Anyone who says that 65 hp isn't enough for "serious farming" has a very narrow view of farming operations. There are many, many serious farming operations in this area and the largest hp tractor is 40 - 45. These are cattle/hay/tobacco farms. I would qualify them as "serious farmers" because farming is their only income (no secondary jobs - just farming). Of course a 65 hp couldn't pull a huge ripper or chisel plow or pulverizer, but is can pull a 9 or 10 foot disc all day, getting tobacco and hay fields ready. It can handle a discbine/discmower, rake, and square baler (just this weekend, my neighbor with a Mahindra 4110 used a disc mower, cut, raked and baled about 10 acres - obviously this is not a large spread, but was accomplished quite handily.
Of course, we should also remember that earlier in the century, the lions share of farming was on small farms with 25 hp tractors. To condemn a tractor as being incapable of "serious farming" based on hp isn't entirely fair. The entire scope of the farming operation must be taken into consideration. Me - I'm a play farmer - I've got a real job to support my farming habit. However, I do tip my had to the folks that make their living soley from the fields.
