Tractors and Small Properties

[TheYard]

I have a house on a 1.1 acre lot in eastern Massachusetts that's mostly wooded - maybe about 1/4 acre is grass and the rest is either driveway (almost 400ft), or forest (60' tall monster leaf producing oaks with nasty continually tick infested underbrush).

I've been tackling it with a 22" walk behind mower, 18" chainsaw, weed whacker/brush cutter, 32" walk behind snowthrower, and basically blowing leaves into the nearest spot into the woods, and creating brush piles when I have to take down a tree (often right next to where the tree went down). As I approach 60, I'm thinking that I need a plan to maintain this place for the next 15 years, and depending on my back might be a bad idea.

Would one of these subcompact tractors be a good fit for a property like this? Or would be over-kill? Some of me feels like this is a mid-life crisis purchase, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Roadworthy]

If you buy a tractor you'll find more and more ways to use it. The downside - it will reduce the exercise you're now getting. If it's in decent shape used or a new one it will outlast you.

 

[WranglerX]

Actually I have a 5 acres partially hilly, and I have found that the MF 1715 I bought is probably a bad investment for me, not that its a bad machine because it isn't... It is not nearly as agile as my JD L120 48 inch riding mower and can not reasonably mow where my JD rider can...... A $13,700 investment and another $100 for quick hitch, and $400 for rear scraper, and about $1200 for 48 inch mower deck.. And had to make 500 pound ballast box to counter the weight FEL is capable of lifting.... IT was just not a practical purchase because it is more work to use than actually not having it.... Should have just bought a new $2500 riding mower and and small $120 trailer and been happy with that... I have to actually look for uses for it to justify having it.... It's now 2 years old and only has 60+ hours... Tells you how much its used...

Many people will respond with different justifications for getting tractor, but for 1.1 acre postage stamp, not sure of practicality...

I am 75 and in reasonably good health and I find its just easier to go do something with riding mower and "hand" tools then to start up tractor, attach implements load tools and have to weave around various obstacles (trees) as with FEL on, it is a long and awkward thing to drive in tight places..... And I have to get off and use a rake or hoe to clean up all the tire tracks left behind ...

Dale

 

[jeff9366]

A subcompact tractor, often referred to as a SCUT here, (Sub Compact Utility Tractor) is great for less than three acres.

They are limited in capability but ample, ample for an acre.

Great mowers. With optional FEL, serve as powered wheelbarrows and can push snow effectively, or operate a rear snowblower with the tractor moving in reverse.

Will operate a 48" Rotary Cutter/Bush Hog.

New, with an FEL and one or two implements figure $20,000 - $22,000

Great fun, within SCUT limitations.

LINKS: https://www.kubotausa.com/docs/default-source/brochure-sheets/new_bx80.pdf?sfvrsn=233d3332_2

T-B-N ARCHIVE: tractor for one 1 acre site: tractorbynet.com - Google Search

 

[RSR]

Actually I have a 5 acres partially hilly, and I have found that the MF 1715 I bought is probably a bad investment for me, not that its a bad machine because it isn't... It is not nearly as agile as my JD L120 48 inch riding mower and can not reasonably mow where my JD rider can...... A $13,700 investment and another $100 for quick hitch, and $400 for rear scraper, and about $1200 for 48 inch mower deck.. And had to make 500 pound ballast box to counter the weight FEL is capable of lifting.... IT was just not a practical purchase because it is more work to use than actually not having it.... Should have just bought a new $2500 riding mower and and small $120 trailer and been happy with that... I have to actually look for uses for it to justify having it.... It's now 2 years old and only has 60+ hours... Tells you how much its used...

Many people will respond with different justifications for getting tractor, but for 1.1 acre postage stamp, not sure of practicality...

I am 75 and in reasonably good health and I find its just easier to go do something with riding mower and "hand" tools then to start up tractor, attach implements load tools and have to weave around various obstacles (trees) as with FEL on, it is a long and awkward thing to drive in tight places..... And I have to get off and use a rake or hoe to clean up all the tire tracks left behind ...

Dale

I think the correct answer will largely depend on your needs.

As another perspective to Dale, I have 5 heavily wooded acres, and I recently bought an LS XR4145HC (45 Hp, 4400 lb bare tractor weight, with a cab). It was probably one of the better decisions I've made in my life. It may seem overkill, but it has proved an incredible time/money saver for me.

My primary uses are maintaining a gravel driveway that is about 800 ft long, including snow removal. It cuts snow removal down from 2-3 hrs to about 30 minutes. My road is no longer full of pot holes that open up after heavy rains, and rattle my car apart. I also built some boxes on casters and use it to transport wood from my shed to the boiler in the garage. What was a weekly 1 hour task is now about 20 minutes.

There are many more jobs I plan to tackle now, whereas before my property was getting out of control because there were so many things I just couldn't realistically do without a tractor. For example, clear out the 30-40 face cord of downed timber that I have in my woods.

I have put roughly 20 hours on my tractor in about 6 weeks. I would have put more hours on it by now, but I just don't have the time to spend on it. Also, I do simply enjoy the act of being out working on the tractor.

 

[Imold]

Sounds like a lawn tractor with like a 18 - 26 hp motor, 42 inch mower with a snowblower for the driveway, you can probably get a real good package deal with a grass/leaf collector for under 4K and depending on how much wood trimming you will be doing a nice 16” gas chainsaw or even a electric chainsaw with trimmer might work for ya, there are some nice 18-20 volt tools you can get that will work good for you.
I just hit 59 and I am disabled and my home is on one acre. I have a nice Husqvarna 48” mower with snowblower that works great for my home that was 3200.00 new and I have a walk behind 24 inch snowblower(749.00 new) to get areas that my tractor blower can’t do and then a electric trimmer and a Husqvarna 455 16” chainsaw that’s does everything I need it to do, about the only thing I might like would be a bagger for the mower, I also have a walk behind 22 inch self propelled mower I got new for 300.00 on sale.
I got my scut for my other property which is 12.7 acres. That’s a whole different conversation.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Welcome to TBN !! There is a good guy on here called Dragoneggs and he has 1.5 acres in Washington state I am pretty sure. It seems to me seeing his posts in TodaysSeatTime he finds lots of work for his SCUT and backhoe. Do a search on him maybe and look at some of his posts.

gg

 

[TheYard]

Welcome to TBN !! There is a good guy on here called Dragoneggs and he has 1.5 acres in Washington state I am pretty sure. It seems to me seeing his posts in TodaysSeatTime he finds lots of work for his SCUT and backhoe. Do a search on him maybe and look at some of his posts.

gg

Thanks for the warm welcome, and for all the advice from everyone. Getting all these perspectives is super helpful and I definitely have some more thinking to do (and maybe a few more hours of watching YouTube videos of people do interesting things with their SCUTs!)

 

[mikester]

Would one of these subcompact tractors be a good fit for a property like this? Or would be over-kill? Some of me feels like this is a mid-life crisis purchase, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

If you value the outdoorsy lifestyle and working the gardens then you will probably enjoy having a SCUT with a loader and wish you did it sooner. If going outside means going from the house to the SUV and back then buy a Harley!

 

[Diggin It]

Unless you plan on cutting trails into the wooded area, clearing the underbrush and hauling firewood, you may be happier with something smaller.