Hi All, we bought a 6.5 acre farm up in MA in November but did not buy any tractors, riding lawn mowers, etc. Any suggestions on what sort of items we should purchase this spring? I don’t think our electric lawn mower and snow blower are going to work out as all we have long term! About 4-5 acres is pasture or lawn and the rest is driveway, a large all weather footing ring, and a few dirt paddocks. We have a drag for the ring and have borrowed a friends tractor to drag the dirt paddocks and ring but it’s time we get our own stuff before we get in a bind and need to move something like the manure pile in a hurry! Obviously the more dual purpose items we can buy the better.
Measure the narrowest space that you would need to get a mower between, then purchase the widest mower deck you can. I have more acreage to keep mowed, but if you can afford it I’d get a zero turn mower. You can get your mowing done SOOOO much faster. I find it easier to do fence lines with a zero turn mower and then do the interior of the field with tractor and bush hog if the bush hog is wider than the zero turn mower, otherwise the zero turn can cut a field faster than the same size bush hog.
Do you plan to use large round or square bales? (600-1000lbs) You will want to be sure that the tractor you purchase can move them, even if just a few feet off the ground. You will want/need a couple of attachments: pallet forks ( as a separate attachment as they are more stable), a bucket (4 in 1 if you can), bush hog, drag, and grading box (to manage your driveway).
You may find a UTV helpful, but not 100% necessary.
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Similar to you, I bought a 6 acre farm about 10 years ago and had nothing. Here is my rec. for initial must haves: Tractor with a FEL (min. 30hp), finish mower or bush hog depending on your pasture shape and makeup,3pt fertilizer spreader. Additional items as you need them: box scrape or scrape blade, pallet forks, lift pole, and post hole digger. And non-tractor related: very good chain saw, weed wacker and impact drill! And a shed to store it all in!!! 
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I have a similar sized place. I have a 54 inch ZT mower, 35 HP tractor with FEL and 6 foot finish mower. JD Gator with manual dump bed. Several battery chainsaws and borrow the neighbors big gas saw if needed. I have battery powered blowers for the porch and barn (no power there) and they work fine.
One of my best purchases was a Gorilla dump wagon - I can pull it with the Gator if needed, but mostly use it to put out hay by hand. It holds one big bale easily (2 string). I also move 2 or 3 round pen panels at a time on it! It is wonderful, just looks like a regular little garden wagon. My horses are rarely in so I got a little green garden wagon to do their stalls. I would also get a t-post puller, I have done lots of things with it, not just t-posts.
I have a bad back so most of my stuff is battery to spare the weight of a gas engine. I use a little battery weedeater around the house. For fencelines, I have a sprayer that goes in the Gator.
A small pull along spreader for fertilizer goes behind the Gator. I think once you have a Gator, you can’t imagine life without one. I toyed with getting a minitruck but can’t get it tagged here, plus they are usually manual so my slow work might wear out the clutch.
I made a drag out of the Neighbor’s discarded chain link gate (5 ft). I just tied on a length of 6x6 for weight. Some ski rope and a carabiner and off I go, all free.
I have 8 acres and have managed with a 27 hp gas tractor with FEL. It has a 60" belly mower; if possible I recommend getting a tractor with rear PTO and use a tow-behind mower. The belly mower is a PITA to put back on if I take it off. If I leave it on while using the 3 pt hitch, anytime the hitch moves down so does the mower. I have a rear blade that I rarely use, and a chain drag for the arena. Would like to rig something to the 3 pt to lift the drag so I can get into corners. I just got clamp on forks for my bucket; I had to get large squares of hay and this is a lifesaver for moving hay from the loft to where I need it.
a JD Gator is mighty handy if you have a bunch of stalls to pick or hay to move around and feed out. It has room for the dog(s). The best thing our BO did was to install heated Nelson waterers in the paddocks and turnouts; Very reliable, and they make life so much nicer in the winter.
