20 acre tractor

[Hoofer B]

Use what you already have for the first year. Then you will have a better idea if you need to update machinery. Bill

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

It's actually pretty sandy, soft soil. The hunting ground has only been mowed for the last 15 years. It would need some serious work to get it turned I would bet.

If you grind that soil into powder with a rototiller, it will turn into concrete after the first rain. Conventional tillage is probably the best. Heck if I was just playing around I'd probably plant "tillage radishes" to see what they'd do.

Just to clarify, you currently have ZERO tractors correct? There's no using what you have.

 

[showcrop]

If you grind that soil into powder with a rototiller, it will turn into concrete after the first rain. Conventional tillage is probably the best. Heck if I was just playing around I'd probably plant "tillage radishes" to see what they'd do.

Just to clarify, you currently have ZERO tractors correct? There's no using what you have.

read the OP.

 

[cjunrau]

What would be my best bet for a working tractor for 20 acres tillable? I've had several old Fords. A 4000 4 cyclinder, a couple 961's an 861 and a Jubilee. Those were more just hobbies. Never really worked any of them except for some brush hogging and snow plowing. Now I have a place with some tillable that I may plant some sweet corn, other veggies and then work a couple food plots on some hunting land. The old Fords are really nice to work on but I've seen around here they just can't go slow enough for a tiller which I'm sure I'll need. I've heard the 3 cylinder diesels are slow enough but don't really know anything about them. Any input on models, options, hp or the like is appreciated. Even open to other brands then just Fords. Just looking for something to get the job done and reliable. Thanks! Tom

If you roto till sand it will blow away on you. That and a disc can cause more problems that it is worth. If sod then disc after deep till and cultivate after that. no need to pound the ground into fine powder. Yes radishes would be good for deer plots as well.

 

[jddrawbar]

Kubota..L4802..45 hp hydro

Do you actually think he can find a L4802 in his $5k range?

 

[flying belgian]

Do you actually think he can find a L4802 in his $5k range?

Nope. When I wrote this I new nothing about the $5000 budget.

 

[DeltaRed]

Only 20 acres. In the '60s,my Dad farmed over 80 acres with an 8n. And did it after work and on weekends.However it was only for a couple of years of so,but he got it done.I'm in agreement with the others. ditch the rototiller. Go with traditional tillage methods.How many 'real' farmers do you see rototilling their fields? You dont.Rototilling is good for a garden,but not on a large scale.

 

[jaoneill]

It's actually pretty sandy, soft soil. The hunting ground has only been mowed for the last 15 years. It would need some serious work to get it turned I would bet.

As has been said above, ditch the idea of rototilling. Vertical tillage would fit the bill quite nicely without the potential drawbacks of moldboard plowing and could also be done with your current Fords.

 

[flying belgian]

As has been said above, ditch the idea of rototilling. Vertical tillage would fit the bill quite nicely without the potential drawbacks of moldboard plowing and could also be done with your current Fords.

What am I missing here. I see nothing about him having "current Fords "

 

[jaoneill]

What am I missing here. I see nothing about him having "current Fords "

My mistake, I missed the past tense "I've had".

 

[showcrop]

What am I missing here. I see nothing about him having "current Fords "

His post is, I suppose, slightly vague, but if you are following the Ford forum as I do you see that Tom may not post a lot but fairly regularly for a long time about various old Fords and has never indicated that he was selling everything.

 

[ed12345]

Had a ford 801 with the aux transmission that made first gear low slow enough to transplant with

 

[flying belgian]

What would be my best bet for a working tractor for 20 acres tillable? I've had several old Fords. A 4000 4 cyclinder, a couple 961's an 861 and a Jubilee. Those were more just hobbies. Never really worked any of them except for some brush hogging and snow plowing. Now I have a place with some tillable that I may plant some sweet corn, other veggies and then work a couple food plots on some hunting land. The old Fords are really nice to work on but I've seen around here they just can't go slow enough for a tiller which I'm sure I'll need. I've heard the 3 cylinder diesels are slow enough but don't really know anything about them. Any input on models, options, hp or the like is appreciated. Even open to other brands then just Fords. Just looking for something to get the job done and reliable. Thanks! Tom

I don't know guys. If he's going to plant "sweet corn and other veggies" it might be nice to have one that can run a tiller.

 

[flying belgian]

If you grind that soil into powder with a rototiller, it will turn into concrete after the first rain. Conventional tillage is probably the best. Heck if I was just playing around I'd probably plant "tillage radishes" to see what they'd do.

Just to clarify, you currently have ZERO tractors correct? There's no using what you have.

When I was custom farming for the organic neighbor they had me plant them some tillage raddish. After they grew about a foot deep I would pull some up.
Slice them and fry in beacon greese.
Oh my god were they good.
Ps,,,don't tell my Dr.

