Need some straight advise

[Soundguy]

ps why are you cutting pasture anyway? aren't the animals supposed to graze in the pasture?

Weed management.. many animals won't eat the weeds.. thus you have to cut them to cut back / prevent propogation from seeding.

soundguy

 

[sellercreek]

Hello Everyone,

Newbie here that could really use some straight advice. i have 63 acres in southeastern WV. The terrain ranges from some flat to ridges with 2 to 7 percent incline. I have several issues that need addressed. 1/2 mile long driveway, most of the land needs cleared or cleaned up to start a small cattle farm. Would like to plow some of it for garden area.Most of the trees that need removed are the old bull (yellow) pine. I am sold on the Mahindra tractor and thought I the size nailed down to fit my need until I spoke with a couple dealers in my area. I was looking at the 4530 4WD with FEL and 509 BH. They (the dealers) told me that the 4530 seemed to be underpowered for my area and needs and advised me to look at the 5530 or 6530 4WD instead. I appreciate their wanting to move in-stock units but I am equally concerned about having to much power as well as not enough. I have been away from farming for several years and much has changed with tractors. When I left the business for the navy I was operating the old 8N and 2000 gas models. any advice you could give will be greatly appreciated. i am looking to buy around spring.

Thanks in advance

Hope you have received what you needed and good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

[Soundguy]

Well I tried to get a chuckle out of you ....
Don't get snippy, I'm just trying to keep a stupid thread going, for crying out loud.
Jake.

If you are ging for chuckles.. how about toss in a smiley face or two. otherwise it's hard to determine your tone.

ps this ain't about big iron either..

land clearing and hay making? It ain't about small iron.. While yo can do some land clearing with a minscule tractor.. it won't be easy... when it comes to hay... you really. really want a utility tractor .. not a scut or cut..

QUOTE=jake98;1537521]pps you don't even HAVE any dirt in FLA, I lived in Longwood and Homestead.[/QUOTE]

dirt? sure we do the gc i work for has run 2 mines for years.. before the economy tanked we were selling on average 5000 - 8000cy a month

soundguy

 

[jake98]

Weed management.. many animals won't eat the weeds.. thus you have to cut them to cut back / prevent propogation from seeding.

soundguy

I owe you one now, never would have thought of that. Jake

 

[pitt_md]

As I understand things from the OP most of the land will have to be cleared/cleaned up. Please trust me on this, and don't buy your tractor based on land clearing. You can hire it done and save a lot of money. I had two long (1/2 mile) over grown fence lines that I was trying to take care of and I wasted a bunch of time and energy. I hired an excavator to clear the land. In one afternoon it was all done. Walnut and elm trees many with over 24" dia. stumps were put in a pile next to the woods. The land was ready to do what I wanted to do. All that for $500. You will waste so much time and money doing that much yourself.

About the haying operation, take SoundGuy's advice and go bigger. I have a 50hp machine and only 30 acres. Your going to want a bigger machine with AG tires. Look at the 70hp range. Your have and will hear of guys doing more with less. The thing is that you will have a lot of other things that have to be done when you have horses/cattle and you can't spend your time dinking around with a little machine. After all catching bass takes time too!

 

[Soundguy]

You got a good deal... around here, trip haul is 250$ and rental for the excavator is 250, and a days labror rate for the operator is about 200$... sometmes they hit you with fuel charges too... that job here may have been near 1000$ easy..

soundguy

 

[jake98]

dirt? sure we do the gc i work for has run 2 mines for years.. before the economy tanked we were selling on average 5000 - 8000cy a month

soundguy[/QUOTE]

Now you gotta be pullin my leg... the dirt is so scarce they mine it like gold or diamonds? I knew it was bad but not like that...

 

[Soundguy]

Is that a real question??

soundguy

 

[HarryVanderpool]

The question, "What tractor do I need" is a real toughy.
I worked on a dairy in the early 70s while in high school that had a Ford 8N that was the sole tractor on the 105 acres until right before I worked there.
Maybe a year or two before I worked there they purchaced a new tractor that lookes alot like Soundguy's but for sure smaller.
The 8N continued to do much of the work.
Later on in my life, I purchaces a Ford 2N and it hads done everything asked of it on our 15 acres.
Plowing, discing, harrowing, mowing, blading the drive, post hole drilling, etc.....
A lot of times, what we "need" and what we "think we need" are worlds apart.
DON"T GO INTO DEBT!

 

[pitt_md]

You got a good deal... around here, trip haul is 250$ and rental for the excavator is 250, and a days labror rate for the operator is about 200$... sometmes they hit you with fuel charges too... that job here may have been near 1000$ easy..

soundguy

The crew/equipment was already here digging a hole to bury my old house and also doing the excavation for my new house.

I still believe that it would be money well spent to hire it done. A big dozer can make quick work out of big stumps that would destroy a smaller TLB.