With luck my wife and I will be closing on a house that's a ways out in the country later this month. The house is sitting on 13.41 acres of land. There are wooded areas and a pond that I would estimate to be 2.5-3 acres in size.

I'm guessing that there is about 5-6 acres of land that will need to be maintained/mowed. There are a couple of paths through the wooded acres and remainder of a drive going toward the back of the property (grass/gravel, not paved). I do not plan to plant crops or have the land utilized for agriculture. It's just elbow room after living on 1/3 acre for years.

My question is - do I need a tractor? As stated there is approx. 5-6 acres that will need to be mowed. I'm not looking for a Better Homes & Gardens yard or anything. Just something green and enjoyable to walk.

Not having had this much land before (or even close to it - largest was an acre) I'm sort of at a loss to know what I need. I don't really foresee needing a front end loader or back hoe, although pond maintenance and shoring/building up the edges of the pond might be something for the future.

I don't want to spend a fortune and will likely look for a gently used piece of equipment to start. My question is/questions are:

* do I need a tractor or would a commercial-type mower be better?
* if a tractor, how large? Compact? Sub? Full-size?
* what are things to look for with a tractor? (hours, HP, 2 wheel vs. 4 wheel drive, gas vs. diesel, etc.)
* if a tractor, what implements should I look at (bush hog/pull behind mower, dozer-type blade, etc.)?

I haven't purchased the straw hat and bib overalls just yet, but I would appreciate those with land/have had land like what I hope to have in a couple of weeks chiming in with recommendations, advice, etc.

If you'd like, I would also welcome the "I wish I would have known this beforehand" information, suggestions, etc. as well.

thanks in advance!

A 4wd tractor with a front end loader is very handy. Look for a Kubota with a mid mower deck. Probably under 25hp. My L2501 is 25hp and a really great tractor. Might be able to find one of them. Hydro vs manual trans. Is not a big deal. Buy the one that you can get the best deal on. You are probably looking at least $20k for a newer B series unit I would guess.
You won't use it a ton. But when needed you will be very glad to have it.

Congrats on the new place. Sounds nice.

quote:

Do I need a tractor?

The answer to this question is the same as "do I really need another gun?" == always "YES!"

WRT your specific use case, you could probably get by without one, but you will thank yourself down the road for having started off right.

Something like the Kubota B series would be a good start. We used these when I was running a landscaping business to great effect.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
A 4wd tractor with a front end loader is very handy. Look for a Kubota with a mid mower deck. you are probably looking at $20k for a newer B series unit I would guess.
You won't use it a ton. But when needed you will be very glad to have it.

Congrats on the new place. Sounds nice.

I agree. You will be amazed at how many uses you'll find for the tractor and bucket.

Best tool I ever bought.
My back loves it.
My wife thinks it's sexy.
The more attachment's you buy the more you like it.
They don't depreciate much either, mine is a 2007 and worth more than I paid.

What area of NC, hilly, flat? Is it swampy? Do you get snow? How long is the driveway? Paved, stone? Do you want a nice grass lawn or field?

These questions will help in deciding what to get and how often you will use associated attachments.

It is apparent that a tractor would benefit you in the long run, but what size? Too much tractor is cumbersome and too little tractor is more work than help. The flatness of the land comes into play also.

We are out in the country, corn fields for neighbors. The house is on a one acre lot.
I mow the lawn at the house with a John Deere X720 heavy duty lawn/garden tractor using a 60" width commercial mowing deck.

We also have a ~ 68 acre rural property (mostly woods) and mow about 1.5 acres of grass there additionally using the JD X720.
Several acres of the rural property are now being Bush Hogged for deer hunting/food plot purposes.
We installed a cabin, dug electrical trenches, dug a pit for an outhouse, and developed a water source.
None of those items can be done practically with a lawn/garden tractor or a zero turn mower, except for mowing lawn.

Since we cover two properties with our machines, transporting them/trailering was a concern. We bought machines that we can haul easily, and didn't require buying a huge one ton truck for towing.
The general rule of thumb is buy a tractor at least one size larger than what you initially think you might use/need.

We have a huge circular driveway at the house, and a driveway back to the pole barn that periodically needs snow removed.
I'm in upstate New York, and we get snow here. We bought a used Kubota BX 25 when we purchased our home.
It's diesel, four wheel drive, front loader and backhoe. I've added a rear weight barrel (three point hitch) and a four foot width Bush Hog.

