Starting from scratch; basic advice needed

[SarahM]

ASSUMing all you've written is true (I only write this because this is the internet)-
0. You are completely nuts - anyone who wants to work and not let the government take care of them is nuts
1. Form a relationship with someone who has upper-body strength and knows about tractors - this will be needed for wrestling attachments on and off also.
2. Check the threads here such as http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kubota-buying-pricing/141051-need-some-help-choosing-tractor.html

3. Read as much as possible here
4. Check all your local tractor dealers - unless you luck out in #1 you'll need a great dealer for support
5. Check farm auctions in your area - lots of stuff is going CHEAP and if you've done 1 thru 4 above you should be able to jump on something.
6. Don't believe all the "orange versus red" "green vs blue" "mahindra vs Yanmar" wars here. A lot will rely on your local dealer/maintenance.

Good luck and welcome.

Thanks, Newbury

About #1: the two men who rent now (one does the cropping on shares, the other has feeders on pad/pasture) are farming partners, live nearby, and are already very helpful. Both have been great about trying to educate me, giving advice about what to do with certain areas, coming to help when I need it (pulling me out if I'm stuck in snow, helping me transport a piece of equipment I can use but can't get from point a to point b, etc.) They've also given me the names of $8/hr kids with muscle to hire in on as-needed basis (which I've done a few times).

They're both great guys, and I think they're probably the only reason things are going as well as they are on the farm right now. The last thing I want to do is get myself into a situation where I need to call on them to "come help me with this thing" any *more* than I already have to... the idea is to reduce that. So one of the important things I need to look for is a setup (meaning tractor + certain attachments) that I can handle. Equipment that I can attach and remove myself, if that exists.

One of them has also given me advice on what sort of tractor i might want, but --again-- rather than drive him crazy bringing it up every time I see him, I'm trying to learn about it on my own (hence this forum). What's been recommended to me is (I think) something 70-90 hp with easy hitch system and hydrostatic drive (???--see? I need to keep reading....)

 

[SarahM]

Where abouts in "south central Indiana"? (Name of closest city/town) I live in Northern Kentucky, just south of Louisville. (Not that far away maybe???)

Any plans on hiring a helper? A GOOD, experienced farm kid can be a big help.

Any thoughts on a budget for tractor/equipment?

Location can play a significant part in deciding what to do with a farm. (see question #1) When you speak of "farming it yourself", what do you intend to grow?

I farmed a small (relative to most farms today) place for near 40 years. Most years, until my son was grown enough to be of some help, I did most of the work by myself. That precludes using "raw muscle" for many chores. You gotta use the tools of the trade rather than just horsing stuff around. A tractor with a loader is VERY usefull. Don't go with one that's too small. Start the search by looking at local dealers. See who's there to help you once the tractor isn't new any longer. THEN start narrowing the model choices down.

Feel free to PM me with any questions. I'm an old school farmer who happens to enjoy seeing people stay ON the farm. I'd be more than willing to help in any way possible. My wife is a little woman herself, and she grew up on a tobacco farm. She could no doubt add some usefull advice towards your situation.

Good luck!

Thanks, Farmwithjunk --I'm in Lawrence Co. near Bedford, so about an hour and a half from you.

Budget-- I should have included this in original post. I need something that's nice and new enough for me to be able to use it. That said, I have no interest in expensive toys. In my book, tools and equipment are things that pay for themselves over time. My thinking was something that I could do enough to earn/save me enough $$ to pay for itself in about ten years. For some reason, I have a price of about 20K in mind, thinking I ought to easily be able to work off 2k a year, I guess. (includes saving in bush-hogging cost, plowing cost, + hopeful revenue of some sort, for example if tractor made it possible for me to maintain a small cow/calf operation...)

(someone's probably reading this and laughing. Yes, I'm ignorant, so please tell me why this thinking is ridiculous if it is...)

 

[SarahM]

Flusher-- thanks for the great advice and the awesome pics.

I'd chosen haying because it would allow me to keep animals and I imagined I'd need less equipment to do it that to plant, but judging from your pictures I might be wrong about that.

As far as size of deck for a bush hog, I'm more interested in safety, ease of use, and lower $$ than in time saved-- since I don't intend to take over farming of the entire place, I don't mind spending 4 days on a 2 day field.

FWIW the closest dealership to me is Kubota.

 

[SarahM]

Bottom line.. sounding like a 4wd ( easy steering.. and safer on hills.. better traction in snow.. good for when you have a heavy load in the loader ) tractor, with loader, and at least 50hp.. so you can remove round bales. ( rear spear or fel.. )

depending on the area.. 6' or 8' mower.

If you stepped this up to about 70hp.. that would be a 10' mower.. but then.. a 70hp 4x4 with loader is gonna be a chunk of change more than a 50.hp job.

Might get an older used ag tractor for the heavy stuff.. say something in the 60-100hp range.. to move hay and pull a big mower.. and get a smaller CUT sized 4x4 with loader for the smaller utility and daily work... say.. early 40's hp?

soundguy



soundguy

soundguy, I like the sound of what you're suggesting (4wd 50hp, etc.). Size sounds practical and affordable unless I am unaware of some safety or ease of use gained from getting bigger/more powerful equipment.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Thanks, Farmwithjunk --I'm in Lawrence Co. near Bedford, so about an hour and a half from you.

