Machinery for a 'smaller' farm?!

[Drillman]

None of these small farms sound over tackled to me.

300 acre (200 arable the rest grass) here plus a bit of contract baling, wrapping and drilling.

Staff myself wifey and odd day here an there by neighbours if needed.

Kit

2x155hp tractors
1x135hp tractor
Telehandler
SP sprayer
3m combi drill
5 furrow plow
4m power harrow
6m rolls
Round baler
Wrapper
8m rake
7m Tedder
12 ton tip trailer
2x bale trailers
Mobile drier

Some cattle

Other odd bits of stuff I’ve forgot about

 

[Oldstyle]

100 acre here 75 arable 25 old pastures
20ac of the 75 wheat for thatching straw the rest spring corn.
15 beef cattle

58hp 72hp tractors
1983 loader
Mccormick deering reaper binder
10ft cut combine
Multiple old straw trailers and grain trailers
3 furrow lemken
Chance chisel plough
Triple k spring tine
Old MF drill
Loads of old harrows
Old rolls
1.8m mower
Old haybob
Acrobat
1960s conventional baler
Old mconnel hedge cutter
35hp tractor for binder and hedge cutter

Contractor round bale and wrap hayledge
Contractor sprayer

Would love to try out a Simtech 3m direct drill on a 100hp tractor and be able to reduce the work involved in the planting side to give more time for other stuff.

Took me 3 days to get a good seed bed on 10 acres last week with a chisel plough, harrow and rolls then drill, harrow and roll in. If I could direct drill I could have done that in an afternoon.

If the weather is bad in the autumn I have had a contractor plough and combi the wheat in with a crawler to get it done quick.

 

[Adeptandy]

400 acres arable and currently part time

Tractors, MF 6499 & 6290
Telehandler, JCB 525-58
Bailey 16t trailer
Cousins Patriot 3m
Rolex discs 6m
Machio PH 6m
Vaderstad Rapid 3m
Simba Freeflow 4m
Chafer SP sprayer
Cousins 9m Cambs Rolls
MF 7274 Activa Combine

Looking to get a 6m drill asap to replace the Vaddy, but still cant decide on wether DD or to stay Min ish til

 

[rob h]

None of these small farms sound over tackled to me.

300 acre (200 arable the rest grass) here plus a bit of contract baling, wrapping and drilling.

Staff myself wifey and odd day here an there by neighbours if needed.

Kit

2x155hp tractors
1x135hp tractor
Telehandler
SP sprayer
3m combi drill
5 furrow plow
4m power harrow
6m rolls
Round baler
Wrapper
8m rake
7m Tedder
12 ton tip trailer
2x bale trailers
Mobile drier

Some cattle

Other odd bits of stuff I’ve forgot about

I was thinking they are on sand or way under equipped

 

[Run to the hills]

300 acres here, 110 arable the rest grass for sucklers and sheep.
Kit:
Zetor 100 loader tractor
Landini 120
Case 856
Case 956
Quad bike
4f plough
3m power harrow
21m trailed sprayer
Fert spinner
2× 8t trailers
2× old 4t trailers
Small baler+sledge,carrier and grab
5ft mower
Haybob
Topper

Claas mega 204 combine and 6.5m rollers shared with a neighbour( cover 350 acres)

3m combi drill on t6175 new holland hired off same neighbour

Bigger grass cutter and other machines hired/ borrowed
Contractor does silage
Ive likely forgotten something...

This year has got us thinking abit tho, as one tractor spent all summer in a workshop and we managed fine.

 

[sixrow]

Bit off topic but just counted up all attachments for telehandler and got to 15 I think

 

[kc6475]

270 acre arable
80 acre grass
Nh cx 820 20 ft combine
Mf 6475
Mf 6465
Mf 375
Nh Ts 90
Ford 4610
Matbro ts 270
21 m trailed sprayer
Hardi 12 m sprayer
Sulky spreader
Maschio/sulky 3m combi drill
Maschio 4m ph
Maschio 3m ph
He va disc roller 4 m
Cousins 4m press
Nrh 6.3 m rolls
Gang rolls
Lemken 4 f vari width plough
3 m shakerator
3 leg ransoms subsoiler
11 t trailer
10 t trailer
7 t trailer
2x 3ton trailers
3 bale trailers
Jd 590 round baler
Parmiter wrapper
Mf 4 conventional baler
Fransgaard 390 turner
Kverneland 5m Tedder
Fella 6 ft mower
Teagle 10 ft topper
Bomford hedge cutter
Mf muck spreader x2 ( knackered but still do our bit)
A lot getting on in years but well looked after, most bought second hand, 1 tractor, plough, spreader, rolls, 3m ph, bought new.

