Buying Advice What should I use to mow 5 acres?

[jgrreed]

I'd go small CUT (20-30hp) with a 59" Caroni flail mower. ZTR's are awesome, but are really a one job machine. Yes, you can get a blade, but seriously.....

 

[Gary Fowler]

AGAIN, check craigslist in your area and tractorhouse.com can give you a good idea of what is available and prices. Keep in mind that Tractorhouse prices may be inflated just like everything else and might be able to get those cheaper. Any way you can see what you can get for your budget. Flail mowers are nice, but BIG$$$$ and would blow half your budget on the mower when a rotary mower will do the job quiet well especially on the 5 acre deer plot. I agree with others that you will need to mow it occassionally other wise it will grow up with scrub trees and briars and be unmanageable. Deer actually prefer mown grass to graze which is why so many of them get hit by cars. You could leave some small bedding down for hiding areas if you wanted or needed them. These would work much better that having the whole area completely wild.

 

[MESSMAKER]

I would go with a sub-cut like a JD 2305 or close with a belly mower. It will not mow quite as well as a commercial zero turn as the blade speed is lower, but it will give you much more utility. If you buy a loader with it, you will never regret it. 5 acres + the other work would tax most gas lawn tractors. I would consider a diesel as it will save you $5 to $10 every time you mow. That could easily make up an extra $1000 in cost in just a couple years. Another benifit is that you will get probably 2-3 times the life of the gas engine.

 

[jgrreed]

AGAIN, check craigslist in your area and tractorhouse.com can give you a good idea of what is available and prices. Keep in mind that Tractorhouse prices may be inflated just like everything else and might be able to get those cheaper. Any way you can see what you can get for your budget. Flail mowers are nice, but BIG$$$$ and would blow half your budget on the mower when a rotary mower will do the job quiet well especially on the 5 acre deer plot. I agree with others that you will need to mow it occassionally other wise it will grow up with scrub trees and briars and be unmanageable. Deer actually prefer mown grass to graze which is why so many of them get hit by cars. You could leave some small bedding down for hiding areas if you wanted or needed them. These would work much better that having the whole area completely wild.

Agree with everything except the flail price. Most are VERY expensive, but the Caroni's from Agrisupply are great value.

48"- 1500$
59"- 1800$
72"- 2100$

Let's not start the bushhog vs flail discussion, but there are several advantages to a flail over a hog, especially safety.

I'd strongly suggest a loader, with pallet forks.. It's invaluable as an acreage tool.

I left some tall grass standing for deer too, wasn't sure if it'd work or not, but I'm glad to hear someone else thinks it will!!

-Jer.

 

[JCCinOhio]

Thanks Messmaker (and everyone else).. I was just getting on to see what the opinion was if I went berzerk and got a 2305 with a belly mower (is that the same as a MMM?).. Our lot doesn't have a garage so I was thinking of adding one, and with the 2305 I could get the backhoe and do the footers myself! Anyone know the approx price of the 260 Backhoe?

How does a 2305 handle slightly hilly terrain? Can you go across, or only up/down?

I'm so new to this I had to do a google search for CUT and MMM... but I can keep up with military acronyms with the best of them!

Thanks again to all!

 

[JCCinOhio]

JGRREED- Only been on the property for 1.5 weeks now.. looks like we have an old doe and two button bucks that come through together 1ce 2ce a day.. a lone doe, lone 6pt, and lone 8pt that roll through every other day.. and that's just what we've seen (haven't been home till after dark a few days).. So I'm sure the deer will enjoy the 5, less touched, acres.. Till deer season anyway.. ;-)

 

[LBrown59]

http://s283.photobucket.com/albums/kk286/lb59/?action=view&current=100_2550.jpg
One of these would be great.

Hello,

We just bought a 10 acre lot, about 5 acres is tall grass and we plan to let the deer & rabbits have that. So that leaves us a maximum of 5 to cut (there's a small pond, the house, a few barns, road). Assuming we are going to cut this 5 acres, what would be the best type to do the job? Terrain is somewhat hilly, maybe a 20-25 degree slope in areas. Would also like to be able to move snow in the winter, maybe light scraping to smooth out the driveway, and eventually some small gardening (say a 300 sqft garden or two). I was looking at the JD x530, but supposedly they only go up to 5 acres so I'd be maxing it out? Under $8000 is my goal.. also would like to minimize seat time.. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks. John

 

[Argosy]

1700 DEISEL FORD TRACTOR

 

[piller]

Buy two calves (less than $1k) and let them mow that acreage for you. The calves can handle your slopes no problem You can rotate them through the wildlife plot also if you want.

 

[MikeInEburg]

Buy two calves (less than $1k) and let them mow that acreage for you. The calves can handle your slopes no problem You can rotate them through the wildlife plot also if you want.

Or if you have brush along the fence rows, two calves and two goats...
Mike