Posting recommendations for Newbie?

RugerSAfan

New member
Oct 28, 2019
11
2
3
West Michigan
I’m a longtime lurker to this site (approximately two years) but registered this morning.

What is the best way to post to get, real honest feedback on purchasing one’s first tractor? Because of the way my brain works (or doesn’t), it takes me a long time to write something. I don’t want to spend a lot of time with descriptions, explanation, etc and then receive one reply to use search function.

1) Are their certain methods that are more effective then others?
2)Are there a certain number of posts required before one can post pictures?
3) Should I have posted this somewhere other than here?

Feedback appreciated.

Thank you.

J.R.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,098
1,106
113
NZ
I believe 5 posts/comments. You're nearly there.

Just tell us how large a property, tasks you want to do, money you want to spend, new or used.

Usually big questions are farming v's hobby property, will you mow (if so, MMM or rear mower), do you have hills, will you lift stuff, will you snowblow, do you need to put things on the 3pt hitch.
 

RugerSAfan

New member
Oct 28, 2019
11
2
3
West Michigan
Thank you for replies. The last one was especially helpful in pointing me in right direction of focus. I will start a new thread with multiple posts so can attach pictures.
 

D2Cat

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L305DT, B7100HST, TG1860, TG1860D, L4240
Mar 27, 2014
12,901
4,268
113
40 miles south of Kansas City
Don't really need a new thread. You've already got some guys giving you some direction. Just stay on this path for continuity.

Welcome to the forum and don't let the lack of typing speed be a bother. It's better to be slow and complete and end up with the machine you can use for a long time.
 

RugerSAfan

New member
Oct 28, 2019
11
2
3
West Michigan
Thanks.

I have captured a satellite picture of “Grace House” via maps. My place is the one with green lawn, bordered by pine trees. The majority of the peninsula portion surrounded by the river is also mine, except for a small sliver that is my neighbors.

Looks awfully small with the expanded view, doesn’t it?
 

Attachments

RugerSAfan

New member
Oct 28, 2019
11
2
3
West Michigan
(cont...)

I have a total of 10 acres (10.3 per tax roll, but river erosion has taken a bunch). I water and fertilize a little over two acres, which I mow with a two year old SCAG Turf Tiger II zero turn mower.

The “back seven” is what I want the tractor for, and I don’t really know what I should get. The whole peninsula floods completely every spring (flooding like kayaks float right over it) and parts are real damp right now with all the rain we’ve had. (I certainly home that all this moisture is not the “new normal”….). There are a lot of downed trees, brush, ravines from river flow, etc. In the summer, the area is covered with chest high nettle brush. I have a for the lawn.

What I would like to do with the property is clear the downed trees, and cut to ground level any dead trees. (The DNR requested that any trees taken down have the stump not removed in order to assist with soil erosion. ) I would like to level the ground somewhat, and then possibly plant grass. I could then mow with an implement behind the tractor or if real smooth, with the zero turn. (The zero turn is a beast!)

Right now, the “back seven” is somewhat of a wasteland and I find it overwhelming and somewhat discouraging.

Two years ago, I had a sales guy from the Kubota dealer come out to Grace House to take a look. He did a quick walk around, and he said because of the large trees that were down, he recommended a “L” over a “B” or “BX”. We did not get into any further specifics since I wasn’t ready to purchase at the time.
 

RugerSAfan

New member
Oct 28, 2019
11
2
3
West Michigan
Please recognize that the lengthy thesis above was typed in Word, edited, and then copied into here....

How does one post pictures that are on iPhone ? I have pictures of back seven from yesterday....
 

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
2,854
3,102
113
Wind Gap, PA
I have some very wet property as well (I live on Swamp Road). That's one of the reasons that I selected a B series tractor. They are quite a bit lighter in weight as compared to their "L" series cousins. I simply did not want the added bulk to sink me deeper in mud. The B series also offers very good ground clearance and punch above their weight class. I'd start there for sure. Check out the B'01 and B'50 series.

You can forget the BX for your property. Although they offer great power in their small size, they just don't have the ground clearance you'd need in wet conditions.

I also use zero turns to mow (I have 2 of them) but still need to use the flail mower occasionally behind the tractor if the conditions at too wet for a zero turn (the tend to get stuck quite easily). If I had to do it again, I'd get (and still may do so) a tow behind mower for the atv.

Best of luck in your decision. If I can help you in any way, just post it.
 

PaulL

Well-known member

Equipment
B2601
Jul 17, 2017
2,098
1,106
113
NZ
An L is a bit stronger and heavier tractor. The cheapest L is the L2501. It's a good machine. I'd say you'd be between that and the B2650. The B2650 is quite a bit lighter, also a bit narrower. When things are very wet, then sometimes you want light to try to float above it all, sometimes you want heavy to drive down through the soft to something firm underneath.

You'll probably want a grapple if you're moving fallen trees. Depending how heavy they are they may be beyond the capability of a smallish tractor like a large B or a small L. But you could chainsaw them then use the grapple to move the lengths and the branches.

A rotary cutter to trim the nettles down. You may want to spray out the nettles, then plant grass. If you're leaving tree stumps then you won't want to try to plow or disc, so maybe grass seed then a harrow. Or you could just mow the nettle until it turns into grass - if you mow something often enough eventually grass will dominate.

I'd start by doing a small section, and get your system going. Clear the trees and mess, mow the nettles, and see what happens.