What’s your favorite tractor/ machinery for building your homestead.

I don’t know how to set up a poll or I’d do that. So question for everyone if you own a tractor/ other farm/ earth moving machinery, would you answer a few questions for me? What brand and horsepower do you own? What are it’s primary features that you use the most? What do you love about it /or wish it had? If you had it to do over what would you get? Also what climate do you live in and how do you store it?

I will give a two part answer because I have to go quickly.

I have a JD2038R (37 gross/30PTO HP).  At the moment I have the following attachments:

Loader
6’ JD Rough Cutter
7’ Everything Attachments Grader Blade

I would like to have:

5’ Flail Mower
Box Blade (Maybe Land Plane)
3pt frame for 3pt carryall (cheap attachment, I build the rest)

This tractor is about the perfect setup for me—it has the right HP, hydraulic lift capacity and general frame size.  It was priced well for its capabilities (I don’t know what it is priced now).  I have a good dealer.

There are a lot of Orange-Green flame wars out there.  Lots of people like Orange for good reason.  I like my Green for a number of reasons that I could go into on a different post.  But either could be a winner and really there is no reason for a flame war.  Do what is right for you.

I will tell you why I went Green on my next post.

Eric

Reason I went Green over Orange.

I mentioned this somewhere around here but I will say it again.  And also again, this is why *I* went green and the reason may or may not apply to you.

I first looked at subcompact tractors because I needed a tractor and I didn’t have the money for a much larger one.  My extended family owns a Case dealership (Red) so when they found out I was going Green they thought I was committing treason!  I did look around at all types of manufacturers but it really boiled down to Green and Orange being 15 minutes away and anything else 45 minutes or more away (important for a dealership).

The JD and Kubota subcompacts have almost identical specs so only a couple of points made the difference.

Point #1—Kubota was 10” shorter and that came out of the seating are.  I am a tall man at 6’3” and the Kubota just felt cramped.

Point #2–Kubota had a “treadle pedal” hydro control that required my foot to be in an upright, bent-knee position that was uncomfortable for me.  JD had a twin touch hydro control that let me stretch my leg out.  On the Kubota in order for my foot to be on the pedal, my knee touched the steering wheel!  The JD was just much more comfortable.

Point #3—This might be highly particular to me.  On the JD the loader control rose vertically out of the floor of the tractor (from the fender on my new tractor).  This means that I can rest my hand on the control while riding and nothing happens.  On the Kubota the loader control is a part of the loader and protrudes horizontally.  Resting my hand on the control would raise the bucket.

Another point:  the right side of the JD is open for egress and ingress.  On the Kubota (and others) the right side is blocked by the loader control.  I like entry and exit from either side.

Note:  this pertains to Kubota subcompacts from the year 2004.  A LOT has changed and these may not apply today but they did affect my decision at the time.  Other specs were virtually identical as was the price with a loader and 4’ rough cutter.  So for me the choice was easy.  Today it may be different but I like my dealer (a big deal) and my new tractor was sized and priced just right.

Hope this helps!!

Etc

For building /  land moving  hands down I recommend an all terrain forklift!
Sometimes  called a reach forklift or the official name is a telescopic boom lift.
Rubber tires, 4  wheel drive and 4 wheel steer , Front wheel, articulate and crab steer.
Body tilt, lockable differentials. Some have front outriggers!  Multiple attachments for the front.
The ability to reach 50' high!  
No, they are not set up for tractor work.

 

I don't care about brand. My husband went orange because it was affordable, easy to deal with and they said they're metal over plastic and green is plastic. I have NO idea if that's true.

We have an orange kubota. Not the biggest they have, not the smallest.

Important to have is a cabin, you're moving to Wyoming. You do not want to be out there blowing in the wind without a cabin. Protect yoself.

They did tell us that I couldn't get a hay fork for our Kubota because it is too light to lift a round bale without tipping. So there's that consideration.

