Live hydraulics and pto (power take off) are important older tractors made in the forties and fifties frequently did not have “live” features, which meant if you pushed in the tractor’s clutch, the pto or hydraulics stopped working. To accomplish what we need to do, will our tractor have the features listed in Table 1? So just what should we be looking for in a good used tractor? There are a myriad of features that we need to consider. New tractors can be prohibitively expensive if you can afford one, good for you.Īssumption three: you may be looking for a smaller to medium size tractor to get everything done leaving the big tractors for those who truly need them. As you build equity and experience, you may someday need another tractor or two, because as you will find out, not all tractors are suited to all purposes, but for now, we will focus on getting you this first tractor to do as many things as possible.Īssumption two: you only have a given amount of money to spend, and that you might be looking for a good used tractor. Assumption one: right now, you are going to try to do as many operations as possible on your farm with one tractor, while you’re getting started. I am going to make some assumptions before I begin to suggest which tractor might be a good choice for you. Working in the woods skidding logs, hauling firewood, and hauling maple sap to the sugar house. Harvesting crops other than dry hay, such as chopping high moisture hay for haylage or greenchop, and vegetables.įront end loader work for snow removal, manure handling, feeding animals, moving materials around the farm, and loading and hauling hay and other crops. Pulling a variety of 2 and 4 wheel wagons around on the farm for diverse activities, such as hauling crops and hay, firewood, and giving hayrides to people. This is a three point hitch implement that is an important tool for mowing brush and pastures. Planting crops such as forages, row crops such as corn and cereal grains, fruits and vegetables, and possibly food plots for wildlife. Tillage activities, such as plowing, disking, harrowing, planting, and of course, picking stones. The process can require mowing, tedding, raking, baling, wrapping high moisture bales, and hauling and unloading hay. Haymaking, which might be either small square bales, or large round bales of dry hay or baleage. If fields are let to grow for more than about three years, small trees and brush will begin to take over, and then can be extremely difficult and expensive to correct. This is one of the most critical jobs on a small farm, as nature can be relentless in working to restore forests. The following is a list of activities which might be occurring on a farm or homestead at any given time of the year and requiring specific tractors and machines:īrushhogging meadows and pastures for grazing management and to prevent the fields from growing back into forest. This is a an older 65 horsepower tractor that would be a good choice for a new and small farm. One of the first things that I ask a new farmer is “What do you want and need to do with a tractor, and, how much can you afford to spend?” Each activity mentioned in this article will require certain machines in addition to a tractor and will be addressed in later articles. Often people ask me “What tractor should I buy?”, and “How much does a tractor cost?” As with all things agricultural, the answer is “it depends”. This article will be the first in a series of how to select, acquire, operate and maintain smaller scale farm machinery. If you decide that having a tractor fits into your operation, read on. For the new or beginning farmer, one inevitable hurdle to overcome is how you will power your farm activities? You can farm with a number of power sources, such as walk behind small scale 2 wheel type machines, or with tractors, or you can custom hire work that needs to be done. There are a tremendous number of activities that need to be done on a small farm, regardless of the size. OK, you bought the farm, and you have moved onto the property, with excitement, and anticipating new activities in your farming ventures.
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