 

[Flat 10]

Now for really taking the p1ss.........

340 acres of arable, 74 year old father part time and me at weekends, evenings and holiday

NH TX64 plus 20ft
NH T7.210 ac
JD 6830
NH 7740
Ford 4000 (lives on hedgecutter and does spring rolling on peas)
Ford Dexta
FDI Sambron teleporter
Bateman Hi Lo 24m
Chaviot 12m (just used for slug pelleter)
2 x Marston 12t trailer
1 x Western 7t dumper
1 x Salop 6t trailer
1 x spray readymix bowser
Kuhn Axis 40.2 EMC W
Dablo 8.3m rolls
Vaderstad Rapid 4m
Maschio/Accord 4 m combi drill
Lemken Europal 7 5 furrow plough & press
Sumo Trio 2.5 with seeder
Simba 4.6m unipress
Kuhn Aero 12m for Avadex
Bomford 4m pigtail
Unknown 6m springtines
Maschio 4m (just used to smash rape stalks and pea haulm)
Various other rolls - 6m and 7m
Class Baler
Bertould 12m sprayer
Vicon Supaseeder 4m
Cousins dutch harrow.
Side shift flail
Bomford hedgecutter

Erm - as to justification, everything is paid for by farm and everything is used but not every year - the policy as been not to trade in something when the trade in value is very low and the item might be useful. (4f VN plough handy for headlands every now and then but worth £500 max, old mashio held together with stickyback plastic but great at smashing rape stalks and pea haulm and cheaper than a topper).

Our priority is to keep the farm in hand, we both love farming but dad needs more time away from farm with mum and in the alps and I have a full time job and two kids under 10 years old who are everything to me. The farm is part of our lives (a very important part) but not all of our lives.

And yes, I do appreciate that I am very privileged to be in this situation and I thank my lucky stars all the time.

Nice but i think i would have to go part time on my other job and take the stress out of the farm and enjoy the kit.

 

[Martin Holden]

450 acre hill farm. 900 sheep and 230 store cattle.
MF 4270 (24x24)
MF 5455 (tier 2 dyna-4 c/w Q40 loader)
Fordson Super Dexta
Sanderson TL6
New Holland FX30
Yahama grizzly 450 quad
Kuhn 10ft centre pivot mower
2 x West 8 Ton silage trailers
1 x Collins 8 Ton silage trailer
Wylie 14 tine buckrake
Teagle 8080 straw chopper
JF Stoll 8 cube tub mixer
Amazon 12 metre fert spinner

You must be handy with repairs I would guess? Not saying your gear is old, but maintenance is key to running older machinery. For sure there’s plants of second hand gear out there for those that can tackle repairs and refurbishment

 

[Laminated]

We farm 600 arable and 300 grass plus contract work for neighbour, combined 800 acres this year
John Deere 1550
John Deere 2066 - for sale
John Deere 1075

John Deere 6830
John Deere 6910
John Deere 6900 for sale
John Deere 7800
Massey 255 with loader
Massey 135

Bateman rb16

JCB 528s

Rabe 5f plough
4m discordon
6m Simba press
12m those rolls
6 m those rolls
6m weaving drill mounted
4m amazone power Harrow droll
6m Horsch co6 (dd trial metcalfe)
John Deere 530 moco
Massey 5 baler for sale
New Holland 378 hayliner baler
Kvernland 8m spring time
Kvernland 5m spring time
Rabe 4m power Harrow
Ransomes 2 leg subsoiler
Krm Bredal fert spreader
2 As marston 14t trailers
2 As marston 10 and 12 t trailers
1 Richard western muck trailer
12 ton bunning muck spreader
Hay bob
Hay bob
Hay bob so can get another when first breaks

To buy list twin rotor rake, big Tedder, new baler (old one burnt out this year) and auto steer (5 year plan)

And loads of rusty stuff

 

[Green oak]

750 acres all arable. Me and younger brother. Magnum 310. Puma 210. Claas 570+TT. Jcb 536-60. Horsch 6st sprinter. 6 furrow lemkin Europal. 5.5 Great Plains cultipress. 2 simba toptilths 4 metre. 8 metre rolls. Chafer intercepter 4000 24 metre. 16 t larrington harvester trailer. All kit apart from the toptilth. Under 12 years old. Should all be good for another 20 years. Claydon 4.8 metre v drill which I hire out for bean drilling.