I've got 3 tractors, two Kubota 2008 + 2018, one Mitsubishi from the 80's.
Eric's points about the "fit" of the tractor are real. and they DO vary from brand/model/model year. A friend just got a John Deere for the same reason as Eric, he's tall and the Kubota is cramped in the cab.
On my Kubotas, both are more tight to mount from the right due to the loader stick (it issues from the right console, not the loader tower). BX the cab is easiest to mount from either side, the L is it is doable, but with no step on that side (I use the backhoe sub-frame instead) make the left/driver's side the usual.
The Mitsubishi is even TIGHTER than the Kubota!!! It's a bit like mounting a pony, and hard to do from the right for the same reasons as the others, and also a bit of flexibility/muscle memory on my part.

The Kubotas are my favorite, although the Mitsubishi is STILL a tractor, and beats hand work!

I have pallet forks for both, and they are standard QA to the loader which is fantastic. My L is the smallest tractor that would accept the largest loader for the L-series, and that has worked well, since I have pushed that capacity often.
The capacity of the BX, especially with pallet forks, leaves me wanting most of the time.

Having a dealer close by is good, and my dealer has great service, which is just luck, but important.

Before we moved here my hubby said it was the law that everyone on Skye had a digger. You mean that's not true?


Mini digger a bit like ours (source

Kidding aside, in the early days, a little excavator is brilliant for landscaping and lifting during construction. Ours sits out in the weather and needs a serious "birthday" now, but starts on the button.

elle sagenev wrote:I don't care about brand. My husband went orange because it was affordable, easy to deal with and they said they're metal over plastic and green is plastic. I have NO idea if that's true.

We have an orange kubota. Not the biggest they have, not the smallest.

Important to have is a cabin, you're moving to Wyoming. You do not want to be out there blowing in the wind without a cabin. Protect yoself.

They did tell us that I couldn't get a hay fork for our Kubota because it is too light to lift a round bale without tipping. So there's that consideration.

Thank you this is all amazing info. I’m seriously so excited to get started. I’m from southern Alberta Canada, heated cabs are a definite must, but all I was ever in up there were combines and balers, neither of which we planned on doing, so hearing about these multipurpose (which I’m sure I’ve seen before but it didn’t compute because it didn’t apply) tractors is very interesting. We’ll definitely have to try them each out

elle sagenev wrote:I don't care about brand. My husband went orange because it was affordable, easy to deal with and they said they're metal over plastic and green is plastic. I have NO idea if that's true.

We have an orange kubota. Not the biggest they have, not the smallest.

Important to have is a cabin, you're moving to Wyoming. You do not want to be out there blowing in the wind without a cabin. Protect yoself.

They did tell us that I couldn't get a hay fork for our Kubota because it is too light to lift a round bale without tipping. So there's that consideration.

All of my tractors are open cabs, no tops either... I just ran the BX inside our new hoophouse, just a foot from the walls (ROPS down) and wouldn't have been able to do that with a cab tractor for sure!
Snow removal with the BX with the snowblower on the other hand is... bracing. It sure would be nice to have a cab for those times. All in all, it's fairly mild here in Boston, possible and safe enough to just dress for it.

Regarding capacity, this is where you ought to have a good, long think of all that you need now or might want to do in the future. Too small or too large of machine, and you won't be happy.
Implements can often be bundled into the financing on a new tractor purchase, or even have factory rebates, while a later implement-only purchase would be cash. Some implements are hard to find on the secondary market.

Kathleen, you asked about what I like about my tractor and what I wish I had.  I think I have mentioned most of what I like:  decent size, maneuverable, good loader capacity, good 3pt hitch capacity, can run 6’ implements, cockpit setup is good and I could go on.

I want to add extra rear hydraulics, specifically a hydraulic 3pt top link and an extra hydraulic line so I can run a flail mower with a hydraulic side-shift.  I can add this for around $1k.

You asked about my climate.  I am located at the juncture of the southern Midwest and the upper South.  We have mild winters, long, beautiful springs and falls and long, blistering hot and terribly humid summers.  We get a lot of rainfall.  Although we get mild winters, occasionally we get a 10”-12” snowfall and for that reason I need the tractor with loader and 3pt grader blade to clear my 400’ driveway and adjoining road to the point that the county plows.  My blade has an offset so I can really move snow well off to the side of the road when clearing snow.  The grader blade can be a great way to clear snow.