Owning the Kubota has proved to be spectacular for doing projects around the house and the property.
I can't imagine owning a rural home and piece of rural property and not owning a tractor.
Very few times have I felt the Kubota BX 25 was not big enough, you just need to take on projects with smaller bites.

Ultimately, only you can decide what you need, want, and can afford. In your case, it will be somewhat simpler as house/property are at the same location, unlike me.

I have a nine plus page thread in the What's Your Deal! section of this Forum, documenting & photos of many projects that we have accomplished using our machines.
Link: https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/7230077564

At a minimum you will need this: https://www.kubotausa.com/prod...ub-compact/bx23s-new
Then remember the general rule of thumb above.

Email if you have any specific questions.

quote:

Originally posted by petr:
What area of NC, hilly, flat? Is it swampy? Do you get snow? How long is the driveway? Paved, stone? Do you want a nice grass lawn or field?

Great questions! Yes, I should have stated these as tractors/equipment needs would vary depending on terrain.

What area of NC - Stanly County

Hilly, flat? - relatively flat. No hills just some very gentle ground swells maybe.

Is it swampy? Only around the pond.

Do you get snow? Not usually and if so it's a couple of inches usually. Being in this area the odds of getting much snow are very low.

How long is the driveway? Driveway to the house is less than 100' & concrete.

Do you want a nice grass lawn or field? green grass is nice, but not a showcase lawn or anything. Yet not a hay field or scrub brush either.


Hope these answers help!

I own a Kubota BX23 and use it to mow my lawn, it has a 60" mower deck with the front bucket and rear excavator, It really comes in handy when you have to move some earth. If I had a few acres of lawn I would be happy with this set-up.
My Son lives on 13acres his lawn needs are different. He has a M series Kubota tractor and a brush Hog and a finish mower the are attached to the rear of the tractor. For his finished lawn the large finish mower does the job for the heavy brush the Brush Hog handles that well. He still needs a smaller mower to get into all the nooks and crannies around the house. He uses a Kubota BX with a mower deck for that purpose.

I guess the answer to your question is how many tractors do you need.
How big will the barn you will need be?
It never ends!

I'd give it time before you buy something. You really need to live at a place for a while before you'll really know what you need.

Better to wait and make an informed decision than buy something you find out later was a bad choice.

Kubota L2501 w L525 loader. Those models may have gone to L2502 and L526.
Get a ratchet rake. Look it up, they are indestructible and very versatile.
5’ Box Blade
Get a 5’ heavy duty brush hog
Get a grapple.
I wasted 20 years of tractor ownership NOT having a ratchet rake and a grapple.
Billy

Good advice above, as usual.

I'd just add that a rear finish mower (mounts to the 3 point hitch) is better for maintaining a large area than a mid-mount. This is especially true when the area is somewhere between a really nice field and a rough lawn.

I say this for two reasons:

1. The RFM can be raised to whatever height is needed for first time work in an overgrown area.

2. When not needed, the RFM can be removed with 3 pins (two side links and the top link) and the PTO shaft in a couple of minutes. Removing a mid-mount is considerably more involved and leaving it on, even raised to its maximum height, severely reduces ground clearance.

Once you have a tractor, especially one with a front end loader (and I'd NEVER have a tractor without one...) you'll find all sorts of things to do with it where a mounted mower would be in the way making the job difficult or impossible.

I'm in W-S, and bought myself a BX-25 when I turned 70, as a birthday present. Have used it way, way more than I would have ever imagined. Have a lawn service now, due to a few health probs and mostly laziness. If you do get a BX, drop me a note. I can make you a deal on a 60 inch mid mower and a scrape blade, used once.

quote:

Originally posted by mojojojo:

Great questions! Yes, I should have stated these as tractors/equipment needs would vary depending on terrain.

What area of NC - Stanly County

Hilly, flat? - relatively flat. No hills just some very gentle ground swells maybe. A tractor will be slower mowing than a zero turn. How much is your time worth?

Is it swampy? Only around the pond. A tractor will get stuck. Ask me how I know... I had to use a weed eater to mow around our pond. I looked into one on wheels, but we moved before I was able to acquire one.

Do you get snow? Not usually and if so it's a couple of inches usually. Being in this area the odds of getting much snow are very low. A blade or loader will be attachments to look into. A mounted snow blower would be overkill by the sounds of it. I don't recommend a back blade as you will always be looking backwards while using it. In other words, a pain in the neck. Literally!

