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Decisions, Decisions.....what equipment makes the most sense?

Around The Farm
#1

DH and I are currently trying to decide what equipment will be the most helpful and can do the most jobs at our new place. We’re going back and forth on the usefulness of a zero turn versus a tractor with FEL and belly mower, and something like a Kubota Sidekick UTV with a hydraulic dump bed.

We just bought a 14 acre property that has some flat pasture, some woods, some trails, and a 1/2 mile long gravel driveway. Our biggest needs are something to mow with (both around the house and the pastures), and something to maintain the driveway. I’m also hoping to be able to clear some more land/trails, collect fallen branches and firewood, and install fencing (at our last place the FEL was amazing at sinking T Posts into the ground!)

Horses aren’t home yet, but will be by summer.

At our last place, we had a little Kubota BX with a FEL and a 60" belly mower. We are thinking of going up a step or two from the BX but I’m thinking getting a tractor with a FEL will be super helpful at this place. That way I can mow, we can attach a bush hog, I have the FEL for various tasks…but on the downside, mowing will take much longer. Around the house, in particular, we have very extensive landscaping (boulders, water features, tons of trees and shrubs) that will make manuvering a tractor a little tricky.

But, I feel like a zero turn is kind of pointless when a tractor can mow and do so much more…

We’re also looking at a UTV…it would be nice to use on the trails and would be helpful through the wooded areas. I can attach a mower or bush hog. Just wouldn’t have the FEL, which I feel is important.

So, between a tractor with FEL and mower, a UTV, and a Zero Turn which would you buy? Are there two that would be most helpful? Which could we live without?

Thanks all!

#2

All three would be nice but if I had to pick only one, it would be the tractor with FEL. I have the next step up Kubota. Mine is a L2350. They have changed the model number/name since I got it but there’s still a 25 hp L-series tractor. For around the house, I have a 40 year old John Deere riding mower that cost me $500 several years ago.

I sometimes work at a barn that has a JD Gator with hydraulic dump bed which we use to clean the stalls. I would love to have one of those at home, but they’re pretty expensive, even used. It’s really nice not to have to wrestle a wheelbarrow, though. I can use my FEL for stall cleaning, but it’s more trouble than it’s worth most of the time. I do use it when I strip the stalls.

2 Likes
#3

Sounds to me like it’s more a question of which do you buy first, because you’re going to want at least 2 of the 3 options, if not all 3, eventually. I was faced with similar decisions when I moved onto an 8 acre property with a long barn driveway, hills, rocks, brush, the need to clear and trail build. I went with a 4wd Gator with a dump bed and plow first because I don’t have power or water at my barn and needed to move heavy water tanks — that’s worked very well. It’s also fantastic for trail building - holds two people and a lunch cooler, we cut branches and brush, toss in the gator and deliver to our burn pile. The same for pasture clean up - it goes so quickly. It holds a lot of fencing material, too, and zips you back to the house when first aid is required. The bed is too high to easily muck into daily, but I’ve done it. It’s only ok at plowing snow, a little too light for my coastal New England conditions.

I borrow a BX tractor with a FEL and backhoe from a neighbor, and I lust after his zero turn, too, but made do for the around the house stuff with a push mower. In hindsight, I wish I’d started with the tractor. The Gator is very useful for moving 2 people and tons of stuff in one haul. It’s fast and handy. But, the tractor is irreplaceable — it moves the really heavy stuff, plows snow much better, and can grade the road. With the backhoe, we’ve dug out stall flooring, cleaned big
rocks out of the paddock, pulled stumps and roots and managed a ton more manure than originally planned (goats). I’m about to buy the same BX — FEL, back hoe, and a snowblower, because that works even better than blade plowing, for us, and the 0% Kubota deals make that extra few thousand dollars a little easier to take.

The zero turns are so fast, they ruin you for all other mowers. Don’t know what to tell you there. Good luck prioritizing.

