Hello all.
New to the site, new to tractoring (I've run lots of different equipment, never owned it).
I've read for hours here and elsewhere on buying a Kubota and frankly, I"m worn out. Time to get wise counsel.
So if you've the time and an opinion, please weigh in.
First, my state of affairs-
Where I am now (no purchase made yet)
The L series is appealing for size, but the M or Mx seems to give more bang for buck (guessing demand is stronger for L series).
The L4701 looks good, but folks said the bump in HP to the Mx was a better deal all around.
Backhoe and midframe attachment looks really good but frankly I'd likely just rent a mini-excavator for the backhoe needs.
The 55-65 horsepower machines appear to meet much of my need.
So holler with your input, please. The scope of options, trying to solve current and future needs, is maddening. Thanks.
New to the site, new to tractoring (I've run lots of different equipment, never owned it).
I've read for hours here and elsewhere on buying a Kubota and frankly, I"m worn out. Time to get wise counsel.
So if you've the time and an opinion, please weigh in.
First, my state of affairs-
- Family just purchased 120 acres of fallow farm (last farmed tomatoes and strawberries, only using 30 acres of creek bottom land, in 1988).
- Location is E TN, rural.
- The bottoms is sapling, bramble, some really large pines (48" diameter and up), and mixed hard and soft woods up to 18" diameter.
- Bottoms is very flat, with slight slope to the creek, which runs through the parcel, separating the bottoms from the hills (mountains?).
- The rest of the acreage is old, very large hardwood forest, on slope, with 3 hollows draining down into the creek.
- Grade for an RV pad. This includes 800' of graveling the old driveway, removing a collapsed hay barn (huge), and grading and prepping for power and water hookup.
- Clean up the bottoms. Remove brush, snags, open up the canopy, and general cleanup so we can see what we have.
- Grade and prep an area for staging trailers and equipment. May install pole barn there pretty quickly.
- Recover the bottoms for grazing asap, using electric fencing to get cows Manage Intensive Grazing asap.
- Install a bridge / culvert over the creek. Span is 36', water depth is typically low (18") but storm runoff can cause flooding. Bank height to water is 7'.
- Continue to build out infrastructure as time and money allow.
- Keep my teen boys exhausted every day.
- Eventually build a house (likely timbering from the woods).
- Buy more power than I think I need now, based on many, many posts.
- Maneuverability
- Weight, to limit compacting and soil destruction
- Grapple lifting capability
- Cab / no cab
- Used (may go look at new but prefer to pay cash)
- Bush hog, box blade
- R4 tires (forest seems to have lots of puncture potential)
Where I am now (no purchase made yet)
The L series is appealing for size, but the M or Mx seems to give more bang for buck (guessing demand is stronger for L series).
The L4701 looks good, but folks said the bump in HP to the Mx was a better deal all around.
Backhoe and midframe attachment looks really good but frankly I'd likely just rent a mini-excavator for the backhoe needs.
The 55-65 horsepower machines appear to meet much of my need.
So holler with your input, please. The scope of options, trying to solve current and future needs, is maddening. Thanks.
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