Compact tractor, perhaps? and implements

[ian33a]

Hi everyone,

First post on here so please be gentle!

we're in the process of relocating back to Devon, UK and are hoping to complete on a rural property with a little over two acres.

We had an option to buy an old tractor and implements from the owner but I hesitated for too long and he sold it elsewhere. I could kick myself now. Lesson learned.

Anyway, the house has a field of about 1.3 acres and a more formal garden section of about 0.9 acres. Of the 0.9, about half is grass and I could probably use my large powered Hayter and Atco lawn mowers for this. It's the rest that needs some thought:

It's open field, somewhat overgrown with longish grass and some brambles in places, the rest being pathways which have been cut with a pull along mower behind the tractor. The ground has a slight slope, but it's reasonably even. It has hedging on the periphery and the current owner tells me that a chap comes by once a year and will cut the hedges for a nominal fee.
We don't see ourselves turning the field into anything formal but we appreciate that it will need some maintenance and we want to keep it so that it's a pleasure to spend time in rather than worrying about what a mess it has become every time we walk through it. We want it to be a nice place for wild life too.

The house has a couple of log burners and there is a reasonable supply of wood on site - which needs to be managed. I can see a need for a petrol chain saw (and I'm very careful around tools - I am used to using a decent electric one) as well as a log splitter and a log saw - possibly both as attachments behind a tractor? I wonder, also, if a bucket loader on a tractor may assist with gathering the wood and moving it or if a trailer attached behind might be better?

So, rambling, sorry, but wanted to give some background first.

I've started looking at what might make life easier. I guess I could simply buy in the logs, but with fuel costs as they are and dried wood costing a bit, over the years it all adds up. It's nice to be able to use the burners and not worry about the cost. Plus, it means that I integrate some natural management into the property as well as saving money longer term. Equally, I could buy a brush cutter for the field but, I wonder if a compact tractor (with a flail) might cover the field management as well as the wood management?

So, I started looking on the web. I realise I could spend anything from £30,000+ downwards. There's no way I could justify the upper end. Perhaps £10 to 15K (incl. vat) might be possible for everything, less if possible, delivered.
It seems like brand new top of the range kit would work out far too expensive even if it comes with a warranty.
As it's for occasional use, it seems like brand new would loose a load of value while not being used frequently and efficiently.
Or would I be better placed to buy something newer, not necessarily brand new, but which is strong enough for the work that I plan to do.
I can appreciate that lower priced machinery wont stand up to professional use but, for me, would they be OK and which brands should I consider and what should be avoided?

Equally, I've seen loads of stuff on eBay and Gumtree and other places. Obviously, some great named brands and some stock that looks like it it comes from the 1980's, old Fords, Iseki, Kubota, Yanmar being examples.
Plus, there's plenty of more recent Chinese stuff which I'd like to steer clear of.
Also some newer to the UK brands such as Solis.
I wouldn't buy a car from the 1980's as most of them are rusted out. Are old tractors from that period a suitable work horse for what I plan to do or should I consider something newer?

Then there's the implements to go with a purchase: loads of stuff as Chinese imports. Are any of them up to the job or should I go for used well known branded stuff and hope that it has enough years of service left in to suit my usage?

What about servicing? New stuff, I guess, needs to be sent to the dealership each year - not easy if I have no way to transport it there. Presumably, older stuff can be serviced at home either by me or by somebody visiting - is simple servicing something a novice can do ? - I used to service my car years back when it was possible to do so!

I realise that there are loads of questions and that there may not be a single solution to my needs but welcome any thoughts on any of the matters raised that you have.

many thanks

Ian

 

[Nearly]

3 cylinder classic tractor will be simpler than your old car and will outlast you.
Small implements will be cheaper than 'compact' versions of the same machine.

@JLTate
@Dave W

 

[Dave W]

As for the grass itself. It's not a big area for a decent ride on diesel mower. But that's a one trick point. A finishing mower/topper behind a decent sized compact or small regular tractor is the way to go.
Firstly though contact the man who cuts the hedges. He will likely have an agriculture spec flail which will get it all down initially into something manageable. might need doing 2 or 3 times a few weeks apart to really get on top of it.

Don't go looking at stuff too new. It won't do the job any better or be more reliable on that workload than something from 80's/90's. Plus older stuff can be serviced easily either diy or local lad in a van.

