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.

 

[jake98]

If you are ging for chuckles.. do some land clearing with a minscule tractor.. it won't be easy... QUOTE=jake98;1537521]pps you don't even HAVE any dirt in FLA, I lived in Longwood and Homestead.

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]

what question? looking 4 smily face...
Jake

ps: that's not really the soundman's quote, tricknology was in play there.

 

[jake98]

My 25 hp worked for me again all day. Took the grapple off and it's like a sports car tractor now. Splitting wood I actually moved it about 100 feet, all afternoon, and it saved my back. The difference between picking 90 pieces of wood off the ground and taking them out of the raised bucket is significant to say it mildly. Not to mention bringing the rounds to the splitter. I'm happy, no question. Jake

 

[jake98]

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

No doubt.

 

[jake98]

DON"T GO INTO DEBT!

"nother 'no doubt'

that is how you spell doubt, rite? reads kinda like debit..doubit, dobedobe bba b ah

 

[PA hayseed]

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OP - I agree with what some others have said, base your tractor purchase on what you will spend the majority of your time doing. It is much more cost efficient, and better time managment to hire some jobs out. An example in my case - I needed some trenches dug, several actually (for water, sewer, french drain, separate power line to my pole building, etc) I could have bought a backhoe for about 4500, but I paid a guy who did them all in two days for about 350. Now, I would always have a backho if I bought one, and I could have used it to do all that work and some future stuff, but I wouldn't have been able to do the work I was doing while the excavator was digging my trenches. Just a thought. Hope you find the right tractor for your needs.

 

[sandman2234]

I don't own a lot of property, don't do any major haying operations, or use my tractor to maintain much, other than sometimes doing a little woods clearing up at the church.
I used to own a Ford 1100 which is a little subcompact tractor. I went from that to a 70 hp JD and have never regretted spending the money. (used, $3500) The list of things I can do with the much larger tractor so much easier just keeps getting longer every day.
The only thing about the larger tractor, is it doesn't like the lightweight implements I own from the little Ford's days. I just keep tearing them up (class I) and repairing them, when I need to spend a few dollars and buy some class II stuff.(which isn't cheap!)
Most people are happy with their tractors, but if they tried something with a little bit more horsepower, they might not be as content. Time is the only thing we have, and more horsepower won't create it, but it comes real close.
David from jax

 

[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.

Still.. makng a price comparison for add-on work, vs new contract is a bit misleading... many would jump on 500$ work.. but may think twice about 1000 or more $$ work.

still.. if it's an option.. it's a good one to exercise.. and yes.. lndclearing is hard on machines..

soundguy

 

[jake98]

I don't own a lot of property, don't do any major haying operations, or use my tractor to maintain much, The only thing about the larger tractor, is it doesn't like the lightweight implements Most people are happy with their tractors, but if they tried something with a little bit more horsepower, they might not be as content. (HUH? ) Time is the only thing we have, (?? again....?) and more horsepower won't create it, but it comes real close.
David from jax

I BEG to DISAGREE, actually I only beg my wife and god...But You gotta be kidding.

my parenthesies were left where they laid on that one... wake me up when we get to....I'm getting yelled at now.. how about everybody that's glad they didn't get 'more heavier 'iron' , I'm standing here waveing my arms... for you's, not in defense...

 

[sandman2234]

I BEG to DISAGREE, actually I only beg my wife and god and the devil and anybody else that I care to...But You gotta love big iron.

my parenthesies were left where they laid on that one... wake me up when we get to talk about big iron.... how about everybody that's glad they got 'more heavier 'iron' , I'm standing here waveing my arms... for you's, not in defense...

First time I have ever done this, but maybe some of you that are in the habit of changing somebody else's words by adding things to their "quotes" will understand that when you quote a man's words, don't add or adjust his saying. If you quote me, then quote me but don't edit my words. Say anything you want ABOUT what I say, but when it says QUOTE, that mean just that.
Back to the regularly scheduled program

I kept the Ford 1100 for almost a year after I purchased the Ford 1100, and almost never got on it, as most of the stuff I do was easier to do with the bigger tractor. The one drawback of the larger tractor is when I have to transport it, it becomes a handful! For someone who is planning on doing as much work as the OP, getting too small of a tractor would be detrimental.

David from jax

 

[jake98]

First time I have ever done this, but maybe some of you that are in the habit of changing somebody else's words by adding things to their "quotes" will understand that when you quote a man's words, don't add or adjust his saying. If you quote me, then quote me but don't edit my words. Say anything you want ABOUT what I say, but when it says QUOTE, that mean just that.
Back to the regularly scheduled program

I kept the Ford 1100 for almost a year after I purchased the Ford 1100, and almost never got on it, as most of the stuff I do was easier to do with the bigger tractor. The one drawback of the larger tractor is when I have to transport it, it becomes a handful! For someone who is planning on doing as much work as the OP, getting too small of a tractor would be detrimental.

David from jax

I agree w/david 100% on the quoting issue. Was surprised I could actually change someone's quote when I did it last night with soundman's quote, (first by accident). It amused me so I left it, but I would think a good programmer would set up a mechanism to not allow that kind of trickery. I guess they just leave it up to us to act in a mature manner...
big mistake, huh?