New here and in the market.

   / New here and in the market. #32  
Vineyard Dave, you even spelled it correctly, kind of an ugly dog if you ask me. When I went to SIU, graduated in 1984, we always used to beat up ISU in football. Currently I live in Macomb, which is the home to WIU.

Good luck with the tractor search and the vineyard. Sounds like a fun project.
 
   / New here and in the market. #35  
Welcome to the forum.
My past experience (lifelong and now retired) as a gardener tells me that the branson you are looking at is too much machine for the job you have described. You would do very well with 25-30hp. It will get your job done and then some. AND cost less store more easily ,cost less to run parts will be less etc etc.
Good luck Mike
 
   / New here and in the market. #36  
Are you referring to me? You can get narrow orchard/vineyard tractors that are under 60" outside width up to 95 hp if my memory is working.

Kubota also has narrow tractors that are 48" to just under 60" and are utility tractors with a lot more hp then the 18hp tractor you listed. The Power Krawler is a narrow tractor designed for vineyards and orchards.

Ya, I know they have a lot more tractors than I listed.:rolleyes:
 
   / New here and in the market. #37  
Welcome to the forum.
My past experience (lifelong and now retired) as a gardener tells me that the branson you are looking at is too much machine for the job you have described. You would do very well with 25-30hp. It will get your job done and then some. AND cost less store more easily ,cost less to run parts will be less etc etc.
Good luck Mike

Maybe, but as I said earlier there is a smaller frame line of Branson as well.
Don't be too sure about parts costs.
Attachments for SURE are often the other way around, which I have been told is due to "homeowner mark-up" on the smaller/lighter ones being a lot more than "Ag mark-up" on the larger/heftier ones.
Any Cat 0 owners care to comment on this ?
The homeowner line is likely more fragile, less repairable, more "disposable", etc., so even in the short and mid term more expensive.
 
   / New here and in the market.
  • Thread Starter
#38  
Hey everyone, thanks again for all the great feedback and information. This place is a wealth of experience and knowledge, thank you.

I have yet to hear anything from Branson with regards to a cab being available for the 4720. Guess I'll shoot them another E-mail.

Upon reviewing all of your great nuggets of wisdom, I thin I'll start out with a very much wider row spacing, probably 12 feet (or more). That should help out tremendously with root compaction and down the road I could effectively double my production per acer if I added additional rows between existing rows (6 foot spacing) if it's deemed necessary (doubtful). But, once I get back in the area and have a chance to talk with other vintners in the region and the local extension, I'll have a much better handle on what direction to take.

Thanks again, didin't mean to ressurect an old dead thread but just wanted to update everyone.

Thanks Again..

Vineyard Dave.
 
   / New here and in the market. #39  
If you go with 6' rows in the future you will never get anything more then a riding lawn mower down through them when the vines are growing. Go with 10' spacing, it gives you plenty of room for a 5-6' wide tractor and implements but isn't so wide your wasting space. My rows are 9' and I can only get a 5' wide tractor and implement through them with the vines growing.
 
   / New here and in the market. #40  
Lots of opinions here based on little experience, so why shouldn't I chime in.......based on 2 years of investigation of vineyards in WI/MN

More than a couple acres, you need a tractor to power the sprayer; you need 35+ HP. It's not Cal-E-Forn-Yah, so you will spray far more.........like 5-7X/year. 3 years partial harvest, 8 year payback minimum unless you are already a farmer. As I remember, 10 acres is a full time job, and more. Learn to like winter as your summers are too busy for leisure. Wineries claim they want your grapes; don't plant til you have an agreement/contract.

Midwest wineries are about entertainment, as the quality of wine they sell today can be bought for 1/2 the price at your local liquor store. Location, location, location; music, food, fun......wineries are not ag businesses, they are party places. The tractor choice for a vineyard is a minor issue until you have a market...find a home for the grapes before you plant; you are not early to the market.

It's still possible to make it as a vineyard in the Midwest, but you can probably make the same $$ by sitting on your butt and buying bonds.
 

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