.

At my parents place, my dad has like 2 acres he mows with a JD riding mower. I was thinking a 1023E with a midmount mower would be perfect for a small place like that. At least you would have options with the loader and/or backhoe if you were clearing property. I now understand why those smaller tractors sell so well in some areas. But since you have the 3038 available, personally I'd just use that when needed and stick to the mower for the grass. I agree with others sounds like you're well equipped when you get there, minus maybe the utility vehicle and some tractor attachments.

Good luck, I bet your sister will greatly appreciate the help. We only have 2 horses and still have a lot of woods that needs that needs cleared back to pasture (as it was 30 years ago) and then fencing, and it takes a lot of effort.

Matt

 

[mljenkins]

I am confined to a wheelchair so the truck is out. The utv would be easy to get in and out of but I would need one with four seats so I can put my chair in the back seat. They are pretty costly.. It could be a very good tool for me though..

A lot of the side by sides have flip up seats. In our can-am defender, the middle and passenger seat flip up. That was a huge selling point for me (plus it seats 3 comfortably in the front). Your wheelchair would likely fit in the front with the flip up seats if you are out by yourself. If you're with someone, then you could put it in the back. It would save some money vs getting a 4/6 seat model. Those are very expensive. Look around at different 2/3 seat models and see if that might work out as it may save you some money.

 

[atsah]

A lot of the side by sides have flip up seats. In our can-am defender, the middle and passenger seat flip up. That was a huge selling point for me (plus it seats 3 comfortably in the front). Your wheelchair would likely fit in the front with the flip up seats if you are out by yourself. If you're with someone, then you could put it in the back. It would save some money vs getting a 4/6 seat model. Those are very expensive. Look around at different 2/3 seat models and see if that might work out as it may save you some money.

Good point..

 

[Jchonline]

I am confined to a wheelchair so the truck is out. The utv would be easy to get in and out of but I would need one with four seats so I can put my chair in the back seat. They are pretty costly.. It could be a very good tool for me though..

Gotcha. I think Honda makes the 4 seater that you can fold down the back seats to make a bed if you need. That might work out really well if it is easily accessible from the drivers seat. Found it. The 1000-5. 219 Pioneer - Honda Powersports

 

[atsah]

Gotcha. I think Honda makes the 4 seater that you can fold down the back seats to make a bed if you need. That might work out really well if it is easily accessible from the drivers seat. Found it. The 1000-5. 219 Pioneer - Honda Powersports

I did look at those, maybe I can find a used one, 20 grand is out of the question. I do like Honda's..