 

[Bob NY]

What would be my best bet for a working tractor for 20 acres tillable? I've had several old Fords. A 4000 4 cyclinder, a couple 961's an 861 and a Jubilee. Those were more just hobbies. Never really worked any of them except for some brush hogging and snow plowing. Now I have a place with some tillable that I may plant some sweet corn, other veggies and then work a couple food plots on some hunting land. The old Fords are really nice to work on but I've seen around here they just can't go slow enough for a tiller which I'm sure I'll need. I've heard the 3 cylinder diesels are slow enough but don't really know anything about them. Any input on models, options, hp or the like is appreciated. Even open to other brands then just Fords. Just looking for something to get the job done and reliable. Thanks! Tom

There were several transmissions available in the 3 cylinder Fords, 4 speed, 6 speed, 8 speed and the 10 speed Select-O-Speed. The choice of transmission will make a big difference in travel speed.

 

[ss55]

It's actually pretty sandy, soft soil. The hunting ground has only been mowed for the last 15 years. It would need some serious work to get it turned I would bet.

Unless your time is very limited (1/2 day per week), the tractors you already have are plenty for the tasks. You may need implements though.

A soil test and weed scouting might help determine what needs to be done to successfully grow sweet corn and vegetables. Sandy ground that has been fallow for 15 years may not have much nitrogen available in the root zone and corn needs a lot of nitrogen. Weed control can take some serious planning once you are outside the common corn-soybean rotation.

Garden placement can also be important. Avoid placing vegetable gardens near a line fence were row crops are grown on the other side of the fence as sprayer drift (sprayer blight) could damage or kill your non-roundup ready vegetables. If deer and raccoons frequent the hunting area good fences might be needed to have much crop left at harvest.

Sounds like fun! Good luck and enjoy your gardens!

 

[Texasmark]

If soil is unusually hard as in not been tilled in years a chisel plow/all purpose plow may soften it up better than a disc harrow.

On my clay soil, attempting to use a chisel plow as the initial implement after years of neglect is a "bouncing across the surface" waste of time and fuel.

 

[620 John]

Here's my simple advice: buy whatever is common in your area and has good parts availability. If you buy anything old you're guaranteed to need to fix it at some time or another. Don't know what your hp range is but I'd recommend staying with a gasoline engine as compared to diesel. Diesel engines are less forgiving and generally more expensive to work on.

 

[Texasmark]

The FORD N-SERIES Tractors, an 8N is better than a 9N, are perfect workhorses for farms small and large. Hobby farms, food plots, gardens, mowing, brush hogging, snow plowing, and more can all be done efficiently on an N. The later Hundred Series and Thousand Series models may be too big for your needs. The bigger 134 and 172 engines consume more fuel for example. An N usea 4-CYL Flat Head FORD 119 CID engine. Easy to work on, parts are available, and can have fun as well. The NAA began using the 134 CID OHV Engine in SEP 1952 and is a better power plant. ALL FORD used the 6V/POS GRN Electrical System but many have been switched over to 12V/NEG GRN by guys. A 6V or 12V setup is what is important. Forget a serial number - means nothing. NOTE: Many DIY 12V conversions are done wrong so you need to get the correct wiring diagrams too. Forget a roto-tiller, N's not geared for it. Early 8N, 47-50 used the Front Mount Distributor - often a mystery to some but the later 1950-1952 8N used a side distributor; a much better system., Find old Dearborn Equipment as a plow, cultivator, disc, spring tooth harrow, to use and you will be happy. The 1st thing to do whatever you get is to invest in The Essential Manuals and read before you do anything. Avoid buting anymnewparst and jsutstartrepacing willy nilly. Old must prove defective before you replace anything and then rebuild the OEM components as they were designed to be. New are mostly junk. A used 8N can go from $1200 to $5000 so ya got to do your homework on seller. Price out new/used Kubotas. A good call but you'll need deeper pockets.

ESSENTIAL MANUALS - FORD 8N-SERIES:

1) Original Owner's/Operator's Manual
2) Original 1939-1953 MPC (Master Parts Catalog)
3) I&T F0-$ Service Manual

#2 and # 3 also required for a 9N or 2N. Get and read religiously B4 anyhing else.

Your Mileage May Vary,
Tim Daley (MI)

To each his own. I did have a TO-20 MF that had a lots of guts, very similar to the Ford N series, but lacked a lot of what I wanted in a tractor. Along the Ford line my 3910 tops the list and the only thing missing is a cab and for that tractor and what it does that's OK that it doesn't have a cab.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

What would be my best bet for a working tractor for 20 acres tillable? I've had several old Fords. A 4000 4 cyclinder, a couple 961's an 861 and a Jubilee. Those were more just hobbies. Never really worked any of them except for some brush hogging and snow plowing. Now I have a place with some tillable that I may plant some sweet corn, other veggies and then work a couple food plots on some hunting land. The old Fords are really nice to work on but I've seen around here they just can't go slow enough for a tiller which I'm sure I'll need. I've heard the 3 cylinder diesels are slow enough but don't really know anything about them. Any input on models, options, hp or the like is appreciated. Even open to other brands then just Fords. Just looking for something to get the job done and reliable. Thanks! Tom

Tom
Just 20 acres tillable go me to thinking.
Let's say you planted corn, bean or wheat.
Can you afford a combine to harvest 20 acres?
Can you afford a planter or drill with only 20 acres tillable?
I would find a farmer in the neighborhood who will cash rent or share crop just 20 acres.