Need to learn about beginner tractor user

vivancoj · Jul 3, 2012

I hope everyone who sent me advise can/could read this answer.
I thank you all for your sound advise. I am a third year beekeeper and as a fairly new beekeeper I seek advise from the ones that have been keeping bees for a long time. You ladies and gentlemen sound like old beekeepers. Everyone has his/her own opinion. I benefit from the advise for I listen and analyze all then try to formulate a hybrid answer to the question.
Gary Fowler's advise for example while it is a sound advise I think that in my case a 35 HP tractor may be a bit too big for my needs.
EE Bota's advise is great, my son Javier would love his advise for since I am 74 years old he thinks I am reaching the end of the rope and wants to spend more time with us. He also suggests to look at Craigslist, I have followed his advise and when I go to bed I see tractors all over my dreams.
Leonz's advise on the other hand appears to come from a very pragmatic man. I can find no holes in his advise (I wont tell my wife for then, she would say: "this man is right, don't spend the money on a tractor."
EE Bota came back with advise on a BCS throwing me a curve for now I have to start researching what is a BCS.
Joshua Hardwell got my attention, I would give him a medal for his words..."the downside is that you don't get to own a tractor."
Joein TX really hit it in the nail with "if you're retired and doing the work yourself is just part of the experience, tally ho."
To all of you, many thanks, you have given me lots of information that I will try to use wisely.

José

Don87 · Jul 3, 2012

vivancoj said:
I hope everyone who sent me advise can/could read this answer.
I thank you all for your sound advise. I am a third year beekeeper and as a fairly new beekeeper I seek advise from the ones that have been keeping bees for a long time. You ladies and gentlemen sound like old beekeepers. Everyone has his/her own opinion. I benefit from the advise for I listen and analyze all then try to formulate a hybrid answer to the question.
Gary Fowler's advise for example while it is a sound advise I think that in my case a 35 HP tractor may be a bit too big for my needs.
EE Bota's advise is great, my son Javier would love his advise for since I am 74 years old he thinks I am reaching the end of the rope and wants to spend more time with us. He also suggests to look at Craigslist, I have followed his advise and when I go to bed I see tractors all over my dreams.
Leonz's advise on the other hand appears to come from a very pragmatic man. I can find no holes in his advise (I wont tell my wife for then, she would say: "this man is right, don't spend the money on a tractor."
EE Bota came back with advise on a BCS throwing me a curve for now I have to start researching what is a BCS.
Joshua Hardwell got my attention, I would give him a medal for his words..."the downside is that you don't get to own a tractor."
Joein TX really hit it in the nail with "if you're retired and doing the work yourself is just part of the experience, tally ho."
To all of you, many thanks, you have given me lots of information that I will try to use wisely.
José¥‰/QUOTE]

Don't necessarily give up on the tractor idea. Altough I agree that hiring the clearing out would be a great idea, buying a small compact tractor, or a subcompact tractor would keep you in the tractor world.
Something like the B series Kubota, or a 1600 series Massey, would do all you ever need.

EDIT: I love my subcompact GC 2400, but the ground clearance requires manual cultivating of a garden..............unless you just cover the ground with straw like I have( no weeding, and less watering).

vivancoj · Jul 3, 2012

Thanks Don. What is the brand name for the GC2400? Which one is smaller, the compact or the subcompact......I get confused with these terms.
José

vivancoj · Jul 3, 2012

Got it, the MF is Massey Fergurson.

Don87 · Jul 3, 2012

vivancoj said:
Thanks Don. What is the brand name for the GC2400? Which one is smaller, the compact or the subcompact......I get confused with these terms.
José

The subcompact is smaller than the compact. The GC2400 is a subcompact, as well as the Kubota BX series. The MF 1600 series, and the B series Kubotas are considered compacts. My GC2400 will mow, till, plow ground or snow, snowblow.............it will do most of what a larger framed tractor will do, just not as quickly, and my ground clearance is about 6 inches. Kinda like a large garden tractor...........only a lot more powerful with a 3pt. hitch. I use a 4 ft; tiller behind mine..........and it is available with a front end loader which i think you should consider akso.

flusher · Jul 3, 2012

Get yourself a B-series Kubota with FEL. My first tractor was a new 2005 Kubota B7510HST with the LA302 FEL (4-ft wide bucket). Bought it new for $12600. You could find one of these for $7K or so now. I used in on my 10-acre place (flat pasture).

joshuabardwell · Jul 3, 2012

vivancoj said:
I have followed his advise and when I go to bed I see tractors all over my dreams.

Well, I have been there, and if you are anything like me, you need to buy a tractor, or you are never going to scratch that itch. But do seriously consider the advice of people who recommend doing the initial clearing/grading with a bulldozer. I have seen so many stories on TBN from folks who spent days or weeks poking at a job like that, only to finally break down and have it done in an afternoon by someone with a dozer. You may even come out ahead financially, once you figure in all the fuel and maintenance costs for the tractor. If you absolutely love seat time, go ahead and do it yourself, but my perspective is that there are always more jobs for me to do with the tractor, and there are probably things I would enjoy doing more than picking out trees one at a time.