This looks dear enough for what it is but will be totally bombproof and do whatever you want

Mowers, Tractors, Plant And Machinery Sales UK | Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[Dave W]

Or this. But the mower isn't really suitable for formal garden

john deere tractor 1070 with cab front loader pto mower larger wheels and tyres | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for john deere tractor 1070 with cab front loader pto mower larger wheels and tyres at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[CPF]

For your lawn look at having Robot mower .Friend got one Said it’s the best thing he bought fully installed was £2,200

 

[thesilentone]

Hi everyone,

First post on here so please be gentle!

we're in the process of relocating back to Devon, UK and are hoping to complete on a rural property with a little over two acres.

We had an option to buy an old tractor and implements from the owner but I hesitated for too long and he sold it elsewhere. I could kick myself now. Lesson learned.

Anyway, the house has a field of about 1.3 acres and a more formal garden section of about 0.9 acres. Of the 0.9, about half is grass and I could probably use my large powered Hayter and Atco lawn mowers for this. It's the rest that needs some thought:

It's open field, somewhat overgrown with longish grass and some brambles in places, the rest being pathways which have been cut with a pull along mower behind the tractor. The ground has a slight slope, but it's reasonably even. It has hedging on the periphery and the current owner tells me that a chap comes by once a year and will cut the hedges for a nominal fee.
We don't see ourselves turning the field into anything formal but we appreciate that it will need some maintenance and we want to keep it so that it's a pleasure to spend time in rather than worrying about what a mess it has become every time we walk through it. We want it to be a nice place for wild life too.

The house has a couple of log burners and there is a reasonable supply of wood on site - which needs to be managed. I can see a need for a petrol chain saw (and I'm very careful around tools - I am used to using a decent electric one) as well as a log splitter and a log saw - possibly both as attachments behind a tractor? I wonder, also, if a bucket loader on a tractor may assist with gathering the wood and moving it or if a trailer attached behind might be better?

So, rambling, sorry, but wanted to give some background first.

I've started looking at what might make life easier. I guess I could simply buy in the logs, but with fuel costs as they are and dried wood costing a bit, over the years it all adds up. It's nice to be able to use the burners and not worry about the cost. Plus, it means that I integrate some natural management into the property as well as saving money longer term. Equally, I could buy a brush cutter for the field but, I wonder if a compact tractor (with a flail) might cover the field management as well as the wood management?

So, I started looking on the web. I realise I could spend anything from £30,000+ downwards. There's no way I could justify the upper end. Perhaps £10 to 15K (incl. vat) might be possible for everything, less if possible, delivered.
It seems like brand new top of the range kit would work out far too expensive even if it comes with a warranty.
As it's for occasional use, it seems like brand new would loose a load of value while not being used frequently and efficiently.
Or would I be better placed to buy something newer, not necessarily brand new, but which is strong enough for the work that I plan to do.
I can appreciate that lower priced machinery wont stand up to professional use but, for me, would they be OK and which brands should I consider and what should be avoided?

Equally, I've seen loads of stuff on eBay and Gumtree and other places. Obviously, some great named brands and some stock that looks like it it comes from the 1980's, old Fords, Iseki, Kubota, Yanmar being examples.
Plus, there's plenty of more recent Chinese stuff which I'd like to steer clear of.
Also some newer to the UK brands such as Solis.
I wouldn't buy a car from the 1980's as most of them are rusted out. Are old tractors from that period a suitable work horse for what I plan to do or should I consider something newer?

Then there's the implements to go with a purchase: loads of stuff as Chinese imports. Are any of them up to the job or should I go for used well known branded stuff and hope that it has enough years of service left in to suit my usage?

What about servicing? New stuff, I guess, needs to be sent to the dealership each year - not easy if I have no way to transport it there. Presumably, older stuff can be serviced at home either by me or by somebody visiting - is simple servicing something a novice can do ? - I used to service my car years back when it was possible to do so!

I realise that there are loads of questions and that there may not be a single solution to my needs but welcome any thoughts on any of the matters raised that you have.

many thanks

Ian

You are at the start of a great project, and can plan what you want, as well as creating a great place for wildlife, flora and fauna.

However, the fist thing is to decide what you want to do with the 1.3 acres, and by the sound of it, my advice would be buy a 20hp compact and a 6' topper. You can then keep it well managed until you put a plan together.

If I were you, I would plant trees in patches, around a path system of your design that you can drive down with your tractor and topper. (or large mower)

I would also leave some blank spaces, and let mother nature do the rest.

The odd garden seat here and there, and few bird boxes and feeding tables, and in a few years it will be alive with wildlife.

If you have any natural water on the land, a small pond would be an added bonus.

 

[Highland Mule]

I’d spend the money on fencing and water, then get a neighbour to run a few ewes and lambs for the summer.

