New property - what equipment to buy first on a budget?

[Lizrd]

I hear the word budget and to me that means the John Deere1025 is out. I have a JD2025r and neither model is for folks on a tight budget.

I have 11 acres and got along just peachy with a 1998 John Deere 350 lawn tractor for the first 2 years. That thing is a mowing BEAST! Like you suggested, I have a little tow behind trailer, which is a 3 bushel bucket essentially. It is great for moving things, hauling branches, etc. A used quality John Deere lawn tractor is really worth every penny off of marketplace. We scoured for what we wanted and found one that was in great condition for $2k with a snow thrower attachment! It is versatile, small, easy to service and affordable. I mowed at least 5 of my 11 acres with it and it is still my “go to” for mowing even with the 2025r in my garage. Don’t get me wrong, love my 2025 but at $20k+ used I would not call it a budget machine.

Gook luck and enjoy your lovely new property!

[LCDR]

@EventingMaff, how much money is in your budget for the equipment purchase? It would be helpful to us advice givers to know that.

[fourfillies]

Exactly this. I mowed 5 plus acres of pasture with basically the same JD lawn tractor for 2 seasons. Got a dump cart for it off Marketplace and there wasn’t much I couldn’t do. I bought a used 25hp Massey with a belly mower and I can mow higher and a bit faster but even used with 800 hours it was 10K. Albeit I love the FEL.

[flypony74]

We have an 18 acre boarding/breeding facility that I maintain with a zero turn, UTV, and a 50hp tractor. I use the zero turn to mow the yard, common areas around the barn, our hacking lane, and about 9000’ of fenceline, so I mow a total of 4-5ish acres with the zero turn.

I also maintain my parent’s 4 acre yard, and have the option of using my dad’s zero turn or his small tractor with a finish mower. Hands down I always use the zero turn, as it is much faster and more maneuverable.

My recommendation for a single piece of equipment on the property size you described, would be a zero turn. Of course it will not do everything but you will easily be able to handle the amount of mowing, and much faster than a lawn tractor (or tractor). For more versatility for work around the farm, pick up a four-wheeled Gorilla Cart that you can tow with the mower, super handy. Don’t get me wrong, a tractor and UTV are extremely useful (and necessary for a larger property), but a zero turn would be more than sufficient to get you started.

We have had excellent service out of our Scag and Kubota zero turns, and I believe Kubota currently has 0% interest so you may look into that. Both mowers are 60" and I would not want to go smaller considering the amount of mowing I do. I also recommend getting a model with a Kawasaki engine…

[EventingMaff]

The lower the better, but we’re mentally planning around $3-5k but if we were told we absolutely needed to go up to a bigger / more versatile vehicle we could potentially push up to $8-10k (but it would hurt!)

[endlessclimb]

I have a 1981 deere 650 4 wheel drive with a loader and a finish mower that I paid between your two ranges for. It starts and runs great. Keep your eyes peeled, they’re out there.

It’s old school though, no hydro transmission, clutch and shifter, high and low gear.

[Djones]

I use the heck out of my JD S130 Lawn mower. I mow everything under the sun with it and pull a little cart to clean stalls, the chicken coop, etc.

What are yall using the FEL on these smaller tractors for? I have a JD4250 tractor with 3 pt hitch and FEL — the ways I use that FEL would be too much for a smaller tractor. Not criticizing! Truly curious.

For the OP on flat clear ground, less than 5 acres like you’re describing I think a golf cart and a good riding lawnmower might do the trick.

[endlessclimb]

Lifting a 2x12x20 header was its most recent job.

Before that, leveling out the barn addition limestone flooring.

Before that hoofing a buttload of bricks out from behind the barn.

Before that carrying sod to its final resting place.

Before that adding soil to the gardens right by the house to adjust the grade.

Before that pulling out bushes.

1000# of lift out strength isn’t a ton, but it sure beats doing it the by-hand way.

[luvmyhackney]

If that’s your budget, I’d a commercial zero turn that can pull a small garden cart.

Then just hire out other jobs as needed.

I started with the zero turn but once I got the horses home, my little tractor has been a god send in making my life easier.

[luvmyhackney]

@Djones

What are yall using FEL on these smaller tractors for? I have a JD4250 tractor with 3 pt hitch and FEL — the ways I use that FEL would be too much for a smaller tractor. Not criticizing! Truly curious.

I have a few attachments for mine:
Auger
Brush hog
Backhoe
Box blade

I’m getting the rake attachment this fall.

It takes me more time than a bigger tractor and can’t lift round bales, but its super handy in tight spaces and I can turn it around easily in my aisle way and even fit it in the exerciser to level the footing vs having to have a different piece of equipment.

[Djones]

@luvmyhackney
I didn’t phrase it well…I was curious specifically about the front end loader (FEL). I know the value of the 3 pt hitch, no question!

[LCDR]

Check out my pic in post #6 in this thread. All that dirt got moved and spread with the FEL on my subcompact tractor. And the first pile twice that size from the first 2/3 of the arena, and 10 additional triaxle dump truck deliveries. I’d love a big tractor to speed up the process, but the little guy can do the jobs. They just take longer.

If I go real slow it can curl and move 1200 pounds in the bucket, and somewhat less with the pallet forks. And when I put the stump bucket on the loader it will do some decent digging too.

[luvmyhackney]

Ahh I move scrape snow on my driveway, dump rock, turn my compost, muck straight into my bucket vs using a dump cart, I have open stalls so I can use my bucket to add shavings with no manual lifting.

I only have a bucket, no forks or hay spear.

It lifts/moves around 750 lbs. so enough to do things, just a little slower than the bigger tractors.

[EventingMaff]

Thanks all - I think where we landed is buying an older garden tractor at a budget cost with mow deck and snowblower attachments to get us through the first couple years. We’ll hire out in the meantime and use the first couple years to get a sense of what jobs are ad hoc vs regular and therefore what the most practical bigger investment is to save us time and money in the long run.

Appreciate all of the advice on this thread!