 

[Martin Holden]

This is far more Interesting than the FW “what’s in my shed” series. Well done all posters!

 

[Flat 10]

We farm 600 arable and 300 grass plus contract work for neighbour, combined 800 acres this year
John Deere 1550
John Deere 2066 - for sale
John Deere 1075

John Deere 6830
John Deere 6910
John Deere 6900 for sale
John Deere 7800
Massey 255 with loader
Massey 135

Bateman rb16

JCB 528s

Rabe 5f plough
4m discordon
6m Simba press
12m those rolls
6 m those rolls
6m weaving drill mounted
4m amazone power Harrow droll
6m Horsch co6 (dd trial metcalfe)
John Deere 530 moco
Massey 5 baler for sale
New Holland 378 hayliner baler
Kvernland 8m spring time
Kvernland 5m spring time
Rabe 4m power Harrow
Ransomes 2 leg subsoiler
Krm Bredal fert spreader
2 As marston 14t trailers
2 As marston 10 and 12 t trailers
1 Richard western muck trailer
12 ton bunning muck spreader
Hay bob
Hay bob
Hay bob so can get another when first breaks

To buy list twin rotor rake, big Tedder, new baler (old one burnt out this year) and auto steer (5 year plan)

And loads of rusty stuff

How does 1550 compare to 2066? Its only a 5 walker?

 

[Dan Attle]

900 acres 550 arable 250 grass rest woodland 300 beef cattle 3 of us on the farm tho i do 90% of the arable
mf 6495 does all the ploughing discing subsoiling baling and grain cart and most of the drilling
mccormick x7.660 mowing spraying drilling road work , bale chasing bit of ploughing and rolling
claas ares 657 beet drilling rollling trailer work hedge cutting
tx 66 20"
jcb 541 70 does all the handeling at dads on the beef side
jcb 52767 does all my arable handeling on my farm 24 miles away
6 furrow plough
3m combi
3m tinemastewr discs
tim howard 5 leg subsoiler
4m howard power harrow
x2 6m rolls (one at each farm )
4.5 m press
6m grass harrow
3m hay mower
6m tedder / roweer
hesston balere soon to be sold
3 strawtrailers
12 tonne trailer
10 tonne trailer
hedge cutter
beet drill
flail
topper
24m gem sprayer
24m kunh axis
i do work quite a few hours but do most myself as i like to see a job done well

 

[Laminated]

How does 1550 compare to 2066? Its only a 5 walker?

1550 6 Walker. 1450 is 5 walker.

Nicer to drive with auto header tilt and reel speed. Cab exactly the same. Engine bay more accessible. Bigger grain tank. Sieves slightly narrower so less capacity by about 10%. Short feeder house is annoying as can’t see feeder point on header past my beer belly.

The newer header is streets ahead. Apart from that feels the same to use

 

[Chae1]

Think we might be worst! About 550 acres arable, 440 breeding cows. Normally around 1100 cattle including followers. Do a bit of contract baling and spraying. Sprayer is same age as 1135 they were bought new together. Have a 2011 v660 and a mf190 for baling. Share the combine on another 350 acres.
2017 NH t7 260
2011 NH t7050
2015 t7 200 with loader
2009 m620 deutz
2004 mf 6480
1997 JCB fastrac 1135
2011 JCB fastrac 2170
2009 634 manitou
2018 733 manitou
2005 570M lexion.

