I know this will probably may cuase some heated debate, but if all goes well I'll be in the market for a tractor in the next 3 months.

I'm looking for opinions on what size tractor is best suited for my purposes, and what the various plus and minus's are.

Right now, I only have 2.25 acres with about 1.5 of that heavily overgrown (was cleared back in the 1950's). So at this point I'm looking for something to drag a box scraper with, pull stumps, drill a few holes for fence posts, and maybe till up the garden.

Long range goal is to get 30 to 50 acres, and grow enough produce to sustain my family and pay the property taxes.

So I'm looking for something that's not too small a machine, not too large, but large enough to grow with me...

-- Eric Stone (ems@nac.net), May 03, 2000

Answers

Eric, new or used? If used, you're up against the yuppies who finally realized that small "real" tractors were cheaper and more versatile than lawn tractors.

I'd just look for whatever comes up for sale in your area. If you buy a brand that is or was popular where you live you are more likely to be able to find the various attachements for it. A three-point will be a big help. But if you don't have that many fence post holes to dig, consider buying or renting a post hole digger or doing them by hand rather than investing the money in one for the tractor. If you want to actually till your garden, you'll need a Rotovator or something similar. Pricey and hard to find, around here at least.

Start paying attention to ads and auction bills in your area to get a feel for what is available in your area. There's no point in me saying you need X if there isn't one anywhere near you. JD was never very popular around here, so there are few that ever come up for sale.

But off the top of my head, JD A's and B's, 520's; Ford 8N's, 9N's, and NAA's: Kubota deisals are nice; Farmall and IH have made some good small tractors. Really anything by any maker that is the size and configuration you want at a price you are willing to pay. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), May 03, 2000.

Used. If I could afford new, I'd have the 50 acres first... 8-)

As far as implements go, the box scrapper is all I'm interested in purchasing at this point. The rest can wait for now...

-- Eric Stone (ems@nac.net), May 03, 2000.

This is reminiscent of a previous post, but I will say that I and several of my friends and neighbors consider our Kubotas the best investment we ever made. Mine has paid for itself several times over with logging, tilling, bush-hogging, and plowing. I have a little one, a B6200, and I'm not sure they even make that anymore. I had a good used one lined up, and it got sold from under me. Bit the bullet (in 1984) and bought a new one. Took a few years to pay it off, but then it didn't cost more than a good used car, and less than any new one. All the cars we had then are gone, but the tractor goes on! I am strongly opposed to buying "on time", but that was the exception! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@mix-net.net), May 03, 2000.

It all depends on how handy you are and what you can put up with. There are some fine old tractors out there. And there are some fine newer, but expensive tractors like the Kubota. However for the average person I'd suggest a 30-40 HP major brand utility tractor in good condition from the 60's or 70's with live PTO and modern hydraulics and high/low range manual transmission. (You'll really appreciate low gears if you ever want to say use a brush hog in tight quarters with throttle speed up for pto, same with baling hay on a hill) Amazingly these will sometimes sell cheaper than a good condition antique tractor from the '40s and '50s. Need to check it all over well, as a tractor with problems can be very expensive to repair. If you are adventuresome, you can try an orphan tractor. David Brown is very cheap in this area. I saw one with newly rebuilt diesel engine sell for $2000 recently and another in good condition for $1500. Thats cheaper than an old Ford 8N in good condition. Now there is a Case/IHC dealer here that apparently is helpful on David Brown parts (Case owned and imported David Browns for some years before shutting the British factory down that made them when it bought IHC's farm equipment division) although I've heard real horror stories of people looking for parts in some other areas. Parts availability will only get worse as time passes.

-- Hermit John (ozarkhermit@pleasedontspamme.com), May 03, 2000.

I appreciate the feedback so far. I don't really want to get back into debt, as all I have left is the mortgage, and as of this month about $175 on a credit card. So unless I can get it for ca$h or trade, I'll wait.

I've used a Ford 8N many (about 9) years ago to mow and drill fence posts holes with, and it was OK, but I want to get a newer machine than that. I'd also like to stay away from a gas engine if possible, but if a machine is gas and the price is right, I could live with a gas engine.

The common brands here seems to be Ford, JD, MF, and I've seen the occasional Case or two. I've heard that the John Deere machines are heavier weight wise for the same size machine as other brands. Any truth to this? Advantage or disadvantage?

-- Eric Stone (ems@nac.net), May 04, 2000.

Check out www.ytmag.com/ everything you need to know about used tractors: descriptions, pictures, history, values, parts, classifieds for sale etc. I think a Ford Golden Jubilee is what you need.

-- Montana Bob (rgheiser@yahoo.com), May 04, 2000.

if I could choose any tractor I wanted with out concern for money it would be a Kabota.

They are small enough to squeeze into tight places, big enough to get the job done, and they go and go and go!

just my humble opinion

-- XRhodes (xrhodes@usa.com), May 04, 2000.

Wouldn't a team of oxen meet those criteria, too?!? :-)

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), May 04, 2000.

I've had a New Holland Boomer for over a year now and I don't think I could survive without it. Have a front bucket, backhoe, and bush hog. Also have an auger that has been a back saver----put in about a mile of 8 strand hi-tensil fence with it last summer. So far it has done everything I have asked. Plus, it's great fun.

-- Doug Shutes (toadshutes@yahoo.com), May 05, 2000.

I like the Boomer, and the Kubota's are nice too, but both are too much $$$. I'm leaning more towards a machine from the late 70's (like my truck), if I can. If I was going to use it full time, I might consider spending that much. But not for part time use.

-- Eric Stone (ems@nac.net), May 08, 2000.

I would go for a walk behind BCS 850 with a 14 horse power drive. There are so many attachments that you can do anything with it. It's easy to use and has one of the best waranties in the business and no belts. I have about 200 acres but most is pasture and woods. The BCS takes care of all the garden acres and I found I didn't need the big old tractor for what I did. It is cheaper to hire the big things out. You can get information at 704-846-1040 I wouldn't part with mine for anything. I also market garden. I don't know if it matters but I grow organicly.

-- Nick (wildheart@ekyol.com), October 31, 2000.