Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think?

   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #1  

PapaDwight

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Joined
Oct 23, 2012
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Brewster, OH
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I have a garden about 1/4 of an acre too large to keep up with using a rototiller and hand tools. I am looking for equipment to till and cultivate. Most farm tractors are too large. Most lawn tractors do not have a high enough arch to pull a cultivator. Any suggestions would be welcome!
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #2  
You will need to define your price range. There's a lot of sub compact tractors that can do what you need in a wide variety of price ranges.

Steve
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #3  
Take the money you would spend on a tractor and hire a teenager with a rototiller. You could get years and years of teenager work for the same price or less than a small tractor.
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #4  
:welcome: to TBN!!

An ATV can pull stuff, it can push stuff (assuming a blade). A tractor can pull stuff, push stuff (assuming a FEL), lift stuff (assuming a FEL), power other implements (PTO, remote hydraulics). At ATV drives faster, a tractor can do a wider variety.

I assume you mean you want the vehicle tall enough to straddle a row or 2? I doubt you'd find that in an ATV either. The CUTs and SCUTs are remarkable little machines. You won't be sorry going with one of them.
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #5  
Take the money you would spend on a tractor and hire a teenager with a rototiller. You could get years and years of teenager work for the same price or less than a small tractor.

Seriously? Where's the fun in that? And why would he need to be a TBN member?

Some things are just about more than economics. :)
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #6  
I have a garden about 1/4 of an acre too large to keep up with using a rototiller and hand tools. I am looking for equipment to till and cultivate. Most farm tractors are too large. Most lawn tractors do not have a high enough arch to pull a cultivator. Any suggestions would be welcome!

ATVs are no good for anything that spins - they don't have PTOs. They are better than tractors for pulling stuff though - way more HP for the dollar. A SCUT is WAY too big for what you need. What you really need is a vintage garden tractor with a few implements. Get something big and tough, like an old Bolens or Simplicity - you should be able to find one in good shape with a 3pt and tiller for ~$1000, they're cheap in your area. The older Economys are my favorite for backyard farming, since they just look so cool. Makes for a fun hobby too, and we all need more hobbies!

JayC
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #7  
I have an ATV and a garden tractor that I use for some similar tasks. The Garden tractor is much better at most of them. It turns sharper, can pull slower, easier to get on and off of, better parking brake, etc. The 4wd ATV will pull a little more, but isn't great for that type of work. I also have a B-series Kubota tractor which is the better than both for garden related tasks.

Depending on your budget I'd go one of two ways:

1. Small compact tractor. You should look for either a B-series Kubota, smaller compact Deere's (650/750, 655/755, 670/770, 4100, 4110, etc), or some of the smaller old Ford compacts 1x10 or 1x20 series. You only need one with 2wd for that type of work, but 4wd is a bonus. They can use a huge variety of gardening implements, can cultivate decent sized crops pull a good sized trailer, etc. You could find a nice used one for $3000-8000 depending on the year and model. It will use widely availble cat. I three point hitch implements.

2. Large garden tractor. This can cover a wide variety of models and years. You want something that can power a tiller (if you get an older model you better get the tiller with it), pull a cart, maybe some other light ground engaging tasks. I have a 265 Deere which is about as small as would be useful in a garden. It can run a rear mounted tiller, although it isn't great at that. Something bigger with a small 3pt hitch or similar setup would be better. For a used garden tractor with a tiller you are probably in the $2000-5000 range.
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #8  
Allis Chalmers G.:thumbsup:
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #9  
ATVs are no good for anything that spins - they don't have PTOs. They are better than tractors for pulling stuff though - way more HP for the dollar. A SCUT is WAY too big for what you need. What you really need is a vintage garden tractor with a few implements. Get something big and tough, like an old Bolens or Simplicity - you should be able to find one in good shape with a 3pt and tiller for ~$1000, they're cheap in your area. The older Economys are my favorite for backyard farming, since they just look so cool. Makes for a fun hobby too, and we all need more hobbies!

JayC

excellent advice
 
   / Small Tractor? ATV? What do you think? #10  
A small tractor will work circles around an ATV. Atvs are not made for hard work period.
 

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