Sagebrush...what do I need?

[chazzy]

This is my first post here and I've never owned a tractor before - yes, I'm very green in this area and seeking some advices.
I just bought a ranch house with 7-acre lot and it is filled with thick 3'~5' sagebrush. Also, the 200-yd dirt driveway is really rough, lots of rain ruts. Major tasks I'm faced are to:
1). Clear up sagebrush.
2). Maintain the lot weed-free year-round (have not decided what to do with the land).
3). Flatten the driveway few times a way.
I'd like to know:
1). What HP range?
2). 2WD or 4WD?
3). What kind of attachement(s)?
4). Manual or hydrostatic for trans?
My place is in Frazier Park mtn in So. Calif at about 5500ft above sealevel.
Thanks folks.

 

[Charlie_in_TX]

Welcome aboard.

Are you alowed to clear that brush? Will the Kalifornia EPA allow it?

Assuming so, rent a dozer to clear the brush and fix the drive. Buy a tractor to maintain the land.

As an absolute min look at the sub-cut (JD2210, Kubota BX). These have fairly small front tires and will give you a good shaking if the land is not smooth.

I would strongly suggest stepping up to a small frame cut (JD4110, Kubota 7610) if you plan to mow mostly or something like the Kioti CK20 (don't recall if I got that model right) or the Mahindra 2015 if you will do mostly dirt work.

You would not be getting too much tractor if you go up 25hp range. I have 7 acres, I think my Mahindra 2615 is the right size for my needs.

 

[Highbeam]

I would say a brushhog for the sagebrush and a box blade for the road.

If you keep it mowed down, the sage will go away. If you irrigate it, the grass will take over.

I am faced with similar jobs and I am looking at a Kubota L3130 for about 30 horsepower. That amount of power should be able to use a 5' brushhog to cut the sage. I am assuming by sagebrush you mean the wirey stuff no thicker than your forearm. Equip the tractor with a loader to help smash down the sage as you drive over it.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

At that altitude, you really benefit from a turbo. JD has one on the 3520, and 3720. Massey also has them, JerryG has one, and it sounds nice.

 

[gippolit]

Take a look at the Kioti Ck30HST or the Dk35. Also look at the bota's

 

[Boomerang1]

Also, most small diesel engines need #1 diesel fuel over 5000'.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Welcome aboard.


As an absolute min look at the sub-cut (JD2210, Kubota BX). These have fairly small front tires and will give you a good shaking if the land is not smooth.

)</font>

You left out the Massey 2310 and their other 2k models.

 

[NevadaSmith]

Hey Chazzy,
Welcome to the board.

First off...I too live out west and purchased a tractor to clear sage brush, do leveling, maintain my road...all things you describe....and I live a shade under 6000'.

Second....forget the post about Diesel #1 at elevation, or turbo's or whatever...diesels run fine here in the thinner air.

Third... I had shopped around for tractors for my needs. I looked at JD, Bota, Mahindra, New Holland blah blah. I also talked to my neighbors who had tractors and land like mine. What I found was that anything under a 20hp tractor will not budge the sage brush. Example...my neighbor has a Bota 18hp (forgot the number but its a B series, sub CUT). He cannot budge the sage with his....not enough weight. He has to take running starts and sometimes that won't even work. He winds up using his backhoe to rip it out bush by bush (very time consuming).

I settled on a Kioti CK25 HST with a BH and Box Scraper. The reason is that it weighed considerably more than the other brands (the thing is built like a tank), and the price was VERY right for me for a 25hp CUT (Compact Utility Tractor). I got the backhoe for clearing culverts, to do major cuts in my hillside when leveling, trenching blah blah. The box scraper I use for road maintenance and cutting fire breaks around the house.

I can tell you this...I was SOOOO happy when I got home and started cutting a trail thru the sage with no problem (no units available to test drive). My sage is a bit smaller than what you describe, but I was pretty happy with up to 3' high.

My advice, skip the BX's (too small for the job) and stick around 25-30 hp with the larger wheels. HST is fine and allows you to steer with one hand and have a cold one in the other /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif You'll definitly could take advantage of a box scraper for your road. What you might have to do, is what I did to mine when I first moved in. It had never been scraped and had major ruts in it. I rented a larger Skip Loader and did the first time with that. I can now maintain it with the smaller tractor. I wouldn't mess with a bush hog. Sage brush is deeply rooted and thats the problem...not the height. Once cleared, it grows back at a VERY slow pace, if at all...so be carefull of clearing what you don't have to as at least the sage keeps the dust down and the dirt in place when it rains. It also keeps weeds from growing for some reason. Once removed, it will be replaced by weeds (mustard most common here).

I have attached a pic of the very first drive on my Kioti when it arrived. I rolled it right off the dealers tractor and into the sage...I didnt' stop for 2 hours until my wife yelled at me for clearing too much (dust problems)!

Good luck with your purchase, whatever you get

NevadaSmith

 

[jyoutz]

I've lived in Flagstaff (7,000'), and Show Low, AZ(6,500'), and now Edgewood, NM (6,700'). My JD4100 and my Dodge truck with cummins all run fine. I've never bought #1 diesel (except in the winter).

 

[sneaky_pete]

Jim,

How long have you lived in Edgewood, and do you like it there?

I almost took a job in Albuquerque 5 or 6 years ago but ended up not getting it due to some bizarre circumstances; but we had made several house-hunting trips and settled on the Edgewood area as our first choice. We liked it well enough that we're still considering moving that way in the future, maybe in between Edgewood and Santa Fe somewhere.

Anyway, I'd appreciate hearing your pro's and con's of the area. Please feel free to PM me if you'd rather do that.

Thanks in advance -
Pete