How long is the driveway? Driveway to the house is less than 100' & concrete. A box blade or York rake would not be needed to maintain this driveway. If you wish to maintain the gravel lane you mentioned, these might be something to consider. However, renting them instead of storing them may suit your needs better. You would need to look into how often you will use them to justify this.

Do you want a nice grass lawn or field? green grass is nice, but not a showcase lawn or anything. Yet not a hay field or scrub brush either. A pull behind or under belly finish mower deck for a normal lawn, a pull behind flail/ brush mower for trail maintenance


Hope these answers help!

On top of all the recommendations in red above, a three point hitch or sleeve hitch would be a must for any rear mounted attachment as well as a rear PTO, either shaft or hydraulic. There are numerous attachments available for a CAT 0 hitch with a sleeve adapter. The best of both worlds! Shaft driven tend to be less expensive than hydraulic due to not needing a hydraulic motor for each one.

How new of a machine are you looking for? Budget? Handyman special? Off the showroom floor? Obviously there are costs involved with any way you choose.

If you don't "need" a loader there are plenty of capable garden tractors out there both new and used. Most have everything you need minus the loader and some have loaders available for them as an extra.

I have an older Case/ Ingersoll 446 that has exceeded my needs with pushing dirt and snow. I just used it today to snow blow 8" of heavy snow. It doesn't have a loader, but there are models, the 646 for example, is a loader model. They are built like a tank! If you want pictures, I can scrounge them up for you.

Talk to your tax attorney he will know.
If you were in eastern Iowa, they would tell three different ways to put ten of those acres in programs to avoid a lot of taxes.

But at the other end of the money spectrum.

Just hire a man to do it, a turf management specialist ,another man an arborist to manage the trees and shrubs.


A grounds keeper will get the correct tools for the job. They will upkeep and maintain them and worry about how and when to service them.

Unless you really really want to dedicate the time and energy to hobby it all yourself.

A tractor with a PTO bush hog will be able to mow it now or if there is a big gap between mowings. Sometimes life happens and there is a big gap between mowings. I mention this because I had a big gap between mowings due to a tenant issue on a 5 acre property I used to own. Previously the tenants garden tractor mowed it, but after evicting the tenant who stopped mowing it (among other things they stopped doing) I had to hire the farmer down the road to "mow" it (he actually used his hay equipment to cut it). Then, a lawn service could mow until I sold the property.

If you get the tractor with PTO bush hog, it opens up a whole world of projects and uses:

front end loader with skid steer quick attach - you have the bucket for dirt, gravel, snow, etc. Then, with a flip of two levers you could have pallet forks, a man basket, a grapple (need add'l front hydraulics), hay bale spear, limb shears, tree puller, etc. Obviously, you could go hog wild depending on what you want to do with the property.

on the 3 point lift & PTO - you could have the aforementioned bush hog, a rotatiller, a posthole digger, counterweights (very important for loader work), box scraper for dirt/gravel driveways and trails, a fertilizer spreader, food plot implements, wood splitters, etc. Once again, you could go hog wild depending on what you want to do with the property.

If you just buy a zero turn, you're limited to just mowing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tatortodd,

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

I would want at least a compact 30 hp 2wd tractor with good brakes, a rear scraper box and a bushhog. If the acreage you need to mow is at all rough using anything but a tractor with fair sized tires will be punishing. Hydrostat and loader are awesome upgrades if you actually WANT to work it. A small trailer for around the farm is handy. I use my old ATV for dragging downed wood and trail maintenance far more than my tractor. It goes anywhere.

With the property you describe I'd probably look into a Ventrac.

https://www.ventrac.com/products/tractors/4500

My Landlord uses two Bobcat UW56 "tractors":
Fully enclosed and heated cab.
4 wheel steering.
1 ton cargo box.
I have been watching him use them. Amazingly versatile and lots of attachments.

Hell Yes! And it's not all about what you need, but what you want.

Years ago I had a 21 acre property in New Hampshire and I wanted/needed a tractor. Mine was a John Deere 750 compact diesel tractor with about 21 engine HP and 18 PTO HP. That did everything I needed including mowing about as much lawn as you're talking about as well as bush hog rough area, keep trails mown and plow snow in winter. Looking back, I really did need it!