Tractor advise for 90 acre farm

[Rm9610]

Find someone to bale it for the hay. It値l keep it cleaned off and you値l keep your ag exemption.

 

[ddbackhoe]

Thanks. Time is not too much of a concern to me since it's only once or twice a year, especially if I can spread it out over a week or two. I think if I could do 3 acres an hour that's great. I don't think 2 per hour would be too bad either. I also like mowing and find it relaxing, even with the sun and dust and noise. I can't even imagine sitting in an air conditioned cab, I might get too spoiled lol.

Most of the heavy grass is between 12-18 inches high and the seed stalks are probably up to 3 foot or so after about a year's growth. I don't really have anything to compare it to, so not sure whether that counts as heavy or rough fields. I do know from a few patches I've had to clear that the little Husqvarna ride-on mower that I retired when I got the ZTR will cut it at this height, albeit slowly and not doing a very good job.

Mower width in inches times forward speed in miles per hour x efficiency factor divided by 100.


With a 60" mower you'd be lucky to get 1.5 acres per hour. 60/1.5= 40 hours mowing time. 3-4 hours mowing in a 100hp cab with a/c takes its toll, 8 hours drains me. 3-4 hours on a open station tractor can be brutal. We only have 250 acres of hay, you're results may differ significantly. Larger acreages also bring other factors into play like spraying, tilling, fertilizing...Find your local ag extension office and enlist their help too. You may be able to get your fields sludged for free.

A better suggestion may be to go hang out at the local ag supply, fertilizer supply, farm bureau...get some help from your local experts, the guys that are actually doing the work. Don't be surprised if they laugh when you mention 40 hp and a 6' mower for 60 acres.

Depending on distance, we road our tractors, it's quicker and easier than trailering. Tires are factored into our cost of doing business. We have trucks and trailers to move stuff, but I don't hesitate to hire out a hauler when needed. A reliable towing service can be a good asset.

http://caes2.caes.uga.edu/engineering/handbook/documents/capacity.pdf

https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Estimating-Field-Capacity-of-Farm-Machines-pdf

 

[cdb2]

Just to follow up and close out this thread, we decided that we won't be worrying about mowing the fields ourselves. The cost of having it mowed is much less than the jump in cost of a tractor (and cutter) the size that folks here are recommending. And if we're lucky we'll find someone in the next few years who is interested in fertilizing as well as taking the hay, or baling it on shares to offset the cost of doing the treatments ourselves.

So, we're going to be buying a tractor instead tailored to all the other work we have to do around the farm. Hopefully there will be a new thread soon!