Buying Advice Recommendations for 40 acre vineyard

[VineO]

Hello -

Just joined the community and looks like lots of great advice here. I just purchased 44 acres that I will be using for a vineyard. I will probably start with 2-3 acres but plan to eventually plant 30 or so. My research has led me to believe I am looking for a 50-75 HP tractor. I am looking for a good, sealed, filtered cab with AC as I will be spraying and working in the Texas heat. I will be disking, plowing, digging holes/augering for the end posts, pulling a sprayer and mowing. I have been looking at the different manufacturers sites on the web but I'm having a hard time comparing and making a choice. What are some of your recommendations?

Thanks in advance -

Rich

 

[PANNU98]

How wide do you want the tractor be?

 

[VineO]

Rows will have 10' spacing, so I am thinking 6' or narrower.

Thanks -

Rich

 

[SanDucerro]

The "best" choice is highly subjective.

Personally, I went with a Kubota M7040 CAB when I picked up a new tractor this year. I felt it had the power I needed to disc and root plow. It could also handle a larger moldboard plow than the single I have, but I used our smaller Kubota L3130 and the single to plow our 4 acres of vineyard. If I needed to do it again I'd go to a 3 or 4 blade plow and run it behind the M7040.

The "perfect" choice is also subjective, but an M7040 Narrow CAB would be a good starting point. All the power of the M7040 I have, but 4 foot wide (still not sure how they do that). That's a full 2 foot narrower than mine and that's a significant difference. However - I'm not sure it's "required" with 10 foot row spacing (give me another 4 weeks and I'll let you know). Our spacing will be 10x7 when we finish later this month, and pleminary runs though temporary posts I set up indicate I'll be fine - but that's without vines in the ground, so my opinion may change... I had originally expected to go for 11x7 rows - just to give the tractor a bit more room. But our "enclosed" area needed to be altered and I decided to reduce the spacing to 10x7 to match my requirements. The M7040 CAB is right at 72" wide with R1 tires - so it "fits" the 6 foot requirement. I would suggest that is certainly the maximum you can get away with. As I said - ask me in about 4 weeks and I'll know for sure!

 

[PANNU98]

If you want to go with a narrow tractor around 50hp, the options you have are: deutz fahr agrokid 55, Mcormick gx50 or a jd 3720. all of them come around at 50 inches.
If you want a wider tractor, there are many options you have without going into the specialty narrow series such as the grand l40s etc..

 

[zonta223]

How wide do you want the tractor be?

Bingo the first and right question to ask.
What will be your row spacing and what trellising type. Will you be using cultivation between the rows or spray only?. Are you going to use hand pickers or machine??
Not much use getting a 50 to 75 hp tractor if you are using narrow row spacing most won't fit. Normally a specialized narrow vineyard tractor costs more than a standard tractor.
Is you land flat or hilly.
A 40 hp tractor will pull a reasonable size sprayer on flat ground but not in the hills etc.

There are a few members on here that grow grapes commercially if you can give more details I'm sure you will get the right answer

 

[VineO]

Thank you for the replies. Flat land, planning on rows at 10', VSP/Smart-Dyson trellising. I will be planting buffalograss between the rows. Not set on any hp or range, I plan to keep the tractor for a long time as I plant more acres and I don't want to buy something that I will eventually outgrow.

Thanks again for the responses -

Rich

 

[bigbull338]

you need to check an see if they still make vinard tractors.but a narrow front tractor would work if you could find 1.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

At 10' row spacing you can choose from just about any utility tractor on the market. Just buy it with the narrowest tires and you will be fine. I run 9' rows and am limited to a max tractor width of 64". A standard utility tractor will be cheaper then their narrow versions, roomier and better all purpose field tractors. Narrow tractors really suck for any open field tasks but excel in narrow settings so if your starting from scratch keep your rows wide enough to fit the standard tractors.

The cabs on the market now are really good. Depending on what you will be spraying down there you may want a charcoal filter but the factory cabs are sealed up well. I like the John Deere utility tractors but a lot of the guys here are buying Kubota M series standard tractors and either going with the narrowest wheels or having custom rims made for even narrower wheels. I have an M8540 Narrow and it has 160 hours on it currently and it has taken me that long to get it to where I can tolerate it. It isn't a great tractor but it is decent and hopefully I will get it fine tuned over this summer to where I actually enjoy using it.