#4

Tractor for sure. With the acreage you have and the terrain you describe this WILL be the most “bang for your buck.” It can do almost anything the ATV you describe can do when proper implements are used. Think in terms of a system. The tractor is the heart of the system and you can attach limbs to the heart to do almost anything. You can even buy small, hydraulic dump trailers.

An ATV/UTV can also be the heart of a system, but it’s a “telltale heart” and not so robust or useful.

For the tasks you are describing you’re going to need something with some “muscle” and that says all wheel drive (which is selective in most tractors) and probably in the 30hp range. I’ve just bought a small tractor with a belly mower and I don’t know if that was the right move or not. Grass is not growing right now and I’ve always used 3 pt. hitch mowing decks in the past. The belly mower is more maneuverable but the 3 pt. hitch mower will do corners better. With the belly mower attached you lose some of the capability of the rear PTO. So, name your poison! :wink:

An ATV/UTV is a wonderful and useful vehicle. But if you can only afford one to start then get the most tractor you can that is compatible with your property. Then, if you have money left over after you set the tractor up with appropriate implements, go for a lower end ATV/UTV to “fill in the gaps” where the tractor is less effective.

This is one place where the “discipline of the yellow pad” is appropriate. Write down a list of the task you are going to perform and make the list as inclusive as you can. Then decide which vehicle is most appropriate for each task. This will not only help you with type to select but also size to select.

Good luck in your project!

G.

P.S. Men LOVE horsepower. Men LOVE things that turn petrochemicals into noise. Men LOVE things that go fast. And if they do it in a sexy manner that even BETTER!!! ATV/UTV vehicles can be beyond sexy because they suggest the driver can be mondo cool as they race through the woods on their next mission. Like the “Rat Patrol” in the desert or Special Ops guys in the ‘Stan. Tractors, not so much cache’ but vastly more utility in most cases. You may have to “manage” your DH in this process. The yellow pad will be a big help. :wink:

2 Likes
#5

FEL is non negotiable, you really can’t get by without one. Start there and see how it goes, and let that drive your next purchase.

3 Likes
#6

You gotta have a tractor. I would suggest a Kubota L series with a FEL, and get a finish mower (rear attachment) for your yard area. That’s the set-up I had for my old farm (only 7.5 acres and about 2 was yard) and it worked out well. Much easier to finish mow with a HST.

We now have 18 acres and have a Kubota L4701 with FEL, which I use constantly to bushhog, move round bales, move gravel, unload freight (with pallet forks, we are in the process of building barns), property cleanup/maintenance, etc. We also have a Kubota zero turn, got a good deal because we bought a lot of stuff from Kubota and the zero turn can get just about anywhere. If you go with a tractor and a finish mower, be sure to get the rear quick-attach, it is a life saver. I’m a petite female and can effortlessly change rear implements in just a few minutes by myself.

As far as the UTV? We also bought one when we got the tractor and zero turn, and it is the best thing since toilet paper. I use it for everything, from square bale distribution to emptying the manure spreader to fence repair to spraying fields, and everything in between. I didn’t have one when I had my last farm and I don’t know how I lived without it! I know it’s a lot of money to shell out while trying to set up a new property, we were kind of choking at the expense but I’m glad we pulled the trigger and did it. The right equipment makes a world of difference on a farm!

1 Like
#7

Around the house, in particular, we have very extensive landscaping (boulders, water features, tons of trees and shrubs) that will make maneuvering a tractor a little tricky.

the tractor’s front-end loader will will make short work in removing those obstacles

4 Likes
#8

I have a slightly different view… fwiw, LOL! Our farm is approx 100 acres; we have been here five years and before that had a 12-acre farm for several years. We only got a tractor last year (a New Holland 65 HP with all kinds of attachments). We LOVE the tractor. But, we did just fine for many years with a zero turn mower and a Honda ATV (675cc). Our zero turn is a commercial grade Ferris 2200 https://www.ferrismowers.com/na/en_us/products/zero-turn-mowers.html . It is amazing. We use it primarily to mow the designated “lawn” area around the house (approx 5 acres with landscaping, etc) as well as the fencelines, along the driveway, etc. We have a number of attachments for the ATV and use it for hauling things, moving / distributing square bales, dragging the arena, etc.

