|
New Holland Construction Equipment
QUESTION:My husband, two kids(3&10) and I are planning on buying a hobby farm in the
next year or so. We plan on owning 2-3 horses. Our farm will be 3-5 acres,
and we live in Minnesota.
We are wondering what kind of farm machinery we should buy for such things
as: snow removal, manure spreading, hay moving, & grass mowing.
Is there one piece of equipment that can do all this, or will we need
multiple pieces? We know that a plow attachment for a pickup runs about
$3,000. minimum, and that won't mow. We don't have a big budget, so would
like your tips.
Also, what do you do with the manure in the pasture and in the stalls? Do
you haul it away, or compost it and spread it on the pastures and gardens?
What type of equipment is most necessary for this task?
ANSWER: OK, I'm the "expert" here. The hubby and I purchased a 10 AC hobby farm
four years ago and are *still* buying equipment. The first rule of thumb
is: NEVER BUY ANYTHING NEW!
You'll need a tractor. A Ford 8N or 9N should suit your purposes. For some
reason the blue Fords are cheaper than the gray ones. They're old (about
40-50 yrs.), but they're workhorses. Around here they run anywhere from
$2,000 to $6,000, depending on the state of disrepair/restoration.
Get a front end loader for the tractor. It's a lot more efficient than
using a shovel and wheelbarrow to move what will most likely be the growing
mountain of . . . er . . . compost behind your barn. The compost heap is
not a gold mine. People will probably not pay for a few loads to dump on
their gardens. So, either get a grown driven manure spreader to spread it
out on your field(s), find an organic farmer who will haul it away to
spread on his fields, dump it on your garden, or pay to have the mountain
hauled away.
You'll need a bush hog to mow your field(s). This will help keep down the
insect population and promote healthy pastures.
Now for hay. With only 3-5 acres, you really don't have the space to grow
an adequate hay crop. In SW Ohio, we budget a minimum of 100 bales of hay
per horse for the winter months. I like to put up at least 150 bales per
horse. At anywhere from $2 to $4 per bale, you'd have to sell a lot of hay
to recoup the cost of purchasing equipment.
It would be cheaper and easier just to buy the hay. If you insist on
growing your own hay, you're best bet is to get a local farmer to plant and
harvest it for you and either pay him with cash or with half of the crop. A
hay mower (haybines or rotary mowers are the most expensive), conditioner
(crimps the hay, but optional), tedder (decreases drying/curing time, but
optional), rake, baler, and at least one hay wagon are
expensive--particularly the baler. We got our baler for $1,000--and it had
been through a barn fire and needed more than new paint to get it up and
running properly. A new hay wagon runs about $1,000, but then you have to
add tires and install a bed. Used hay wagons are not good buys generally,
since farmers use them very hard.
For snow removal, you can get a snow blade for the tractor. This is an
exception to the "nothing new" rule. These aren't too expensive. We've been
advised by others who've done it NOT to get a snow blade for the truck.
Apparently, using your truck like this will tear up the transmission.
If your new place doesn't already have fencing, an auger will really help.
They're about $250 new and will fit on your tractor. Or hire a fence
installer to drive the posts for you.
If I think of anything more, I'll let you know.
|
|
|
|