During Feb. 2021 (the same time Texas froze) we caught a piece of the same storm and got about 7” and the county did not clear all day.  The snow started after my wife left for work and she came home early before our back country road was even touched by the county—7” deep.  I used the tractor to clear about 1000’ of the “main” road (totally devoid of any traffic) on the steepest part and around a stubborn turn.  My 2038r with 7’ grader blade never flinched.  It is a great snow clearing device.

I also maintain a 400’ gravel driveway and I may get a box blade for that in the future.  Finally, in addition to rough cutting tall grass I move things about the homestead with the bucket.

As I already stated, I would like a flail mower for maintaining trails and a frame to make a carry all just to carry lots of stuff off the 3pt.

I could keep going but I think you get the idea of what I think of my tractor which is extremely well sized for my 9 acres.

Eric

I too am 6’3” and I made similar decisions as Eric and ended up green.   I do need to add one more, the ride on the green machine seemed smoother than with orange.  I know this is at best subjective and highly questionable, but when I tested them , green was smoother. Yes, I checked the surface I was driving on and the tire pressure.


Oh yes, favorite machine is the tractor with a front  end loader.

Kathleen Nelson wrote:

elle sagenev wrote:I don't care about brand. My husband went orange because it was affordable, easy to deal with and they said they're metal over plastic and green is plastic. I have NO idea if that's true.

We have an orange kubota. Not the biggest they have, not the smallest.

Important to have is a cabin, you're moving to Wyoming. You do not want to be out there blowing in the wind without a cabin. Protect yoself.

They did tell us that I couldn't get a hay fork for our Kubota because it is too light to lift a round bale without tipping. So there's that consideration.

Thank you this is all amazing info. I’m seriously so excited to get started. I’m from southern Alberta Canada, heated cabs are a definite must, but all I was ever in up there were combines and balers, neither of which we planned on doing, so hearing about these multipurpose (which I’m sure I’ve seen before but it didn’t compute because it didn’t apply) tractors is very interesting. We’ll definitely have to try them each out

I have a Kubota L3901, so 39HP.  It's the perfect size for our land.  We have 80 acres but most all of that is wooded.  The 3901 is only 4 and a half feet wide, so I can get around on our "trails" through the woods easily to haul out firewood with the tractor and trailer.  I have a snowblower because our driveway is 1/4 mile long.  You mentioned needing a heated cab.  We get pretty cold here, as cold as -40F some years, and always in the -20F range for part of the winter.  I've never used the tractor when it was that cold, but I used it at 20 F a number of times.  I just have one of those plastic-y cabs, and I don't need the heater.  The engine heat warms it up to the point that I have to unzip my coat and take my hat off most of the time.  I love the cab because it keeps the snow from blowing all over me when I'm snow blowing.  I hate it because it amplifies the noise so much.  Hearing protection is a must with this tractor.  The transmission whine is loud and the cab makes it much worse.  The cab has to be taken off to go into the woods for firewood or it would be torn to shreds.  That doesn't really matter because the cab is on all winter, off all summer.

A snow blower is much more practical than a plow in this climate because of the sheer amounts of snow we can get.  With a plow, and especially with a very long, steep, driveway like ours, you simply run out of places to push the snow.  The snow blower will shoot the snow 20' off the road and as high as you like, so you never run out of room.

I have a bucket of course, and I use it, but not a tremendous amount.  It came with the tractor.  I have a mower that I use a few times a year to keep the briars and thistles back from the driveway and to clear briars from taking over some areas around my food forest, and a couple spots on my land that I want to be able to walk through without being shredded.  I got the mower basically free.  I have a back blade that I never use.  It was free.  I have a big 8" wood chipper that probably sees more use than any other implement and is also my favorite one.   It was not free, or even cheap, but it was worth it to me.  I'll be getting a tiller any day now.  I have one garden area that is about an acre and will probably be slowly switched over to no-till like my smaller ones are, but that will be in increments over years if indeed it ever is.  Meantime, it will be tilled a few times a year.

Eric has some good points about the John Deere.  I like the ergonomics better, and I especially like the fact that you can get in from either side.  I'm forever walking around the Kubota to get in.  I'm only 5'9", so I'm not cramped by the cab in the Kubota.  I really, really like the forward and reverse controls on the John Deere, much better than the Kubota, and if I was going to be using the tractor for many hours a week, those things alone would have enticed me to buy the John Deere.  Both are solid machines, and as far as longevity and maintenance concerns, it's a toss-up in my book.  I went with the Kubota because of the good reputation the Kubota dealer has here for service, and the fact that I could get a better price for the same machine.  If those two things were no object, I would have gone with a John Deere.  Frankly, I don't think you can go wrong with either machine.

