Buying Advice Tractor advice for complete idiot?

   / Tractor advice for complete idiot? #41  
For the record, we talked price first, and financing last (and as others said, it didn't make any difference to the dealer). Considering present value of future dollars, it was crazy to hand over the full price. I paid off my truck instead, and set up Kubota on auto pay.

I find all sorts of uses for the FEL. Now I kinda wish I had gone for the backhoe too, although it wouldn't fit in the garage then. Every time I turn around on this place, there is a shovel in my hand. Septic troubles, irrigation re-do, power wiring, planting, etc. Oh well, good exercise, as long as L4 and L5 hold out (lumbar).

I would also like a trailer. Near as I can tell it is going to be $2500 for a decent tandem axle and the brake setup for my truck. I could find a lot of uses for a trailer.
 
   / Tractor advice for complete idiot? #43  
To the OP: I've had good experiences with the Deere dealer in Burlington, about 20 minutes away from you. I dealt with Joe Boyles.

Pete
 
   / Tractor advice for complete idiot? #44  
Hey Guys-
Lifelong city slicker, moving to 10 acres of cleared, hard red clay in the Piedmont of North Carolina. We're hoping to maintain a fairly nice looking yard, a 1-2 acre plot of vegetables, and 5-6 acres of pasture for some animals. The terrain is fairly rough, a bunch of small rocks here and there, and is growing fescue.

I am in the "You can have to much tractor" camp.

There is nothing you described that I didnt do with a Wheel Horse Charger 10 garden tractor except our garden was only 60 yards by 30 yards. Now that was a few years ago when a garden tractor was actualy more machine than what you spend way to much for now. It wasnt the best tool for the job, using it as a brush hog was rough on it. Might have gotten 40 years out of it instead of 21.

Look used. I sold a JD 850 for 2400.00, 22 hp 2wd. I see Fords and JD's about that size and vintage for sale around here often. If you like to tinker, there is always Farmall H's and JD B's around that will work.

That would pull a large single bottom plow which is all you need for a garden. A 10-12 in would have been better than the 14 I was pulling. If you are breaking ground, you want a plow (hard to find good used, 500???) and disk(400.00 used )/spring(mine was 75)/tine (?) harrow for a couple of years until you get the goonies out, then a tiller is a wonderful thing($$$$$), however you will already have the plow and harrow...... The plow and harrow will level your ground out pretty quick also. If its not loose, plow it, if its somewhat loose, harrow it a few times, then make a drag out of wood, smooth it out and seed it. As a bonus, you can put the rocks on the drag as you go.
You could run a light duty 5 foot brush hog with that(500.00 used), as long as you kept up with the weeds. A 4 would run better but they are harder to find and cost as much or more than a 5.
A post hole digger will be worth the money if you are going to have fence. Even if you only use it once a year after the install.
A carry-all gives you a nice place to carry posts, wood, seed, hay, whatever, and if you dont get a FEL, then you NEED a carry-all. (100 + Tractor supply, then add boards)

If you want to go new, I wouldnt have a tractor without a FEL. There are a few folks that say they never need one, those people never had one. If you don't have one, and then you get one, you will wonder how you lived without one.
 

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