Help us buy a tractor for the farm. Need a box blade shredder and a bucket 10 acres gonna mow about 4 acres. Anybody bought one lately.

Can't go wrong with one that says John Deere or Kubota on the side.

With that being said, my neighbor bought a Kyoti(?) a few years ago. It seems like a really nice tractor. They are also the closest dealer to the farm.

I bought my Kubota BX 2320 (23HP) new in 2013 for $11K.

Just saw recently it was assessed at $16K for property tax. WTF.

Then saw a similar new Kubota now costs $26K.

WTF.

I am not sure if you are buying new or used. If used, call this guy. He is a friend of mine and has good equipment.

www.americanagllc.com

I have a John Deere 6615 Cab and a smaller 4200. 4200 did not have a bucket. I wanted something with a bucket so my wife could use it for cleaning out her horse stalls.
I shopped around a lot but basically narrowed it down to John Deere and Kubota. Went and test drove each in its class.
Decided on this 2032R instead of the 2025 as it was just a little more money and a Little larger frame than the same Kubota. Better warranty. About the same price as the new Kubota. Got it the week before Christmas. Have used it twice and really like it.
32 HP. Hydrostatic Drive, 4WD, loader.
John Deere has some really good rebates right now and they gave me a great trade in on the 4200 so it made it very affordable.
Here is a link for video.

We are on 7 acres. About 1.5 acres manicured front yard and the rest is graze pasture for the horses....but is still purdy nicely cut. And then lil bit of creek bottom along Dickinson Bayou....also kept mowed by me.

I have a Deere 3320 (33hp). Pull a 7ft box blade, 7ft rake, 6ft plug aerator, big BIG frame mounted backhoe (power beyond), and hydraulic auger on the loader (third function hydraulics). Hydrostatic drive, 61" bucket on the loader.

I bought a Deere 72" zero turn 35hp for the mowing duties. So so so much faster.

Deere dealer is also the closest.

Had a kubota 25 hp tractor. It was great, sups diesel as said earlier. Would recommend a real transmission and not hydrostatic especially if there are bumps. So much easier to maintain a constant speed

You can get it done with a 25 hp but it's just going to take more time. The Kubota dealer recommended the 25 hp for my house (similar size acreage) but I bought an L4701 instead. It's been a great tractor.

John Deere hydrostatic drives have a " cruise control" switch that you can flip on and then you don't have to fight the foot pedal in rough terrain or making long runs.
Makes it like having a regular transmission. So you get the ease of hydrostatic plus the constant of gear transmission. Really nice if your using the loader a lot.

For sure. I would always have a hydrostat on a smaller hp tractor. My L4701 Kubota has a similar lever although I don't use it. So much easier using a loader and mowing I tight spaces in reverse.

thank you. I just did a rough area measurement on google maps of the parts of my property that need finishing mowing - a nice hilltop / future homesite that I don't want to get overgrown, and might plant some grape vines on part of it soon, a nice fenced in yard attached to the the current home/barndo, and the sides of the nearly 1/2 mile road / driveway. I was wrong earlier -its not 15-20 acres. It's about 10 acres. Is a zero turn mower suitable to keep 10 acres nice and not spend all spring and summer mowing for 10-16 hours every time i go out there?

...because this ~100 acres also has fence/property lines previously cleared but already with some significant brush and some nasty mesquite, and some trails mulched that I'm sure will have a lot of growth throughout by summer if I'm not driving on it constantly, so I had guessed that I'd need a tractor but not sure what attachments or implements.

Your post is exciting as it gives me the idea that maybe I only need to buy a ZTR by March for a handful of mowings this spring/summer and that will be enough so I can wait until next year for a tractor if needed. I really don't know when or if I'll need to buy gravel and use a box blade to attempt to maintain the road and I don't know when or if I'll need a loader bucket to dig or find and move clay on the property, etc. and I probably could just buy a hitch-receiver attachment for my truck or UTV for a gambrel to hang a deer for quartering if I don't have a tractor with a loader/bucket implement.

This is basically what we have for a similar size place.

https://www.americanagllc.com/product-page/2016-kubota-mx4800-hst-4x4-loader-and-box-blade

Personally, I would focus on the larger equipment as mentioned already. Front end loader is something you cannot really add later and you will find more uses then you think. I wish mine had the ability to add a grapple when we are clearing brush.

You can probably manage the 10-acres with just the tractor and shredder for the time being - especially if you are only occasionally out there. Cutting 10 acres of grass will start to be a time sink to keep it "manicured".

Most of my spring/summer/early fall is cutting along perimeter fence lines and mowing around the old house.

Also - with 100 acres what are you going to do for your ag exemption (you will want that if you by a tractor to avoid sales taxes).

property has been under a wildlife management plan for tax exemption and I hope/plan (need) for that to continue. I think I'm supposed to file for that by April, but the county hasn't even processed the deeds on the property yet, so one thing at a time I guess.

since it's an exemption, but no cattle or hay sales or ag revenue from the property, does that mean I will have to pay full sales tax on a tractor?

It does not appear so. Sounds like you now have a 10-acre hay pasture for the foreseeable future (getting some one to cut it that small could be fun, but a good way to meet neighbors).

https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/ag-timber/index.php

What Activities Do Not Qualify?

