Suggestion for 16 acres

[elginfarm]

Welcome,
I am in the same boat as you. We bought 15 acres this year and plan to keep our own horses as well as boarding a few of our friends horses.
I bought a used JD 4400 and have been using it to bushhog and just about everything else. Prior to buying the tractor I posted some questions here and asked for alot of opinions and advice. I also went to the various dealers and shows to look at equipment. I had one dealer try to sell me a bobcat rather than a tractor. I am very happy with my JD, but I was also impressed with the Kubota and the Ford.
I think you should go with a CUT becasue you will find it more useful down the road.
Good Luck

 

[Soundguy]

You all are talking over my head.

The 8n / NAA were nice.. but no live pto* or power steering.

With the 6xx series you had the option of power steering. Also.. *6* models had live pto.. thus 660 / 661 and 860/861 models had live pto.. X00 series was 1955-57 X01 series was 1958-1962 ( 8n was 47-52 and NAA was 53-54 ) ( all listed in model years ).

* ( Though they are like hens teeth, you occasionally run across a live pto unit for a NAA.. and even more rare is one for an 8n.. they are essentially an axle clutch giving you a 2nd hand clutch, similar to an older allis chalmers with live pto..e tc .. thus you can disengage the axle clutch.. stop forward motion, but still have pto.. disengaging the foot clutch kills everything )

Soundguy

 

[jbrumberg]

jkruer01:

There is a strange language spoken in TBN . I suggest you consider purchasing/downloading TBN's Compact Tractor Buying & Basics. It gives a pretty good overview of CUT's and accessories as well of some of the operational "lingo". The more you read in and ask of TBN the more everything will make sense. I would explore various threads through TBN's search engine and also go to tractor attachment websites and read what is available. It will make sense after awhile. Jay

 

[sandman2234]

The larger tractor will tear up the yard if you drive over it continously, or make sharp turns on it. My little Ford 1100 4x4 was great with turf tires, cause you almost couldn't tell it had been near the yard. I got a chance to buy a larger tractor and don't regret it. It weighs in at about 7,000 pounds and has about 65-70 hp. Quite a difference from the little Ford. It came with turf tires, and I managed to get it stuck several times so I went to Ag's. Still manage to get it stuck pretty often, but that is another story. The turf tires on the big tractor didn't chew the yard up too bad, but you can tell where it had been. Multiple trips around the yard would show, but that is the case with the ag's also. As several people have mentioned, tractor owners generally have a separate lawnmower for the yard, mainly so we don't have to hear it from SWMBO when we leave tracks or accidently run over her favorite flower or bush in the yard. Mine is a 11 year old Steiner 525, and was cheap when I bought it. The larger tractor will cut grass faster and heavier than the Ford ever would, and do it pulling a mower twice as big. It just gets stuck more often.
David from jax

 

[GEB]

Welcome,
I am in the same boat as you. We bought 15 acres this year and plan to keep our own horses as well as boarding a few of our friends horses.
I bought a used JD 4400 and have been using it to bushhog and just about everything else. Prior to buying the tractor I posted some questions here and asked for alot of opinions and advice. I also went to the various dealers and shows to look at equipment. I had one dealer try to sell me a bobcat rather than a tractor. I am very happy with my JD, but I was also impressed with the Kubota and the Ford.
I think you should go with a CUT becasue you will find it more useful down the road.
Good Luck

Yo Elginfarm, would that be in Elgin?
Gene

 

[schmism]

when dealing with horses i always think about bailing hay myself (not that i have horses)

and while you may only have 16 acers today, it might be only a year or 2 down the road when your longingly looking at that 10 acers next door thinking what great pasture that would be for bailing for the horses.....

and then youll find yourself without enough tractor


I have TC33 and think it would work great for most stuff. although i would think a TC40 (size) would be more approperiate. and a TN seiries if you want to bail something....

 

[jkruer01]

Please keep in mind that the readership at TBN is more than willing to help you spend your money.

Now I know what you mean!

 

[sparky2terra]

I have a situation very similar to the original poster ... 35 raw acres of which ~10 acres is pasture (knee-to-waist high grass, 1" shrubs, holey, and littered with some rocks) and turning it into something that will support up to four horses. I was originally looking at CUTs, but now am thinking a TLB may be better-suited for my application. The Kubota L39 has over a ton FEL lift capacity, powerful backhoe, plenty of hydraulic power, 30.5HP PTO, and comes with R4 tires. The only thing I'm bummed about the L39 is the lack of cab, and am unsure about the GST (for mowing). Overall, I'd use the TLB for putting in a fence and planting trees with a hydraulic PHD (hard/rocky ground) on the BH boom, trenching water/electricity to a future barn and around the land, digging three compost bins into a slope, grading the road, mowing and harrowing the pasture, and maintaining the horses (hay, manure, feed, et. al.).

I know the bushhogs are popular, but don't they clump the grass quite a bit? Despite being a little bit more expensive, I've considered a flail to completely mulch the grass and provide a cleaner looking cut.

Any thoughts on smaller TLBs for the above use or even flail mowers?

 

[Billy_S]

Sparky, from what part of northern Colorado do you hail? I lived in Sterling for 10 years.

 

[sparky2terra]

Ft. Collins. New to the area and trying to get a crash-course on the land, vegetation, critters, and weather.