Go BottomCity Boy moves to the country
 | ERett
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2002-07-19 40498
Just moved on 10 acres and grew up in the city. I have a 6 acre field (old hay field) that needs to be maintained. I've been told that a B7500 with a bush hog will do the job. My question... is it big enough to handle the 6 acres. This is my first tractor purchase and I really like the price $13,020.00 with loader and bush hog. Thanks for the help!!
City Boy
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| MOrgan
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 126 Albany, NY
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2002-07-19 40500
Sell your hay to farmers and let whoever buys it cut it for you. You can't bail hay with a brush hog. 6 acres of hay can get you spending cash. Make hay when the sun shines. And don't be such a city boy next time all right? ....
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 | Billy
Join Date: Oct 1999 Posts: 975 Southeast Oklahoma 
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2002-07-19 40502
I have 20 acres, 10 of that is cut for hay. I made a deal several years ago with a lady that cuts the hay and pays me 10 bucks a roll. I'll get anywhere from $750 to $1,000 a year and never have to touch it.
Billy ....
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 | BillMullens
Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 649 Central West Virginia 
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2002-07-19 40506
City Boy, hoepfully somebody more familiar with the Kubotas will respond (Art). My 29 hp New Holland tractor handles a 5' Brush Hog pretty well. Whether you get the hay cut or not, you'll end up wanting a tractor.
Good luck,
Bill ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2002-07-19 40507
I don't know if selling the hay was the original idea. Maybe the comments will provide a different thought. People do mow sizable fields for reasons other than making hay, and use fairly small tractors. However, if it's already a hay field, why not sell if unless some livestock will be kept? I don't think it's reasonable to buy a bailer for 6-acres, but stacking is an alternative.
It takes awhile for a prospective new owner to get thinking about what a tractor is supposed to do very clear. Some pretty good discussions on the subject probably can be found in the archives. I don't think anybody here is discouraging anybody from buying a tractor, it's just that a tractor with implements for 6-acres of hay seems to be a limited view of the role tractor can play on a 10-acre property.
Many people might say that 10-acres can use a tractor a bit larger than a 7500. True enough, but one important idea in closing in on a tractor deal is the notion of power vs. time. Small tractors can do most of the same jobs as lager ones, but it just takes longer. Some people have more time than others. However, for making hay, the sun does have to shine, and sometimes speed is everything.
I did the city to country thing myself, but I was the child of Nebraska dirt farmers, so at least I spent time on the farm when I was young. Takes most everybody a little time to getting the thinking about what a tractor can do in order.
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 | Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-07-19 40510
Will the B7500 do it? Yes. How much time will it take? The B7500 will only spin about a 4 ft brushcutter. It will take you about 1.5 hours per acre or 9 hours (from experience). You will need to mow at least once a month. Can you afford to spend one day a month on the tractor?
My recommendation is to go a little larger such as the NH TC30, which can be purchased for the same price or less. The kioti DK 35 would be another choice in that price range. It is small enough to mow the lawn but large enough to spin a bigger brush cutter.
The other thing you need to consider is will you leave it as hay or is it smooth enough to cut as lawn. The B-7500 will spin a 5 ft finish mower and therefore you could keep it all clipped as lawn in about 5-6 hours a week.
Ever consider geese? Goats? Sheep? Lama? Cows? ....
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| pbenven
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 38 Southwestern Quebec, Canada
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2002-07-19 40512
I have a B7500 with a 48" cutter. I have about 2.5 acres of field to cut. This used to be a hayfield 30years ago - I'm the first to start mowing it again. As a result, there are many small trees that I must drive around. It takes me about a weekend to cut, at a weekend's pace (slow). It goes very well - I can put my foor to the mat in low gear while mowing.
With that said, I don't want it anymore. For the same price as my B7500 and a loader (which I don't have), I could have gotten a very nice, second hand AG tractor with loader and a high-end garden tractor - like a Cub or something - for cutting the grass around the house. This way, I could use that larger tractor to yank out those trees, pull a small set of discs, and eventually cut my own hay in the field that I resurrected. ....
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| Frank R Taylor
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-07-19 40513
I live on 13 acres with a 8-9 acre, partially wooded, pasture. There is a gully running through the middle of the pasture and the slopes are pretty steep. I looked at a 21hp for my place but the dealer talked me into the 24hp. It was the best thing he ever did for me. It has just enough power to handle the steep slopes with a 4' bushhog and it is not too big and heavy to handle the yard with a 5' finishing mower. I was worried about compacting the soil. So, for my use my B2400 is almost ideal although I sometimes wish it had a bit more power to handle a 5' cutter.