1 Like
#9

I’d go with the tractor first and if possible get a 4 in 1 bucket for the FEL. The 4in1 is great for picking up piles of debris or logs. It will help you get lots of jobs done with one piece of equipment.

in the end you will want to purchase a zero turn for the lawn around your home. Be sure to measure the tightest areas and get that as your deck size. Another option is to remove landscaping that might make it troublesome or add to the landscaping so that you don’t have to mow that single tight area.

With 14 acres, you could use an UTV, but you could get by with the tractor and mower.

#10

All of the above?

Our bushog sucks big time for my grass outdoor ring and umm our yard. Really need a zero turn for areas you want to have yard length grass.

I’d do shady things for a FEL.

1 Like
#11

You don’t want a bushog for mowing yards. It is for mowing heavy pastures, rough brush areas! You use a finish mower with more, finer blades that don’t tear up the refined lawn grasses in the yard. It usually has more wheels to support all the corners, so weight is evenly spread instead of all on the trailing wheel. Height is adjustable for the area you want to mow. If possible, get a finish mower with a side chute which spreads the mown leaves in a thin layer for fast drying, instead of windrowing the cut leaves out behind. I also use the finish mower on my pastures for a really nice result in looks and clean cut grasses all at the same height of 5 inches. Does a great job on the grass arena too, cut at the same height to double as a paddock when needed.

I will agree with those who think the tractor is your first, most needed piece of equipment on the farm. You can buy attachments for it, do even more jobs easily! Lots of used things for sale, saves you some money. I have both a brushog and the finish mower, each doing their jobs well, but not crossing over into the area the other does well at. I never touch my well established pastures now with the brushog because it tears them up not staying level, leaves tracks with only one wheel weighted down. I don’t try mowing the edge of the woods with the finish mower, not made to cut up fallen branches, limbs or heavy brush. I would break something as well as dulling the very sharp blades.

We used the pickup truck to haul fencing supplies, carries two or more people for jobs away from the barn area. ATVS are nice but not (to us) an essential tool on the farm. The truck can often cover many of those other uses for you. An older, smaller pickup (Before they were super-sized! ha ha) for just farm uses, could be less investment than an ATV, but still very useful.

#12

Lol, I can respect that!

#13

:lol: We won’t be removing them (the landscaping is gorgeous) it will just make mowing more challenging!

@Guilherme You’re 100% right! I have been totally been pushing for the tractor and DH wants the UTV! At the last place, DH maybe drove the tractor 10 times, so ultimately this will be my decision :slight_smile:

I’ve never used a finish mower, my old Kubota had a 60" belly mower. Are the finish mowers easier to maneuver? Any faster? So, instead of a belly mower I could buy finish mower and bush hog attachment and have everything I need to mow the entire property?

I hadn’t considered just getting a small riding mower for around the house. That would be way cheaper than a zero turn and easier to maneuver around trees and obstacles than the tractor. Good idea!

#14

I had one of these:

https://www.farm-king.com/pages/product_le_finishing-mower-hd.php

Not the same model as mine was bought 5 years ago but same basic specs. This is a commercial grade machine and it won’t be cheap. Here’s how cheap it isn’t. https://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/farm-equipment/for-sale/list/category/1134/hay-and-forage-equipment-rotary-mowers/manufacturer/buhler-farm-king They do a very good job on lawns and I used it as a “fence line” mower whenever I could by “offsetting” the 3-pt. hitch. I could get under the fences in many cases and that beat the living dog s**t out of doing fence lines with a weed eater! I couldn’t get everything, but got a LOT!!!

Pro tip: when setting up your fence plan to make to bottom strand/rail at least one inch higher than the height of the mowing machine you’re going to use along that fence line! Of course you must also consider what that fence is going to keep out or keep in and this may not be possible. But think about it!

This did a good job on the corners, as well. It will be a couple months before I know if my decision to go with a belly mower instead of a new Farm King was good idea.

