We got by for about 4 years without one but finally bit the bullet last year. With 0% interest loan, it’s hard to say no. I will say it’s the only thing I’ve ever made payments on that when the money comes out every month I think, that’s money well spent. You certainly can get by without one depending on how farm is set up and how much work needs to be done. But any work that requires heavy equipment will have to be hired out.
We now have a bucket, pallet forks, post hole auger and a pine straw rake. We have used our tractor to move hay, move manure, turn manure pile, plow snow, rake pine needles, dig post holes, run wire, pull chain harrows, lift appliances out of our basement and lift the rubber mats from horse trailer onto fence to wash. Plus the 100s of trips it’s made carrying posts or dirt or whatever back and forth across property. We bought a 50HP because I feed rounds and I refused to get a tractor unless it would lift 1400 lb bales.
The advantage of a tractor over any other piece of equipment to me is the variety of attachments. If you think, there has to be an easier way to do this - someone has probably figured out how to make a tractor do it. I spent 40+ hours last year raking pine needles by hand. This year, I knew there had to be a better way. Turns out they make a tractor attachment for that exact job. Took 2 hours to rake.