The estimate of 1 to 1-1/2 hours per acre with a 4' cutter is pretty close, depending on how rough it is. So I take about 10 hours to cut my pasture (it's rough AND steep). I usually spread it over 2 days (it gets hot in Texas during the summer) but only do it about 4 times a year.
To get back to your question, "yes", you will be able to do it with a B7500 as long as it is fairly level but I would have thought that it would have been at the very bottom end of the acceptable models. The B2410 would probably be better and the B2710 almost ideal. The B2910 would be getting towards the top end of the scale. The B2710 will handle a 5' cutter and just about anything else you you have in mind but as has been said before, "It depends on what else you want to do". The B7500 and my B2400 handle the same size range of implements. If you want to step up in implement size, you need the B2710, at least.
At the farm, we have our hay cut on a share basis. We fertillize and the guy who does the cutting gets 50% of the hay baled. The deal works well and would be the ideal solution. Get someone else to cut and bale for you either for a percentage or a fee.
In ending, I would like to say that I have often heard people complain that their "tractor is too small and takes too much time" but I haven't heard many complain about their tractor being too big, unless they are trying to fit it into tight spaces.
In the end it is always a compromise. It depends on the total "package" of work you want to do, and do in the future, with the machine. If you are going to make a mistake, err on the side of the larger machine. A few extra horsepower never goes amiss.
I hope this helps and welcome to the "club". You'll enjoy your tractor, no matter what model you end up with. It's the most fun you can legally have. ....
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| morgan
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-07-19 40519
Depends on what you want. You want a nice clear field that you can throw frisbees on or picnic on? A lawnmower attachment on your B7500 returns the grass back into the ground but you have to cut it every week. A brush hog is good and you only have to cut two or 3 times a year, but it throws hay and weeds all over the place and makes a mess. Llamas and goats turn grass into...we won't go there, but you don't want to go bare-footed. But you never have to cut it!! Sheep pull grass up by the roots and turn grass into dirt and mud. Horses trample it and pigs turn it into sewer sludge. Tell us what you want and we'll give it to you. ....
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| ERett
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-07-19 40523
Thank you for all the advice! This is a great forum. A farmer nearby has been taking the hay for about 10 years (at no charge) The hay is terrible... I just want to keep it mowed down. But, who knows, I may find someone to come in and replant. I still like the idea of buying a tractor.. just can't decide which is the best fit. I've been looking at a Kioti 3054, but can't find one with hydro.
Once again... Thank You!
City Boy ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-07-20 40527
We've been doing variations on mowing or not mowing around the buildings at our camp for a few years. The camp sits in a field that probably was in hay at one time but evolved back into meadow.
We originally mowed almost an acre and was surprised that what almost looks like lawn grew back. This year we didn't mow select areas because my wife likes wild flowers. It looks like around here you get lawn if you mow meadow and you get meadow if you don’t mow lawn. It seem sort of handy that you change radically change what grows by simply mowing or not mowing. I'd be tempted to mow it and see if you like what you get.
We do use a riding mower rather then my Ford 1710 since the tractor is too big to get around the landscaping easily at our house and also too big to easily trailer the 10-miles to our camp--I guess that's something like a 'too big complaint.' However, a smaller tractor that would be easier to transport and better for our 2-acres or so mowing wouldn't do the rest of the work very well. My compromise was a 24-pto hp tractor and a riding mower. One size fits all is a thing in clothing but doesn't work well in tractors. Compromise usually is required.
The riding mower probably cuts low enough to discourage some hay crops. If we had mowed it higher we probably wouldn’t have change much. We’d still have either scrappy meadow or crappy hay depending on how you look at it. Most intentional hay around here is Timothy but red clover is wild.
Occasionally I read useful comments elsewhere. Seems like it takes about 45-hp minimum to run a small square bailer. Some round bailers require less hp, and some bailers have their own pony engines for use on lower powered tractors. Still, I can think of many other implements than a bailer that I'd want for maintaining 10-acres.
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2002-07-20 40529
When looking at a new tractor make a list of everything that you think you might want to do. Do you want to do some landscapng? Have a horse? We on the board might be able to think of a couple of extra things just to make tractor life complete. The time factor is also important as life is forever changing. I would let the farmer keep cutting the hay as I know here in my area you couldn't find anyone to come in for a piece that small unless it was a neighbor and he was doing more for the freindship. Figure out what you want to do, have the time for, and maybe the tractor you are looking at might be right for you. ....
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| Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2002-07-20 40534
No Kioti has hydro. The hydro models will be out next year. ....
