I've inherited yard and pasture care at my MIL's 6 acre place. I mow the stuff close to the house with a small rider, but I mow the rest only a few times a year to allow the wildflowers and native stuff to grow. It is too much for the small rider.

My FIL had an old Ford 2-N that is great....when it runs. My MIL has agreed to sell the 2-N and get a heavy duty commercial zero turn for me to use on the 3+ acres that gets rangey.

Any recommendations on the best zero turn that cab handle 1-3 foot tall native pasture?

Anyone interested in a 2-N with a shredder and narrow excavator box blade?

Email in profile.

We have about 10 acres of what I could call "yard". About 4 of that is around the house and I cut once a week to 10 days right now. The other 6 I don't cut as often and it can get thick and up to 18" -24" tall. Made up of fescue, Indian grass, etc.
I did have a 37HP Scaggs but it had lots of hours and bad on my back so I got a Ferris 72" with the largest Kawasaki available. Both could cut that tall stuff…but it was, in just my opinion, hard on them.
So what I do is bush hog that taller grass first, then come back with the Ferris set on the high blade setting and finish cut it again.
You can get a PTO driven finish mower for a tractor…. My neighbor has one and it does pretty good in that tall stuff.
My BIL uses and swears by a flail mower over a bush hog….. I just use a regular bush hog/shredder that's 6' wide for the tall "yard" stuff. Got a 7' JD HX7 and 15' bat wing for the pastures.
In summary, for me, I hit the less frequently mowed high tall stuff in the surrounding "yard" with the bush hog first then come back with the Ferris to finish it. Then I "try" to stay on top of it with the Ferris but it's a lot to mow every 7-10 days so it usually gets high on me again and there you go.

Switched from my Scaggs to a Ferris ISX3300 72" due to back surgery… hands down Ferris has the best ride.

Take a look at Grasshopper mowers with front mount deck. Mine has a 5 foot deck and a Kubota diesel engine. I mow the yard around the house with a mulching kit, then switch to side discharge for the other 6 acres.

I've mowed Midwest CRP (5' tall switch grass) with my JD Z970R to cut paths to pheasant hunt. 1st pass with deck locked up. 2nd pass to clean it up at 3.5-4". Only reason I've used the zero turn is it's too damn seep of ground to make frequent turns with my utility tractor and brush mower and feel safe.

It will do it but tractor mower makes way more sense 99% of the time.

I've got a Commercial series Bush Hog brand zero turn. The thing defines heavy duty, 7ga steel deck, 3400 HydroGear transaxle, 27hp Kawasaki…no problem with high grass

For 3' high grass, you're in diesel ztr territory at minimum. Kubota and Deere seem to be the best in that class, but they're going to be $25K+ new. A better solution is tractor with brush hog. You can also go with a tractor and finish mower, but the finish is never going to be great after cutting from 3'.

TxAg20 said:

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For 3' high grass, you're in diesel ztr territory at minimum. Kubota and Deere seem to be the best in that class, but they're going to be $25K+ new. A better solution is tractor with brush hog. You can also go with a tractor and finish mower, but the finish is never going to be great after cutting from 3'.

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Diesel John Deere bogs down way easier than the gas version in tall grass. Have used both side by side. It wasn't even close.

Can't speak to the Kubota.

Kubota Diesel ZTR 60"

What do you think the problem is with the Ford 2n?? Carb?? Worn out/poor compression??

I realize a new ZTR would be cool, but for only 3-ish acres, mowing 2-3 times per year, I don't know if that's really worth $10-$15k, but, to each his own.

(Unless you're going to use it weekly around the house, as well)

redaszag99 said:

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Kubota Diesel ZTR 60"

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Might as well bump up to the 72" rear discharge

$27k is a little steep.

I use a 104" rear discharge and it flat out gets it done. But if $27k is too steep, this one definitely isn't for you.

techno-ag said:

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$27k is a little steep.

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It's not that bad. How about $70-80k?

https://www.lastec.com/wz1000-commercial-zero-turn-mower


Or

https://www.toro.com/product/72144

Gravely

Hustler Fast Track SXD 54" is what I just got and it takes me about 3 hours to cut 5-6 acres of yard with some hills. Just bought a new one a week ago. It's a beast and I cut about an acre of waist high grass no problem.

I appreciate all the input. It seems like a topic with a lot of strong OB opinions!

I have limited time on the weekends to help on my MIL's place, so having to fix something every time I go is getting a bit tough. I may go the demo route and also try to do a full tune-up on the 2N in the next month or so, which would help us sell if we go that route. We're not sure how long she'll be out there, so that weighs into the decision too.

DRAINS_05 said:

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Hustler Fast Track SXD 54" is what I just got and it takes me about 3 hours to cut 5-6 acres of yard with some hills. Just bought a new one a week ago. It's a beast and I cut about an acre of waist high grass no problem.

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This is what I have had for close to 5 years now. It's a beast. Bought it to mow my mom and dad's place when they got too old and unable to do so. Sometimes the Johnson grass would be around 3ft tall and cover an acre, I had to go over it a couple of times, but the SDX handled it like a beast. I've had zero issues with it, but I maintain it religiously.

Yeah, a zero turn can handle tall grass. Just slow down a bit. I've mowed waist high grass and weeds with a 20hp regular gas riding mower. Slow going but it worked.

A brush hog or finishing mower on a tractor would be faster IF the tractor has enough HP to keep it turning. Grass of certain varieties is actually harder to cut than weeds and brush as it is very dense and can slowly drag and bog down the blades. My 23HP diesel tractor struggles with pasture grasses using a 5 foot shredder if I try to go faster, makes it take a long time.

Keeping the blades sharp helps too.

Serious Lee said:

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trying to mow knee high grass with a zero turn? sounds more like you need a 35 hp tractor w/ a finishing mower. shredder

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There, now it is correct.

SGrem said:

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For Bush hogging a few acres twice a year hire it out. Then you can just go visit instead covered in chores and maintenance and storage and fuel going bad and winterizing and juggling rain wet conditions..... just hire it twice a year. Probably $60 - $100 an acre or so.

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This right here.

If you are just cutting a handful of times, hiring it out is the best option by far. Unless you just want to buy a new piece of equipment and this is your excuse to do so, which in that case - nobody can blame you.

But for a handful of acres just get somebody to come in with a tractor and knock it out for a few hundred bucks when you need it done.

I mow grass that tall at my Dad's place with my Dixie Chopper on occassion. 26 HP with only a 44" deck seems to do the trick. 6 Acres would take awhile, but it's doable.

I've had more than one water moccasin go under my deck out of that high grass. It's unlikely you'd get struck, but it'll definitely catch your attention. I'd rather be on something tractor height.