Budget-- I should have included this in original post. I need something that's nice and new enough for me to be able to use it. That said, I have no interest in expensive toys. In my book, tools and equipment are things that pay for themselves over time. My thinking was something that I could do enough to earn/save me enough $$ to pay for itself in about ten years. For some reason, I have a price of about 20K in mind, thinking I ought to easily be able to work off 2k a year, I guess. (includes saving in bush-hogging cost, plowing cost, + hopeful revenue of some sort, for example if tractor made it possible for me to maintain a small cow/calf operation...)

(someone's probably reading this and laughing. Yes, I'm ignorant, so please tell me why this thinking is ridiculous if it is...)

Ah! Bedford! Over there with the stonecutters huh? You do have a few hills in that area too! I gotta do a little homework and see who's in business out that way still. (as far as dealers) I used to deal some with Stone & Stemle (Deere) just south of you. Also, take a look at Chinn Implement in Ramsey Indiana. (Southeast of you a short ways I think) (MF dealer) I've dealt with them a few times and was very happy with the results.

$20,000 is a realistic number for a used tractor in the size you mentioned. New 70 to 90 hp, especially w/4wd, you're looking in the $50,000 to $65,000 range WITHOUT the loader or implements.

Keep in mind, the bigger you go with the tractor, the bigger (hence, more expensive) the implements get. I farmed just shy of 200 acres with 60hp as my biggest tractor the bulk of those years. PLENTY big enough, and you can use a mix-match of better CAT I implements with smaller CAT II stuff as needed.

 

[intel]

I agree with soundguy and farmwithjunk. Also it might pay to join the local farm bureau if not already a member. know you local extension agent and soil conservation office now called natural resource office. there is a lot of government programs, low cost and maybe free, that can help a farmer. hey if there going to support dead beats they can help farmers

 

[SarahM]

70-80 hp were actually suggested to me by one of the current farm friends + local extension agent (who happens to be excellent, and has been a huge help with advice about share deals and other miscellany so far).

I'm inclined to think a little smaller/cheaper (like 40-50 hp), just because that's how I operate, so I'm not sure why they suggested more power, but I can ask.

 

[flusher]

Flusher-- thanks for the great advice and the awesome pics.

I'd chosen haying because it would allow me to keep animals and I imagined I'd need less equipment to do it that to plant, but judging from your pictures I might be wrong about that.

As far as size of deck for a bush hog, I'm more interested in safety, ease of use, and lower $$ than in time saved-- since I don't intend to take over farming of the entire place, I don't mind spending 4 days on a 2 day field.

FWIW the closest dealership to me is Kubota.

SarahM: Thanks. I always like to include photos in my posts. I think they help folks just getting into tractoring. I bought my first tractor in May05 (a new 21 hp Kubota B7510HST) so I'm still a newby when it comes to tractors, implements and farming (as in haying). Just looking at photos posted on TBN back then (and now for that matter) was/is a big help to me.

One thing I forgot to mention when talking about attaching implements to the 3pt hitch. The pto shaft of your bush hog needs to be attached to the tractor's rear pto drive shaft to complete the connection. The pto shaft on the hog is fairly heavy, even though you're lifting only one end. The difficult part, sometimes, is to get the shaft to slip onto the tractor's rear pto shaft. It takes finger strength to press the spring loaded retention pin and arm strength to work the splined fittings together. I would recommend you talk to your tractor friends about this and have them show you how it's done. Then try it yourself, being careful not to pinch your fingers in the process.

Also, many, if not most, of the haying implements in my photos attach to the tractor's drawbar similar to the way a trailer attaches to the hitch on a car or truck. These implements are very heavy and have tongue jacks to raise and lower the hitch to match the height of the drawbar. Sometimes even operating these jacks can take a lot of effort. Again, talk to your friends and see if you can handle this task. There's nothing more aggrevating to me that to spend a lot of time messing around with a hitching problem when I'm trying to get real work done.

 

[SarahM]

Ah! Bedford! Over there with the stonecutters huh? You do have a few hills in that area too! I gotta do a little homework and see who's in business out that way still. (as far as dealers) I used to deal some with Stone & Stemle (Deere) just south of you. Also, take a look at Chinn Implement in Ramsey Indiana. (Southeast of you a short ways I think) (MF dealer) I've dealt with them a few times and was very happy with the results.

$20,000 is a realistic number for a used tractor in the size you mentioned. New 70 to 90 hp, especially w/4wd, you're looking in the $50,000 to $65,000 range WITHOUT the loader or implements.

Keep in mind, the bigger you go with the tractor, the bigger (hence, more expensive) the implements get. I farmed just shy of 200 acres with 60hp as my biggest tractor the bulk of those years. PLENTY big enough, and you can use a mix-match of better CAT I implements with smaller CAT II stuff as needed.

Farmwithjunk,'

the land is just off of 50 between Bedford and Brownstown, so I know the Deere dealer you're talking about. Hills... yes, lol. The only flat part is the creek bottom. The "up-top" fields are gently rolling, and the timbered ground is hilly to ravinous.

The farm road is gravel, and steep coming into the property itself as well as going from bottom to top ground.

To the person who suggested snow blower instead of plowing/grading: (can't relocate that comment in the thread now for some reason) I don't get how this would work on steep gravel roads with icy snow, but maybe you're talking about a different kind of snow blower than I'm imagining.

To the person who suggested clearing more ground: I'm not considering this because all flat tillable ground of any decent contiguous area is already cleared. Also, I'm treating the timber as a crop, having it put into classified managed forest to reduce taxes & rotational managed cutting for revenue.

 

[Soundguy]

Flusher.. I'm envious of all your nifty hay equipment!

soundguy