• home gardening;
• horse (PDF) racing, boarding, training or trail rides;
• rodeos, circuses or zoos;
• florists or similar retailers who maintain plants before sale;
• wildlife management and conservation;
• hunting and fishing operations, including aerial hunting;
• predator control;
• wildlife or livestock surveys;
• commercial fishing;
• companion animal (pet) breeding; and
• kennels or other animal boarding businesses.

Dealer service close to you is a big factor in my choice.

Then
Compare the total weight between similar HP.
Orange adds wheel weights and still weighs less than green.
That weight comes from steel in frame, engine, etc.

That's a hunk of wood you're lifting right there!

I'm on 5.5 acres. I knocked the weeds and grass down 2 - 3 times a year for 3 years until we finally built the house.

This was my mowing rig



Early '70s Case 970 (90hp) with a 10 foot 3 point brush hog.

It took at least 4 hours to mow my place. Part of what slowed me down was the condition of the ancient mower, the other part was turning the cumbersome large frame tractor around. On 5.5 acres, I did a lot of turning around. I had just over $3K in the whole rig which was nice as we were saving up to build at the time.

This is my current rig



I can get it done in just over an hour or less depending on how wet it is, but I'm mowing it every week. I don't know how it would do if I was mowing stuff that is knee deep.

You will want a bucket on your tractor. I have 6 acres and I use a bucket, forks, hay spear (in the winter), and grapple routinely. I bet 90% of my tractor use is the front end loader. Break out the mower or auger on the rear 4-5 times a year. Three point usually has a trailer hitch on it to move trailers around.

I'm partial to non-green tractors because they use the same quick connect system as skid steers so it's much easier to find front end implements. JD has a different connection type so you have to buy JD implements.

BQ_90 said:

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AggieDruggist89 said:

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I bought my Kubota BX 2320 (23HP) new in 2013 for $11K.

Just saw recently it was assessed at $16K for property tax. WTF.

Then saw a similar new Kubota now costs $26K.

WTF.

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How is a tractor part of the property tax?

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I'm not sure if his tractor is in Virginia or California. I know Virginia you pay personal property taxes on cars, boats, and anything else they can think of. Hiding property, like boats, is very common there.

In Loudoun County, Virginia, it's $4.15 per $100 valuation. How would you like to pay over $3300/year property tax on your $80,000 truck or SUV?

https://www.loudoun.gov/1902/Personal-Property-Taxes

New or used? Can't beat a 70 or 90 series John Deere from the late 90s or early 2000s. 870,970,1070, 890,990,etc. Find one with less than 600 hours and change all fluids, filters, get a new 4 or 5 ft mower and it's good for many more years. Especially if you find one that has been kept inside.
We have had 2 of these- 1070 and 770 for mowing around barns and fence lines and both have been problem free after buying used. Check tractorhouse.com.

I wouldn't necessarily go to the "closest" dealer. I did that once owning a Mahindra from Bill's Tractor in Liberty Hill. They were terrible and have been out of business in that location at least for several years. I detest Mahindra to this day. Go to Ewald Kubota if you are near on of his stores.

Gerald Ewald was a good friend of mine back in the day at TAM. We had some classes together and did a lot of good bull. Have not talked to him in a long while. Great guy. Good family. Hope he is still around.

In true OB tradition, my recommendation involves a higher HP (and $$) tractor. My 2004 Kubota 3830 (bought new) has the "GST" (Glide Shift Transmission), and it has been flawless in operation, and for me, better than HST's I have used. Very simple to use, while incredibly versatile.
12 Forward/8 Reverse gears.
It's available on the Grand L60 series of tractors.

The 3-point lift cylinders being external to the tractor also provide lift numbers well beyond comparable size tractors.
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What Is Kubota GST Transmission?
To better understand what is a GST transmission on a Kubota tractor, you should know how to drive one. The operation of Kubota farm tractors with GST is similar to the powershift transmission of big agricultural tractors.
So, how does a Kubota GST transmission differ from other types of transmissions? One of the main differences is that it has a main gear shift lever and a shuttle shift lever. You can operate the shuttle shift lever by lifting it up and pushing it forward for forward motion and pushing it backward for reverse.
The gear shift lever is usually located on the left side of the operator seat. The gear switching is simple and only requires pushing the lever to the desired operating gear.

https://www.kubotausa.com/products/tractors/compact/grand-l60

Thanks, had a 1947 Massey wide front I worked in college clearing pecan groves up in Rosston. That is what I want but it was falling apart at 50 years old and it's 75+ now

Things i have learned from being absolutely clueless when i bought my first tractor:

1. Go as big as you can afford
2. Front end loader is an absolute must
3. Dealer location and quality is important
4. Think about the type of tires you want or need
5. Engine HP is fifferent than PTO hp, PTO is what matters with implements
6. 4wd is a must with smaller tractors

I started with a Kubota B2410, sold it and now have an L3800. Both have been hydrostat transmissions. Lower PTO hp than geared but easier to drive and if you are doing things otger than row cropping or mowing, they are much easier to operate imements and FEL work than geared transmissions.

I have a 25 hp tractor (JD 1025R) on 2 acres just outside of Dallas. It's even borderline too small for my property. I would really try to go bigger if you can. Think of it as a 30 yr investment, bc if you get a good tractor it will last a long friggin time (as evidenced by the pics in this thread).