Tractor House is also a good resource for getting prices on new and used equipment. Another good one is Iron Planet even though that is more oriented to professional dirt movers.

Since we used our finishing deck hard it went to the shop annually for new blades, belts, minor repairs, etc. You will likely not use it that hard but sharp blades are indeed your friends. :wink:

Good luck as you go forward.

G.

#15

Congrats on your farm!! We just bought our first farm last August and are working diligently to get it set up for the horses to come home in the Spring (were on the books to have the new fencing installed but not until early April…sigh…) We have 20 acres, but 10 is being leased out for crops. We had the same discussions and ended up buying a commercial grade 60” zero turn mover and a solid used Kubota tractor. There’s enough green space around the house that warranted the zero turn, not to mention mowing the paddocks. I was all about getting something that would mow the fastest. The tractor is self explanatory (manure pile, drag, auger attachment for fence repairs, etc). We lucked into great deals on both. Good Luck!!

#16

Yep, this is what we did, too. They show up used all the time, so easy to find (or sell later.) It’s a surprisingly handy piece of equipment, especially with a little cart to tow.

#17

I have all 3 plus a skid steer. Kubota B series tractor with FEL, tiny (smallest you can get) zero turn mower, and a kubota UTV with dump bed. I have just over 20 acres. All pasture and lawn/arena. Barn with 8 stalls, about 17 horses on the property. I started with just the tractor and the UTV.

I’ve often thought about what I would choose if I could have just one of these machines… it’s a very tough call. We use the UTV daily for chores. We muck stalls into the back dump section and drive it around with hay and grain to feed the outside horses. We could conceivably do all of that with a wheelbarrow however. Since we got the skidsteer we have removed the FEL from the tractor, so we now use the tractor exclusively for plowing snow (with blade), dragging fields, spreading and big mowing. For years the tractor mower (a deck behind mower, not belly) was my only mower. It was impossible to do around the trees on the driveway or along fence lines with the big mower, so I spend hours with the weed wacker. Getting the zero turn was unbelievable. I use it now for so much more mowing than the tractor. Even though it takes longer to do the grass arena it does a way better job. I love it. I wish it were bigger and could replace the tractor mower all together. We do not have to mow pastures, we just don’t get enough grass but sometimes I will go over them with the tractor mower to even out the grazing.

I also feed big square bales and use the skid steer to move hay. Feeding big bales is a huge cost savings, I don’t know if I could ever go back to small squares. I also use the skid steer to clean paddocks and for some snow removal. I use it to turn my muck heap and load the spreader. I use it for landscaping type stuff around the yard. I really wish I had a backhoe on the tractor. I have no way to dig a big hole and it would be super useful for tree planting, stump removal or in worst case if you had to bury something.

I guess if I could pick one it would be the tractor.
I think about replacing all 4 of those things (except maybe the small mower) with one of these: https://avantequipment.com/loader/avant-loader-800-series/

#18

LOL :lol:

Yeah, have to agree with the majority. Tractor with FEL is #1. I have a 5’ bush hog for pastures, but a smaller Kubota lawn tractor for my lawns. I have heavy clay with no rocks, and it is often too wet in spring to drive my big tractor over it, so it could be tricky as a first-line lawn mower because of the size. (Mine is Kubota 3430).

I’ve been back and forth about the Utility vehicle with dump bed for the last year. Can’t quite say I need it but I want it. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#19

You are right; these are mondo kool. There are several lines made here. But be sitting down when you look at the prices!!!

https://www.machinerytrader.com/listings/construction-equipment/for-sale/list/category/1060/wheel-loaders/manufacturer/schaffer

G.

#20

These are made here, too. But be sitting down when you look at the prices!!!

https://www.showmeshortline.com/load…BoCF0cQAvD_BwE

The system won’t let me connect directly to a selling site. So Google “machinery traders” and go to that website. Then put in the Schaffer Wheel Loader model you like and you’ll get some price info.

Enjoy!!!

G.

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