Tractors and Implements 101

We've owned 10 acres of land for the last 3 years and have managed to squeek by without owning a tractor outright through a combination of tractor rentals and a very kind neighbor (he surprises us with a tilling or a bush hog from time to time). On 1-2 acres we're growing fruit bushes and fruit trees, 1 acre's growing a vegetable plot, 3 - 4 acres is wooded, and the other ~4.5 acres is grassland. But tractor rentals are expensive ($400 per round trip) and it's time to REALLY get serious about how we're going to manage these 10 acres. Being just a small amount of land, cost is a major consideration. We're total newbs regarding tractors, so it was time to do a little research. The major considerations are 2-wheel tractor, used 4-wheel, or new 4-wheel, although lately been reading ATV 4-wheeler use for land management. Sounds intriguing (could it work for the short term?). We have a strong preference for diesel.

TRACTOR CHOICES

 

2-Wheel Walking Tractor

Pros: Cheaper than a 4 wheel (Grillo G85d 8 hp diesel is $3500). Small size is a plus since we don't have a trailer for transportation, nor proper storage for a full size tractor. Could store this one in parents shed for interim. Supposedly these things never break, b/c they have no gears or belts, but if they do, the warranty is pretty awesome. Manufacturer & Elliot Coleman recommend this tractor for a land our size. There are tons of implements for this thing, possibly more than for the 4-wheel tractor. New  implements are cheaper than new ones for a 4-wheel. Supposedly easier to work on than a 4-wheel tractor. More maneuverable around corners. Can turn 180 degrees. Much better at cultivating between rows (much less wasted space) and between fruit trees & bushes. Light weight won't cause any soil compaction. Cons: You have to walk the tractor (unless you buy a sulky). Top speed is a fair bit slower. These are only really a con when trying to use it for mowing, but I figure we can diminish this con some by planting more trees along the edges of the property that don't interfere with the path of the sun and reduce the "grassland" area some. Other con is there aren't many folks selling or repairing these guys. And there aren't really any used implements for sale in the area. Fortunately they do have a dealership in Auburn though. Not close, but not an eternity away either. If a mulch layer for growing strawberries is big on your list, these aren't nearly as effective as the implements available for a 4-wheel tractor, but might be in the future.

Grillo G85D 8hp

4-Wheel Tractor - Used

Pros: You can get a used 4-wheel tractor for about the same price as a new 2-wheel, but it has to be pretty old to match the price. Found a diesel international 18 HP with 1700 hours with a mower for $2400 just today. 1700 is a lot of hours though. And it's 2 wheel drive with turf tires, so pretty sure that thing'll get stuck on our mucky parts (since the 4-wheel drive normal tire john deer we rented did a lot). Used implements are cheaper than new ones and there are plenty of used implements to be found. They're still more expensive than new 2-wheel tractor implements in most cases (i think, I need to do more research here). Plenty of folks that can work on these, most likely. Fast mowing. Cons: Possibly a maintenance nightmare. It's a crap shoot. Can cause soil compaction over time due to weight. Where will we store it? How will we transport it? We don't have a barn yet. Barns are expensive too. Depending on the type of used tractor you buy, it might be hard to find parts for (ex/ Iseki).

Used Iseki Diesel Tractor From Craigslist with 500 hours for $2300

4-Wheel Tractor - New

Pros: New so won't break. If it does, it's under warranty. If it breaks after warranty, you'll still be able to find parts for it for a long while. Plenty of mechanics familiar with the new tractors. Cons:  A compact Kubota starts at about $12k plus we'll need a barn to store it in. Crazy expensive. Plus i'd prefer a front loader (which adds about 2-4k) and all wheel drive (which adds more, how much?).

Kubota B2320 4wd Gas Tractor - $13,000

IMPLEMENTS

On to implements for the tractor cause cost of tractor isn't the end of it. Tractor's useless without implements.

 

Subsoiler

For deep tillage. Breaks up hard pan & compacted layers without mixing top and subsoil. Aerates the soil improving drainage and increasing root depth. Good at preparing soil for fruit tree planting. Depth it digs can depend on strength of the tractor.  Usually compact tractors can only handle a single tine subsoiler. These tend to be fuel hogs and require a lot of horsepower to get really deep, particularly with more than 1 tine.

Chisel Plow

For deep tillage, although not as deep as the subsoiler. Made in 1930's as a soil conserving alternative for the moldboard plow. AKA soil ripper.

Soil Ripper

Moldboard Plow

For deep tillage. Old school way of plowing the ground. Very cheap implement. Turns over the soil and can handle even large rocks (too rocky for the chisel plow). Tends to mix subsoil with topsoil so better to use chisel plow over moldboard plow, if soil's not too rocky.

Cultivator

For pulling weeds up after soil's already been initially worked and planted, and for working in veggie residue (ex/ overwintered green manures). Tills the top 2" or so.

Disc Harrow

Used to smooth the surface for planting. Certain arrangements of disc can be used to make rows (called disc hillers). Sometimes the disc hiller is combined with a chain to smooth the top of the hill/row to prepare a fine smooth seed bed.

Disc Hillers

Disc Harrow

Chain Harrow

Used to smooth the surface after disc harrowing. Also can be used to break up manure. Pulls out the trash and debris (bad if you want the plant debris incorporated into the dirt). Can turn it over (tines pointing up) if you want to make an ultra smooth seed bed. Tines down scratch/rake the surface.

Chain Harrow pulled behind a 4-wheeler

Spike Harrow 

Very similar to the chain harrow and basically used for the same thing except more rigid. Less aggressive than the cultivator or chisel plow.

Spike Harrow

Potato Plow 

Name pretty much says it all but it's used to dig up potatoes, garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, turnips, and other root type veggies. 

Potato Plow

Rotary Tiller 

For shallow tillage on a compact tractor or 2-wheel tractor (can go deeper on large tractors). Combines the work of the plow, disc, and harrow. Helps prevent "overworking" the soil (although still possible). Easier to use, skill-wise, than the other three items.

Mower - Flail

Used for cutting rough / tall grass and brush. Doesn't sling like bush hogs. Often used by tractors that cut grass along the side of highways.

Flail Mower

Mower - Sickle Bar

Used to cut grass and not shred it up like with a bush hog. Just cuts at the base. Good for cutting into ditches or up steep hills while tractor remains level. They use very little power and don't get plugged on very tall material like bush hogs. Susceptible to damage if they encounter an object they can't cut. Tend to be safer than bush hogs (less slinging). 

Sicklebar Mower

 

Mower - Rotary Cutter

Aka bush hog although bush hog is a brand name but has become a common word encompassing all brands of rotary cutter mowers. Single rotating blade used for cutting down brush and super tall grass.

Bush Hog -- Rotary Cutter

Finishing Mower 

For mowing grass after it's been bush hogged, if you want a lawn like appearance. Doubt we'll ever get this one though (not soon anyhow).

Finishing Mower

Wheel Rake

Used for raking hay into piles. Usually followed up by a hay baler, but if you just wanted to gather hay for making mulch/compost, you could skip hay balers which are VERY expensive.

Wheel Rake

Pine Straw Rake

Might be handy if you have a lot of pine. Little extra income selling pine straw. 

Chipper / Shredder

Attaches to the Tractor PTO for power. Some can chip up to 6" diameter wood as well as leaves. Awfully handy for property requiring a lot of cleanup or with wooded areas. Makes great compost / mulch. Ranges from $1000 - $3000.

Auger

Used for post hole digging for fences (or a well?) or pre-drilling holes for fruit tree. Sometimes holes end up too compacted for proper root expansion.

Auger For Post Hole Digging