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| morgan
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-07-20 40539
Like Tom said, what grows on your field depends entirely on how often you mow. If you mow once a week you kill lots of the slower growing shrubs and weeds and eventually you will get lawn because the taller plants get knocked off and the grass grows back faster so after about 10 weekly mowings, all that's left is lawn grass and typical lawn weeds like dandelions. If you mow every 2 months you have hay stubble and lots of other weeds will creep in that would be killed by weekly mowings. If you mow every 5 years you get baby trees, and if you mow every 100 years you get old trees! But if you mow every 100 years a Kubota B7500 won't do, you will need a TimberJack 750 and a John Deer 2410 (feller buncher) ....
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| warren
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 54 Iowa
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2002-07-20 40540
I have a 4400 J.D and a super C int. with a 7 ft. cycle bar mower. Was having it bailed but no one even wanted to do it so i use the C the first time then i use the j.d. the seconded time with a 5" brush mower to chop it up then use the C the third time the grass gets chop up the second time then can cycle bar the third time.Lets the grass deterate so won't clog the cycle bar mower.Ben doing this for a couple of yrs.I have only 4 acres.If i could find a used 3pt.cycle bar for my J.D i might get rid of the C then on the other hand you don't find a c with a mounted bar mower to much might want to keep it for old tractor shows and paint it up.
Warren ....
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| dcsmith
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 23 ohio
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2002-07-22 40566
I own a B7500 with a 5' finish mower and a 4' rotory cutter. I have 4 acres of grass and a 10 acre tree field I brush hog. Plenty of power and light enough to do a nice job on the finish cut. The tractor only weighs 1350lbs wich allows it to "tip-toe" around my yard butt still have enough "Ponies" to do some decent work. Good Luck. ....
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| Morgan
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-08-11 41151
What's a tree field? ....
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| dcsmith
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 23 ohio
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2002-08-11 41165
A tree field is where one would grow trees. A.K.A. a nursery or in my case a christmas tree farm. If you plant them too close together like me a b7500 is handy because it is realtively narrow and has enough BALLS to cut lots of grass. ....
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| morgan
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2002-08-12 41191
Did you ever see the B-7500 "Narrow" model that's made for nurseries? It's the same as a regular 7500 but it's reeeeally narrow. Can only be used on level ground or it will tip over. It's about half the width of a regular 7500. Even has narrow tires. ....
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| dcsmith
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 23 ohio
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2002-08-13 41221
I have seen the B7500N on the internet site. Its way too narrow for me. I opened my wheels up as wide as they will go. Lots of tree spade holes, even filled can cause big problems. ....
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| MRETHICS
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 190 Star City, Indiana
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2002-08-14 41236
All this city boy moves to the country has caused me to reflect on the past.
A few years ago, my Grandfather was greiving the loss of My Grandmother, a marriage that spanned 71 years. He finnally reached his limit, and planned suicide. Luckily, my fiance' now wife, and I sensed something was wrong and sat down and had a talk with him, he moved in with us, and lived a couple more happy years untill the Lord called him home.
A few months after he moved in, he was telling us how much happier he was, and then shared with us his former suicide note, and told us to destroy it. After reading the note, I felt there were some words of wisdom contained in it, I could not bring myself to destroy the following words.
"I am certain my time has come, the world is backwards to me now, and I am too old to change.
People used to eat inside the house, and go to the bathroom outside. People who live in the city, want the solitude of country living. Your folks, who have lived in the country since their mammas gave birth to them have lived in the country, and now, they moved to town. I used to never know why. Now, after your Grandma passed, I know why.
Now days, people want to eat out on their decks and porches, and they want a bathroom right next to their bedroom. The city folks move to the country, the country folks move to the city, close to the school where the kids go. I hope those city folks moveing out here know what they are doing.
I lived my whole life out here with your Grandma, and never once thought I didn't like it.
Country life can be a great blessing provided you have someone to share the joy of solitude with. But to live alone in the countryside, is to live truely alone.
I am too old to change my ways, and I have no desire to live amoungst the townfolks. I hope they know what they are doing.
You and Mary stop by every day, but the nights are long and dark, I never knew how long untill now. I hope these city people know how long the nights are. I hope they know what they are doing.
Your folks moved to town last year, now it is too far for them to see me, and too far for me to see them, but it didn't matter till Your Grandma passed. Your folks knew what they were doing.
They move out here in couples,the city folks, just like your Grandma and me, but they will not die together, I hope they know what they are doing."
I sell compacts to couples like my grandfather describes. and evry time I meet with these people, I always pray they know what they are doing.
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