Should probably sell some! But they all come in handy. 7050 would be 1 to go, but did come in handy last springtime after wet winter for ploughing at same time as drilling.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

85acres, 65at home 20-12miles away. Wheat,barley,sugar beet, linseed, beans and half acre of spuds. All done ourselves apart from beet drilling and harvesting.
Claas dom 68 12ft cut 1988 1600h
Claas axos 320 2013 68h!
NH tla70 2006 2260h
Ford 4600 1976 7400h (x2 engine!)
Fordson supermajor 60s hrs unknown ie huge!
Fordson major late 50s hrs unknown ie huge!
12mtr sprayer and spreader
8t Marston
6t legg
plus 3 smaller trailers
overum ransomes 3 furrow plough
3mt konskilde mounted germinator
plus other harrows
Cambridge rolls
hay making gear, drum mower,rake haybob.
claas markant 65 1996
refurbished opico 9t drier
and the spawn of the devil-bl@@dy sucker blower.

Me and the good lady moved in 4yrs ago and father moved out up the rd. Both have other interests. I work 2 days wk off farm-making bits for racing cars outta carbon fibre.
Everything brought and paid for. New tractor every 6-8yrs. Sprayer,spreader and plough brought new. Everything else, farm sales, farmers guide word of mouth etc.
Make money every yr(without sfp too if it went)
Everything gets done as we like for timelessness. Never much rush in fathers case.... Have time for family (18month daughter) which is lovely.
As Much a lifestyle as a job and puts a smile on my face!
Could earn 4x plus more doing carbon work. Would never see family (at least 14hr days7day wk) working in industrial unit with no windows. Soulless. Did it for 5 years when younger and giving me a good start in life but not now.
Definitely a place for small farmers if prepared to use older gear and do other bits and bobs.

It's funny how you can accumulate things....
The Tla has a loader now with 9 I think attachments.
We (i) have another tractor....
Bale trailers, a muck spreader, single Rota rake, furrow press (and another one today)
Tyres..lots and lots of dual wheels/tyres

 

[goodevans]

Must admit I have really enjoyed reading this. Its nice to see so many of you just pottering along with old gear and getting all your work done. Theres a lot to be said about been self sufficient and I'm sure a lot of pleasure gained when doing so. Stephen.

I have just read it and thought we ought to have a vote on it to see who is the most impressive and then realised the thread was 5 years old.would be really good to have an update

 

[Poncherello1976]

850 acres. 500 arable 350 permeant grass. 1 full time, 1 part time and me and my dad. 200 head of cattle
2000 Tx68+ 24ft 8 years old when we had it, now almost as old as the combine it replaced.
2017 MF7718
2014 MF 5610 with loader, bale spike and pallet tines.
2012 MF 6480
2010 Merlo 32.6
1988 Ford 7810
1952 Field Marshall
2012 JD 732i trailed sprayer, came with greenstar and box. 24m
12m Twose rolls
6m Vaderstad rolls
6m KV TS drill
5f KV plough
4m power harrow.
3m KV CLC cultivator
14 T marston ace, 12T Bailey, 10T Richard Weston trailer, 8T trailer. 2 6T weeks trailers. 1 ancient bale trailer.
Amazone fert spreader.
Flat roll.
Topper
Parmiter Post knocker
2 buckets, 1 bale grab, 1 bale spike, pallet tines, 1bag lifter.
2 pickups, l200 04, Navara 62.
2008 tri axle Ifor Williams livestock trailer.
2 cattle crushes. 1 new ish 1 old.
2014ish Krone mower 3.2 m, 2015ish KV rake, 2010ish KV tedder.
Various zig zag harrows, cultivators dragged out of the nettles at times.
Some of the stuff is probably bigger than we need, but bought second-hand and they do not do too much work so should last.

 

[holly smoke]

240 acres cereals 65 acres grass
100 beef cattle 120 sows taking everything through to bacon

1996 class lexion 430 20 ft
2010 manitou 634-120
2011 McCormick xtx165
2010 McCormick mtx 135
1987 case 1494 with loader
3 8 ton grain trailers
1 6 ton grain trailer
1 bale trailer
Vicon fert spreader 18 mt
Vicon round Baler
HARDI sprayer 18 mt
Krm combi 3 mt
Krm power harrow 3 mt
Dowdswell 5 furrow
Krone grass cutter
Haybob
Wrapper
Carravagi mill mix
Folding rolls
Pig tail drag
Subsoiler
Topper
Plus other trailers and odd bit