 

[Alchad]

If you enjoy tinkering with machinery a small classic tractor would both do the job and give you some fun looking after it, the mechanical side of them is very simple - although hydraulics can present problems but advice is usually available on Facebook or online specialist websites. 1.3 acres isn't an awful lot of land to quickly lick into shape with a decent brush cutter strimmer provided the brambles and long grass isn't too heavy. Alternatively I'm sure you'd find a local farmer who would soon top it for you for not too much money. Once under control a good ride on of say 42 to 48" size should more than cope with it. Don't rush in though and spend a load of money until you've thought through what you want to do.

Alchad

 

[bitwrx]

We have one of these:

Orec RM88 Rabbit Ride On Brush Cutter | Mowers2Go™ Garden Machinery

Buy the Orec RM88 Rabbit Ride On Brush Cutter, here at the best price.

www.mowers2go.co.uk

We used to hire one a few times a season, and when it came up for sale, we bought it.

It gets used around the yard, trimming banks etc. It will hammer its way through stuff that's over head height, mulching it down to a little swath under the offside rear wheel. Trimming off a bit at a time leaves a decent enough finish for a field, but wouldn't make much of a lawn.

I reckon you'd get over your area in half a day and it'd only need doing three times a year or so. Do that for a year and see how it goes. It'll give you a chance to figure out what jobs you have the time and inclination for without any capital expenditure.

 

[ian33a]

Thank you all for your replies and encouragement.

I guess we've been lucky in that we've lived in the South East for the past 35 years and been able to put some money away and retire early. Our house now has a third of an acre but we've made it too nice and too high maintenance and the busy road outside is getting on our nerves, especially now that lock down has finished. Too many years away from home working for others, or running our own business and being stressed by customers, have taken something of a toll. We're just so enthusiastic about the move - which seems to be taking ages to come to fruition.

What we hope to buy should be lower maintenance in that we have no wish to make it too formal. Just nice and easy to deal with. My dad paid for the Hayter and we took the Atco too as he is too old to cut his own grass now. The Hayter is a powered 48 and a bit heavy for the intricacies of our current garden. The Atco is smaller, lighter and gets into the tight spaces. The place we hope to get has normal grass and easy for follow shapes. Plus, I like my stripes near the house so a robot mower simply wouldn't do! (sorry CFP).

The field has some fruit trees which the current owner has planted. He keeps bees but my wife has decided that this is too much responsibility (and I don't feel brave enough to deal with them myself) so we are going to let him take them with him. We have water there, just a bit : a nice river meandering its way down the whole of one side - complete with riparian rights! It does flood in high rainfall but we are assured via solicitors that it doesn't flood any where near the house and flooding only happens a few times a year. I don't have any plans to buy a fishing rod or a boat. We're looking forward to hearing the sound of running water as a substitute for the sound of 18,000 cars per day on the road outside our current house!

I am really hoping that I can zone in on a tractor / cutter / whatever that can be adapted to cover most eventualities - it seems from the replies so far that there is absolutely no need to buy anything new and that older machinery should be perfectly usable going forward and will probably outlast me. While we have no plans to jump in quickly and buy, I'm hoping that the field will be fine for a while and that there will be enough logs stored to get us through the coming winter (I can always buy some initially). You are all right, indeed, we need to take stock a bit and think about what we want to do with the space. Heaven knows, there will be enough to do just moving in and and getting used to a slower pace of life.

Trouble is, as a retired engineer, my nature is to plan ahead and minimise the risk of surprises ... and I know it drives my wife mad sometimes.

 

[Alchad]

The 48” Hayter should be fine when you get the land under control. One thing to consider is the need for a front end loader on whatever you do go for. They really make life just so, so much easier whether it’s moving logs, or whatever around.

Alchad

 

[ian33a]

The 48” Hayter should be fine when you get the land under control. One thing to consider is the need for a front end loader on whatever you do go for. They really make life just so, so much easier whether it’s moving logs, or whatever around.

Alchad

Yes, I had thought that a tow behind trailer could be good but a loader seems infinitely more usable, especially helping to move lumber around and uprooting stuff that isn't wanted.

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

Even 10k for a couple of acres sounds a lot.

Find a 1970s Leyland or something similarly unfashionable. There were around £1 to 2k.

 

[gmgmgm]

You have so many options, you may as well choose the ones you would enjoy the most. Do you enjoy tinkering with older machines, or prefer a newer (less exciting?) one? An L1361 Kubota with loader is a good option for comparison, though you might prefer an older model with more tinkering.

Logs can take over a year to season, so you might find it easier to buy a load of seasoned logs in first, so you aren't trying to burn wet wood.

To get an acre of field under control, there will be plenty of local contractors with the kit to do it, so you don't need to rush out and buy equipment for years if necessary.