I find the comments about size interesting. My husband is 6'2" and I'm 5'9". No size complaints and I usually drive with at least two children if not 3 in the cab with me.

It is a pain to only be able to use one door to get in though.

I have a Kubota L2501 HST 4x4 25 horsepower. It's a bare bones compact tractor.

Bare tractor weighs about 2500 pounds I think, but I have rear tires loaded, backhoe subframe installed, loader almost always on etc. so it's more like 4500 + pounds with the backhoe on.

Front loader w/ bucket and digging teeth
Pallet forks
BH77 Backhoe
Roll-over box blade
Heavy duty sub-soiler
5' brush hog
7' scraper blade fully adjustable
Hitch/trailer mover

Front loader, Backhoe and Roll-over box blade used the most. VERY glad I got the hydrostatic drive instead of gear drive for intricate operating on hills.

I love having the tractor for every task, I'm by myself here and not 20 years old anymore so it's a major help for so many tasks...but during the wet times it makes more of a mess than it's worth. I'm in north-eastern Kentucky.

I got the agriculture tires, which tear up the ground pretty good but traction is great. More horsepower would be nice especially for brush hogging (I just have to go pretty slow or it bogs down) but I was trying to stay budget minded, and also didn't want the extra emissions gear that comes with any tractor over 25hp.

If I had to do it again I would have possibly considered an older used model (to avoid emission parts) with higher horsepower and stronger loader and backhoe...ideally a Kubota L45.

Overall, I love the size of my tractor and wouldn't want bigger, just heavier and stronger! Hope that helps, I'm obsessed with tractors so I'll take any opportunity to talk about them.

Cole, you make excellent, relevant points to consider when buying a tractor.

When I bought a JD subcompact back in 2005 I was a much younger man and time, illness and some wear and tear has taken some tolls on me.  I am thinking about how your roll-over box blade can be operated from the seat, a handy feature.  Really, a good tractor should age slower than the owner.

You also make great points about the emissions equipment.  My old tractor did not have it but my new tractor does.  Honestly, the worst part is simply that I had to pay for it—I have not had it affect my usage at all.  I did go through one regen cycle but that lasted all of 5 minutes and was no big deal.  I have had no-where near the horror stories some have had.  Still, I wouldn’t want to pay for it and I am not exactly certain what it even does that supposedly justifies the cost.  But I have not had any trouble but your points are valid.

Eric

Kathleen, it occurred to me that while you are moving to Wyoming, you may be building there too.  Is that correct?  If so that may change my tractor calculus.

Eric

If You Will Be Building a Home….

This changes things over what I have said earlier, most notably in that it makes much more sense to get a backhoe as there are so many requirements to dig when building.

Another thought is to get dedicated pallet forks for the loader.  I actually do have clamp on forks which are extremely useful for being less than $200, but if I were building I would get dedicated ones that attach directly to the forks.  Switching between buckets and forks is incredibly easy with either the almost-universal Skid Steer Quick Attach (SSQA) or John Deere Quick Attach (JDQA).  They work just as well as each other and most every loader attachment is available in either format.

A Box Blade makes a lot of sense, maybe a grader blade if it is sturdy.  I would avoid a land plane at this point.

Maybe some type of mower to keep the job sight clear.

When I was building I wished I had my tractor during construction.  I would have had a loader (obviously), box blade and rough cutter.  My are is so humid that weeds grew out of control and I had to pay to have people to come in to mow my weeds.  Also, I would have liked to have had a box blade to work on the driveway, help sculp a shallow ditch/swale, and do some leveling in the yard.

These are just some thoughts based on my personal experiences, maybe they can help you.

Eric

I suggest going small *and* big, in whatever order fits your needs.

We went big first, and have a belarus 75hp 4wd tractor w/ cab (colorado winters), w/ rear grading blade and FEL, bought used. Tractors last forever. Although I'm a computer guy, I didn't want a complex computer system in this thing that made me trade 1st-borns for repairs at a dealership. What breaks (leaks) more than anything are the hydraulic cylinders ...

