what size tractor to buy?
 

I am looking into buying a new tractor for food plots on my 50 acres. My question is how big of a tractor will I need. It will mostly be used for plowing, disking, spraying ect. I have about 20 acres of field. I do know that tractors very expensive. However you get what you pay for. What brand would you buy and why. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
eddie

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

We will need to know what type of terrain you have, what state your in and your money situation. A 50 acre management unit will do quite well with the 2%-3% total plot in nutrition concept, unless you have Elk, Moose or a high concentration of deer. You will want to plant wood and stream lines. Start by selecting the areas you wish to plant and marking them off. Then measure and do SOIl SAMPLES on each plot. A 15-35 h.p. tractor with a three point hitch and a live/controllable P.T.O. should do everythin you need. Now is the time to look for farm machinery. Also get a disk, cultipacker and a good three point mount sprayer with 12 - 20 ft/ booms. This way you can spray the liquid organic fertilizers and liquid lime.

Romans 10:9 Psalms 42

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

For my needs, after a lengthy research process, I ended up with a Kubota L4610. HST,4x4,Curtis hard-cab, FEL, PTO Broadcaster, 6' boxblade, 6' Tiller, and just recently, a 6' Rottary Cutter. I have created about 2.5 acres, just with the tractor, pushing down 30' spruces, tameracks, jack pine, white pine, and then leveling with the boxblade. I could have used more power at times, but have been very, very, happy with the combo. I need, and have used, the entire power range of the FEL, but after talking at great length, I am on the bare minimum size for use of an effectively weighted disk. Last year I spread about 8 tons of lime with the tractor, and about 15 tons over the past 2 years. You only need about 6 to 7 acres of food plots for an entire sqare-mile, so concentrate on quality, not quantity. Lime, fertalize, soil-tests-do it right, or not at all.

Go to www.tractorbuynet.com. They are the experts on tractors, and there is more information than you need on that site for all of your tractor buying needs. Give it a try.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

Unless money is no option, I would get something used. I bought a 28 hp. Ford 4x4 last year and it has served my purpose fine. I used it to prepare 5 food plots and I have a finish mower so I can maintain the 3 acres around my house.

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

I stopped and looked at a used Ford 1600 Diiesel with a 5 ft finish mower for $5,000. A tad high but just what you need to get started, this is in Smyrna. Del may be too far for you...

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

Kubota 4x4's are the gold standard if you can afford one. Older 30+ HP tractors will do most everything that you need for less money. I prefer diesel.

Dan O.

Edited by - dan o. on 02/04/2003 17:21:43

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[Deleted by Admins]

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

Eddie:

Here's what I think and I know that I am cheap.

First of all, you probably will not plant all 20 acres in food plots,so the size of your tractor will not require to be very large. Chance are, you will have 10 or less acres in food plots at any one time. If you buy a tractor, one in the 20 to 40 horse power range of any brand will be sufficient. The demand on these small tractors creates a seller market and you may find a used 100+ hp tractor cheaper than a 40 hp one. Keep that in mind. Go talk to the nearest 2 or 3 tractor dealers and buy one from them or a tractor that they will work on. If your nearest dealers sell and work on John Deere or Ford, I would buy a used tractor in one of these two brands. Buy used equipment as well. A disk or plow, will last just about forever unless one is really rough on them. Be sure your tractor fits your implements. A mower, may be a different story, but there are many good use ones out there as well.

Here is where the cheap part comes in. I think if I had that land, I would be talking to my farmer neighbors to do some share cropping with alfalfa or clover and/or to prepare and upkeep on the food plots. If you pay them $25 bucks an hour, it would take a long time to pay for a tractor, equipment and upkeep on them not to mention the hassle of owning and repairing machinery. Also, if you are only planning on 2 or 3 acres in food plots and if you have a ATV, I would check into equiping it and using it on your foodplots.

Good luck on whatever way you go.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: what size tractor to buy?
 

eddie,

I guess I forgot that point, if you can pay someone else to do it with their own equipment-do that.

If not, please visit the tractorbuynet site for some of the best recommendations from many experts and "tractor nuts".

You'll find,unless you go all herbecide and no-till, there are severe limitations for compact tractors regarding breaking clay/sod combinations, depending upon size, and whether you use a disk, or tiller. On the tractor site you should be able to find discussions on weight per disk/per foot, and other relative discussions on capacities, time per acre, per implement, and the like.

My tractor is as big as they get for compacts, and mine is on the small size for pulling a properly weighted disk for breaking soil, but since my soil is sandy, I could probably manage.

You need to figure out EXACTLY what you will use it for, the excact capacities you need for weight and size, and a good estimation of # of acres you will ever plant.

I studied everything right down to the type of tires, and ballast.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan