city boy looking for tractor advice

Of course the JD dealer is hoping for a sale, but a big sale... from a guy with 10 acres...? I'm sure he sells new tractors that can't be turned around on your 10 acres. So, unless he's got you pegged as a guy with more money than brains, he's not figuring on selling you a new four wheel drive tractor. He undoubtedly sees several people just like you every year. He knows the land conditions in your area and about what it takes to do the jobs you are most likely going to be doing. I would guess he telling you the HP you will need at the upper end of the range, but then he doesn't want you buying a tractor from him that you soon feel is too small. That's not going to make him look good in your eyes for future business. So stick pretty close to his HP recomendations.

Here are my other recomendations: Look at other brands of tractors in addition to JD. JD makes good tractors and has for years and years, but they also command top dollar. To farm 10 acres you don't have to buy top dollar equipment. If you buy a 20 to 50 year old tractor in the HP range recomended, in it's younger days, that tractor likely farmed 10 to 20 times the land you are talking about. Therefore if it's in good condition, your 10 acres will be like a vacation home for it. Compare the features you need in a tractor between all the brands. You will in almost every case find the JD tractor to be the most costly. There are MANY other good brands and if they are sized right and have the features you want, (and of course in good condition) they could save you 50% or more from the price of a simular JD.

People who farm large and make their living farming often buy JD equipment new every year or two. For them a brake down could cost many thousands of dollars from the lost time. Their tradein's are in good shape and in high demand. They have the ability to take advantage of everything associated with new equipment.

On the other hand, I have to laugh everytime I see a 1960's 4020 advertized for up around $10,000. Why would a farmer who needs the size, power and features of a 4020 spend that kind of money? If they bought a simular Ford, IH, Case, AC, Oliver..., they'd still get a very good tractor and have thousands left in their pocket!

If you have a worse tractor, you can 'get by' baling as I'm sure others have mentioned below, but since this is what you are buying for, don't sell yourself short with a N Ford. They were lovely tractors 60 years ago, but the lack of live pto, live hydraulics, no power steering, and very few gears to change speeds, and a bit light & low hp for hay makes them far from an ideal choice.

A baler needs live pto to make it enjoyable. It needs a tractor heavy enough to be an 'anchor' for the baler - and possibly a wagon you place behind the baler. You need 15-20 hp to run the baler with a strong enough pto to handle the backlash from the stored 50 hp in the baler flywheel. You need an additional 10-20 hp to pull the baler & tractor through the field, and maybe 120 bales on a hayrack behind the baler. That makes about 35-40 a real good size for a minumum. You need enough gear choices to have a real slow speed for big windrows, and faster speeds for lighter hay.

Most anything works for a sickle bar mower, but a haybine again needs some real power & real live hydraulics and live pto and enough weight to move the haybine - you don't want the tractor being pushed around.

This farm has baled 2000 - 6000 square bales a year for the past 35+ years with a 35 hp IHC 300 row crop tractor with a TA for 10 forward, 2 reverse gears. A 270 NH baler has been behind it all that time. Nice combo. I use a heavier tractor for a 9' haybine/ moco, but it might pull a 7' ok.

--->Paul

Good luck, Have fun!

I'm sure at this point, any farmer in the land will tell you that if the sun rises before 11am, you would need a front wheel asist to handle 15 acres. :>)

Just a jokin' around with ya,

Allan

Lots of people with small plots use 30-35 hp tractors for cutting hay. As long as you are not going to plow, that's all you need.

Shop around. Stay away from JD. Stay away from the 8N and 9N too. The local what used to be Oliver dealer, who then sold New Holland, is now selling Kubota. Why? Because that's what people want. Inexpensive, sturdy, etc. Just be sure you know exactly what implements you are going to buy first. Match them up by size and task. If you will be maintaining a road or moving snow, consider a loader and back blade. Note that some tractors are great loader tractors, others are worthless.

If you have a neighbor with a small plot and a small tractor, go talk to him. Learn all you can before you start writing checks. If you have specific questions about a certain model of tractor, new or used, post back. No doubt someone here has one.

My background - I bought 80 acres and a tractor (JD 4020 95 h.p. $7000), baler (JD 14T $750), Wheel Rake ($750), 7' sickle bar ($350), and wagon w/hayrack ($500). A lot of money for the equipment, but it was all in excellent shape (and you will either pay it up front or pay for it in time and parts).
This year I bought a 12' haybine($2500), a 5X5 round baler ($3500), and the next size larger square baler with a kicker (JD 24T $1250). I also leased 300 acres of good quality grass hay and barns to store the hay in.
Considering that my time is worth something and the fuel and maintenace that goes into it, it will take me ~ 4 years to pay for it with the farm income...if nothing major breaks and the weather co-operates.

If you want to run a haybine and a round baler I'd say your dealer is right on the money.

If you want to use a sickle bar mower (instead of a haybine, a rake, and a small square baler you can get by with something smaller...around 30-40 h.p.

8N/9N ? Consider something else for haying. Not enough power and not enough weight. I've had both (or should I say had it with both). Buy a tractor with enough power, and power steering. Generally, used tractors in good condition get cheaper the closer you get to 100 h.p., but don't plan to mow your lawn with it.

Just my 2 cents from my (learning) experience.

I'm gonna make all the Ford guys mad at me, but I wouldn't even think about anything less than a 50 horse outfit.

Those little Fords are kinda fun for pushing a little snow plow, mowing grass, draggin' a wagon across the yard and maybe even pulling a hay rake once in awhile, but let's be honest, they really aren't much of a tractor.

And another thing: For their size and weight, they are anything but cheap, IMHO.

Just my view and is stated as such,

Allan

Comon' ya old devil; aren't cha bein' a little cranky here? :>)

I know darned well that if you had 10 acres of hay to put up and you had a Ford 8/9N and a M to chose from, you'd put the little Ford on the mower or rake and the M on the baler.

Comon, fess up. :>)

Allan

Don't give up on thoughs 8N's. They are a tough little tractor for going on 60 plus years.