Also, something to consider is buying a open station tractor to help out with. It is nice to leave the cab tractor hooked to the sprayer but the open station tractors are great when your replacing posts or doing other tasks where you need to get on and off the tractor often while in the row. A second tractor is almost going to be required for 30 acres and even then you will still feel like you don't have enough tractors

As for the horsepower requirement, have you decided on a sprayer yet? Find what the sprayer needs and go from there. Some areas like the sprayers with the built in engines (much longer units though) but for 30 acres you will want a 300-400 gallon sprayer and will want something in the 60-70 hp range. Also, how do you plan to harvest? Hire out? Buy a harvester? Hand harvest? If you plan to buy a pull behind harvester make sure your tractor can handle it.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

you need to check an see if they still make vinard tractors.but a narrow front tractor would work if you could find 1.

There are a lot of narrow vineyard tractors still made. John Deere, Case-IH/New Holland, Kubota, Deutz-Fahr, Fendt, Claas, Antonio Carrera.... it is a huge market in Europe and in quite a few areas of North and South America. The narrow tractors are also used in fruit farms like apples, peach, blueberry and so on. There are extreme narrow vineyard tractors for certain vineyards as well. It is actually nice to have so many options available in this industry. It keeps prices competitive and you can also shop for a tractor perfect for each situation.

 

[flusher]

Good advice so far.
How about mowing? You'll probably want an 8-ft wide flail mower which may determine the pto hp you need.

Good luck.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Good advice so far.
How about mowing? You'll probably want an 8-ft wide flail mower which may determine the pto hp you need.

Good luck.

He will probably be using a 6' mower as you want to stay far away from the vines. In a mature vineyard I can't run a 6' rotary cutter down 9 foot rows.

 

[VineO]

I will probably be using a 6' flail mower and 200 gallon sprayer to start with.
What vineyard tractors/implements are you all using and any pros/cons?
Robert, I have been reading your very informative posts here on the forums, particularly about the Kubota and I am sorry you are having to go through so much to get a tractor you can tolerate.
Thank you everyone for your input - I am trying to nail down a few model options that have been working well for the experienced users. I really appreciate your advice.

Rich

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I use the Kubota for spraying with my older fmc economist 400 gallon air blast. I run a Bush Hog 295 rotary cutter also.

Weed spraying is done with a Ford 1920 and I mounted a green hoe company weed spray bar to the front and plumbed it to a 3pt brodcast sprayer.

I use a Case-IH Farmall 45A to replace posts. I have a Shaver post pounder mounted to that rig.

 

[SSweet9c1]

Greetings from the finger lakes region of NY.
We have about 55 acres of grapes, and we farm another 20 of our neighbors..
The main spray tractor is a 2005 JD 5520N. 75 HP 2wd, We pull a 300 gallon john bean (FMC) airblast.
It is a good tractor, but we have that and a 2010 JD 5045D, and neither one is even remotely comfortable.

Our grapes are on a 9X8' spacing and we mow with a 6' rotary mower.
I am not sure how ergonomical the Kubota narrow tractors are, but my MX5100 and M9540 are both very comfortable.
We also have a few old fords.. 2 3000's 1 4000 narrow, and a 3930.
It all boils down to what you like.
Jonathan

 

[Dr_Zinj]

You might want to keep in mind that if you're ever going to get an automatic picker, they don't turn well and require totally exiting a narrow row before turning; requires a large turn area at the end of each row. Not sure if those pickers are tractor towed, or self-propelled though.

 

[houstonscott]

There is a low hour JD 85F on tractor house now, I would go get it...

HS

 

[Robert_in_NY]

There is a low hour JD 85F on tractor house now, I would go get it...

HS

The 85f is great for low orchards but isn't very comfortable. Extremely cramped cab with very little headroom.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You might want to keep in mind that if you're ever going to get an automatic picker, they don't turn well and require totally exiting a narrow row before turning; requires a large turn area at the end of each row. Not sure if those pickers are tractor towed, or self-propelled though.

There are both types. The trailed units require more room then the self propelled units.

 

[VineO]

Went to a Kubota and New Holland dealer today. The salesman was talking about the Grand L40 series. Is the M series overkill for a 40 acre property with probably 30 acres in grapes? Looks like the L series is narrower. Anyone have an L4740 or L5240?

Opinions?

Thanks,

Rich