Between me and the fence posts, it just doesn't get used enough by one family ... needs 2, 3, or more using it. So, it will become part of the "lending library", when we open the property up to other families.

What we need to do next is go small, and we hope to add a walk-behind (BCS or somebody), as there's just way too many scenarios where something quick and small is needed to do a (small) task.

As a final note, all our 4wd vehicles have 2" receiver hitches back *and* front, which means they also participate in homestead duties. Slap a snow blade on the front, and we plow out from underneath heavy snows; slap a "hitch-trailer" (500-lb class) in either end, to do spot jobs ...

Hope this helps ...

A quick additional set of notes, some of which have been brought up in other threads....but

While I like both tractors shown below, note the distance between the front wheels and the bucket for both tractors.  The Deere has it's bucketcloser to the front wheels and this lends more stability to lifting a load than with the Kubota.  Being a bigger tractor, the Kubo lifts more weight and volume than the Deere, but you have to have a counterweight off the back for heavy lifting  or else you will feel your rear wheels lifting off of the ground.  I don't know if all Kubos have this issue with the positioning of their loader bucket on the tractor, but it's noticeable on mine.  The nice difference regarding the Kubota is that the quick-attach aspect of the loader arms allows it to use standard skid-steer implements......no 'adaptor plates' necessary.  So many non-powered skid steer buckets, forks, etc can go directly onto that Kubo loader assembly in place of the oem bucket.  If you run a hydraulic pump off of the PTO, you likely can use the powered implements as well.....front brooms, snowblowers, etc.  The ~18 hp Deere is the workhorse for 80 - 85% of the chores, being compact, nimble, 'comfortable' for my wife and her needs.  The Kubota is the bigger (32 hp) beast, but more stable for pasture mowing and larger landscaping.

Edited to add-- If you click on the photo to zoom it in a bit, you can see what some of the others in this thread were describing....the way the loader joystick for the Deere rises up from below whereas that the for the Kubota sticks out from the loader itself.  It does make a difference as to how you can access the operator station with the Deere allowing a bit easier access.  I also favor the twin-pedal forward/reverse hydrostatic of the Deere over the treadle style on the Kubota, but have gotten more accustomed to the treadle with time.

I am going to update  my response from a couple of years ago to reflect a couple of realities that my wife and I faced when building our house.  And to be clear, these recommendations are specific to someone in out position--building a house on a plot of land that is not right next to our current residence.  Also, I say that we were building our house but I really mean that we contracted out the work.  My family and I did a relatively small amount of work, mostly on the grounds nearby--not on the actual construction.  Therefore, what I am going to recommend reflects these conditions.


#1.   A secure shed, outbuilding, pole barn, etc. to park and store the tractor.  Construction sites are notorious for theft.  We had a water heater wander off.  Those thieves would have loved a tractor also.  Make that building secure, including a security system!

#2.  Get the most tractor that you can afford.  This is tricky.  There is always a desire to go bigger, but when we were building our house, EVERY penny went towards the house.  We pulled out all of the stops.  Maybe get the tractor in advance?  Can you work the tractor into the loan?  As I said, this is tricky.  When we did buy a tractor, we bought a little smaller than desired, but that little tractor was amazing and eased a whole lot of work I otherwise would have done myself.

#3.  Get a dealer.  At this stage, forget about tractor color and think about dealership.  Whatever tractor you buy will at some point need to be fixed.  Who do you want to do the work?

#4.  Tractor specs & attachments.  OK, here is a list of the things that I would have wanted when I was building my house:
       **Loader, w/bucket (Must be some type of Quick Attach JDQA/SSQA)
       **Dedicated forks that attach in place of bucket (not clamp on)
       **Hydraulic Top Link!!!  Holy Cow does this make every 3pt attachment easier to put on/off and adjust while using.  Cost $1500.  Totally worth it!! Just do it!!
           **This price includes: (from Summit Hydraulics,  good name in hydraulics)
               **Power Beyond Kit
               **Hydraulic block (has 4 connections!)
               **Hydraulic top link
       **4' rotary cutter
       **Box Blade

#5.  Backhoe?  This is the time to get a backhoe if ever there was.  But the pennies will be tighter at this time than any other time you own the house/homestead.  I would really have liked a backhoe at this stage, but there was no way I could have afforded it.  But your situation might be different and warrant a backhoe.  

