Buying Advice Sizing and Buying Advice

[normanbobo]

My family is new to farming. We have a 35 acre farm, about 20 acres wooded. We are just getting into light farming and are making our first (and hopefully only) major equipment purchase -- our first farm tractor. Any advice on the size of the tractor as well as the implements we should consider would be much appreciated (and hopefully helpful to others as well!)

Here are the tractor requirements we have identified:

1) Bush hogging
a) 5 -10 acres of open, flat field.
b) 5 acres of hilly fields (up to 15 degrees with a couple of deep [3 foot] ditches). This area also has trees in it, so maneuverability is important. This area is currently bush hogged by a neighbor using what I think is a 50-75 HP tractor, so it can be done. The neighbors bush hog has a large wheel on the back which makes the bush hog "float" rather than dragging low across the ditches.

2) Plowing/preparing
a) 1 to 3 acre vegetable garden on flat field.
b) 3 acre field for lavender. To get to this field requires crossing rocky, steep trails (15 degree climbs) so the tractor needs to be able to lift the implements high. This field has been bush hogged by that same neighbor.

4) Light to medium duty grading:
a) Maintaining ditches by side of road. Will need a backhoe for this.
b) filling holes in fields/moving dirt piles. Considering using a bucket for this.

5) General farm use:
a) Moving heavy items such as gravel, dirt in a bucket.
b) Possibly moving round hay bales, but at least square bales.
c) Considering using the tractor for pulling stumps.
d) Occasional "winch work" to pull objects.

6) Possibly post hole digger for fencing.

7) We are not experienced in running/operating tractors and won't use the tractor every day so "ease of use" on the controls as well as attaching/detaching implements will be important.

THANKS!!

 

[jenkinsph]

First thing I would say is consider this to be for recreation and not for profit. Land ownership and being a good steward of it is something that most of us on TBN enjoy doing. I don't consider it farming by any stretch of the imagination, it is a costly hobby. Most of us look upon tractors as a recreation vehicle of sorts. Living on a 35 acre homeplace can be a very satisfying experience for the whole family but don't give up the day job.


A 30 to 60 hp tractor with hydro transmission would be a reasonable size range. Your budget will determine how much tractor and implements you can start out with initially. Equipment that is well cared for seems to last alot longer than holds its value better than trucks and auto's. Just be aware that it is difficult to make it pay for itself.

 

[art]

Not knowing any money cap I'd say to get a 60 horsepower or close to it.

 

[normanbobo]

jenkinsph,

Thanks for the reply. I am originally from Texas and used to go skiing with my family in Ruidoso. It's great to hear from someone there!

We are not doing the farming for profit. We are operating a Bed and Breakfast on the farm -- that's the main income. The farm operations are more to help draw in guests and to allow us to use farm-raised produce in our kitchen. We also hope to start raising fiber animals (cashmere goats, alpacas, etc.), which tie in with the theme of quilting retreats and other retreats. We are really hoping that the farm operations just break even. The moving of hay will be mostly for feeding the animals in the winter. We are hoping the goats will also help cut down some on the amount of bush hogging we have to do.

30 to 60 horsepower is quite a range. Would you put us on the upper or lower end of that range?

 

[normanbobo]

Art,

Thanks for the reply.

Any reasoning on this sizing? Would we go this large because of the grading or for other reasons?

Should we go with four wheel drive?

Any thoughts on brands that are particularly easy to use, especially when it comes to attaching/detaching implements?

 

[normanbobo]

Oh, one other thing ... regarding cost...we will be buying used to keep the cost down as much as possible.

 

[jenkinsph]

Oh, one other thing ... regarding cost...we will be buying used to keep the cost down as much as possible.

I would leave myself open to most popular brands and would lean towards the higher hp end. An important consideration is getting a good deal more than the brand you buy. Let us know what you find and are considering to purchase and others can chime in with opinions. Pictures can help with this process too.



FWIW, I have a 60 hp tractor now and have had many different sizes, this seems to be a good match for the Category I implements I use the most.

Come visit up in Ruidoso sometime.

 

[Grandad4]

Welcome to TBN, normanbobo. Don't have much to add to the good advice so far, but wanted to suggest you plan a gradual lead in to your tractoring experience. You've got a lot of work scoped out, some hilly property, a new piece of machinery pending and you are neophyte operators. It's possible for situations to get out of control very quickly with this kind of equipment and tractor mishaps can be very unforgiving. So, please be safe and work your way into the more complex or difficult tasks as you gain skill and familiarity with your equipment. This is, after all, meant mostly to be a means of enjoyment, as Steve says.

To paraphrase an old aviation saying, there are old tractor operators and bold tractor operators, but there aren't any old, bold tractor operators. All the best with your plans.

 

[normanbobo]

Grandad4 ... very funny!! And also well said and well taken.

We are definitlely going to go at this slowly ... learning one implement at a time. I'm trying to get the "big picture" now so that we buy the right tractor not only for our immediate needs but also for down the road some. We will be getting advice from local dealers. I hope I can convince one or two of them to visit the farm to see what the tractor will be doing.

Regarding enjoyment ... yes, I probably will enjoy using the machine, but I would not buy the tractor just for that purpose. It is intended to save time and labor for tasks we are already performing by hand and/or are paying others to perform for us. I see it mostly as a "tool" -- albeit it a large and expensive one!

 

[bigbull338]

ok heres my take on the tractor that will do what you want it to.you want a tractor with a loader,on your place 4wd drive would be needed in my eyes.a MX5100 HST or gear 4x4 w/LA844 loader will fit you nicely.itll handle the shredder the tiller an the backhoe as well as maintaining the roads.a backhoe is a big ticket item.