 

[carpenter1]

Hi everyone,

First post on here so please be gentle!

we're in the process of relocating back to Devon, UK and are hoping to complete on a rural property with a little over two acres.

We had an option to buy an old tractor and implements from the owner but I hesitated for too long and he sold it elsewhere. I could kick myself now. Lesson learned.

Anyway, the house has a field of about 1.3 acres and a more formal garden section of about 0.9 acres. Of the 0.9, about half is grass and I could probably use my large powered Hayter and Atco lawn mowers for this. It's the rest that needs some thought:

It's open field, somewhat overgrown with longish grass and some brambles in places, the rest being pathways which have been cut with a pull along mower behind the tractor. The ground has a slight slope, but it's reasonably even. It has hedging on the periphery and the current owner tells me that a chap comes by once a year and will cut the hedges for a nominal fee.
We don't see ourselves turning the field into anything formal but we appreciate that it will need some maintenance and we want to keep it so that it's a pleasure to spend time in rather than worrying about what a mess it has become every time we walk through it. We want it to be a nice place for wild life too.

The house has a couple of log burners and there is a reasonable supply of wood on site - which needs to be managed. I can see a need for a petrol chain saw (and I'm very careful around tools - I am used to using a decent electric one) as well as a log splitter and a log saw - possibly both as attachments behind a tractor? I wonder, also, if a bucket loader on a tractor may assist with gathering the wood and moving it or if a trailer attached behind might be better?

So, rambling, sorry, but wanted to give some background first.

I've started looking at what might make life easier. I guess I could simply buy in the logs, but with fuel costs as they are and dried wood costing a bit, over the years it all adds up. It's nice to be able to use the burners and not worry about the cost. Plus, it means that I integrate some natural management into the property as well as saving money longer term. Equally, I could buy a brush cutter for the field but, I wonder if a compact tractor (with a flail) might cover the field management as well as the wood management?

So, I started looking on the web. I realise I could spend anything from £30,000+ downwards. There's no way I could justify the upper end. Perhaps £10 to 15K (incl. vat) might be possible for everything, less if possible, delivered.
It seems like brand new top of the range kit would work out far too expensive even if it comes with a warranty.
As it's for occasional use, it seems like brand new would loose a load of value while not being used frequently and efficiently.
Or would I be better placed to buy something newer, not necessarily brand new, but which is strong enough for the work that I plan to do.
I can appreciate that lower priced machinery wont stand up to professional use but, for me, would they be OK and which brands should I consider and what should be avoided?

Equally, I've seen loads of stuff on eBay and Gumtree and other places. Obviously, some great named brands and some stock that looks like it it comes from the 1980's, old Fords, Iseki, Kubota, Yanmar being examples.
Plus, there's plenty of more recent Chinese stuff which I'd like to steer clear of.
Also some newer to the UK brands such as Solis.
I wouldn't buy a car from the 1980's as most of them are rusted out. Are old tractors from that period a suitable work horse for what I plan to do or should I consider something newer?

Then there's the implements to go with a purchase: loads of stuff as Chinese imports. Are any of them up to the job or should I go for used well known branded stuff and hope that it has enough years of service left in to suit my usage?

What about servicing? New stuff, I guess, needs to be sent to the dealership each year - not easy if I have no way to transport it there. Presumably, older stuff can be serviced at home either by me or by somebody visiting - is simple servicing something a novice can do ? - I used to service my car years back when it was possible to do so!

I realise that there are loads of questions and that there may not be a single solution to my needs but welcome any thoughts on any of the matters raised that you have.

many thanks

Ian

Where in Devon are you moving to,
Just trying to think of close dealers you can look at

 

[ian33a]

Where in Devon are you moving to,
Just trying to think of close dealers you can look at

A few miles west of Crediton.

 

[Lazy Sod]

Whatever tractor you get, do have a front end loader, it's a wonderful wheelbarrow, you need to be able to use things.

 

[ian33a]

Whatever tractor you get, do have a front end loader, it's a wonderful wheelbarrow, you need to be able to use things.

Thank you - yes, I'm convinced about the loader.

Before this I had in my mind that I could pull a hand cart along or buy a trailer - daft idea!

 

[thesilentone]

Plenty here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...&_nkw=compact+tractor+and+loader&_sacat=11748

 

[Lazy Sod]

I forget to say, get a 4 wheel drive, you'll be glad you did and don't get anything Chinese, they're made of chinesium mixed with cheese. Stick to a well known make with a dealer as close as you are prepared to travel to, or if you had to get a mechanic out, remember they charge for their travelling time.