#6.  Others?  Maybe a boom pole (a type of 3pt attachment).  Cheap.  Simple.  Uses 3pt. and turns it into a useful lifting device.  Maybe a possibility.  A flail mower would be a rough cutter and finish mower all in one.  It is relatively safe on a construction site, can work right up next to the building.  And it is kinda expensive.  You decide.  Grapple?  Maybe indispensable if serious land clearing involved.  Expect $2k-$4k plus hydraulic kit ($750-$1k).

  **ALSO..
       **Grader Blade?  Useful if you need to angle material as it gets graded.  Also a great way to clear snow (up to about 1')
       **3pt Rake?  Useful for putting in a yard.  Not terribly expensive.
       **Land Plane?  Perfect tool for maintaining a driveway.  Maybe useful for putting in a yard?  Can smooth ground.  Costs more than Box Blade. Redundant?
       **3pt trailer hitch (to go with a trailer).  About $100.  I would have done this for certain.
       **Maybe a subsoiler--cost=&150.  Useful for starting a ditch.  Worthy consideration.  I found a bunch of uses for it and it hardly cost anything.


Feel free to add to this list. These things applied to me, but your situation certainly is different than mine.  Your mileage may vary, make your own decisions.




Eric

build or maintain?

C.

I am a little confused.  Could you elaborate on what you mean by build or maintain?  Are you talking about a house?  Land?  Something else?


Thanks in advance!!



Eric

Kathleen Nelson wrote:So question for everyone if you own a tractor/ other farm/ earth moving machinery, would you answer a few questions for me? What brand and horsepower do you own? What are it’s primary features that you use the most? What do you love about it /or wish it had? If you had it to do over what would you get?

To me. brand is not as important as equipment.  Horse power might be important based on need.

In my opinion, the front end loader in the photo John posted is the most valuable for a building a basic homestead.

What will be constructed?  Roads? Site preparation? A house? Out buildings? A garden?

Anne, Kathleen, Everyone,

Broadly I agree with Anne that brand name is not important, but rather the tractor specs are what is important.

Except for one rather important point--spare parts.

At some point your tractor will break and need a replacement part.  At that point you will likely go to a dealer or some parts supplier.  And here is where things get tricky.

John Deere and Kubota are the two giants in the playground in this department, having a robust supply of parts even for tractors that have been out of production for years, even decades.  In particular, JD is the best.  You can still get replacement parts for JD tractors that were built before thinks like the three point hitch and PTO became standardized.  Their spare parts supply is over 100 years old!  Kubota's supply is only a little less robust.  In either case, getting a replacement part is not a difficult thing to do.

But there are a lot of smaller tractor companies (Branson, Montana, several more) that had a promising start and just could not compete.  If you owned one of those and it needs that specific spare part, it might be really difficult to acquire.  And if you don't get it, well, it becomes a nice lawn ornament.  About 15(?) years ago, Cub Cadet made a VERY impressive foray into the subcompact space by introducing a model that had things like a 3pt. position hitch (not just up & down, it stays where it is adjusted--very nice), a 3-range transmission, a fold-over ROPS (why didn't anyone else think of this?) and a much improved lighting package.  Honestly, it was probably the best subcompact tractor--at least by feature set--on the market.  Unfortunately, Cub Cadet did not stay in that space and does not keep an inventory of spare parts.  Anyone who needs a specific spare part--think about another lawn ornament!

I am definitely NOT saying don't buy anything other that JD or Kubota, but just consider the spare part issue down the line.  


Eric

Besides spare parts it might be important that folks can easily get the tractor repaired locally.

At the present time out tractor is out of service.

A seal is leaking on our tractor and the nearest dealer is 150 miles away.

Also we do not have a way to get the tractor to the dealer.  Trailer too small and tires to old for that distance.

The bridge is out so we cannot get into town to talk with our mechanic to see if his shop will work on the tractor.  We have no idea when the bridge will be back and Dept of Transportation keeps extending that date.