Tractor thread | Page 45 | General Homesteading Discussion | Forums

I would look at the cost of equipment and the function it serves. 

How much lawn do you mow? Is a 48 inch cut riding mower a reasonable machine for your acreage? Or do you need a wider cut that a bigger garden tractor/lawn chopper provides?  The bigger the set up the more money of course...these machines are also generally easier on the turf and getting a good deal on a quality used one can be tough.  A basic riding mower can be had new for $1,250...bigger ones can handle the front snow blade or snow blower but cost more too...but a decent sized one can tow a nice/small trailer...depending on your needs.

ATV/UTV you can get into some $$ there.  I have known a few people that tried to plow paved and gravel drives with them...they hated them.

900' is a lot to walk with a snow blower....then again, depends on how much snow you get where you are.

Our gravel road to where the house will be is about 3/8 of a mile, I could do it with a walk behind snow blower if I had to...but yuck.  I have only plowed snow with back blades there and I have ripped up my share of sod and needed to put it back in place come spring....plowing did get much better once we started top dressing with stone dust (road sweepings from the Town in the Spring).  I have a couple of tractors, couple of riding mowers and a ATV.  The tractors do the majority of work and a lot would not get down without them.  I have a nice diesel with cab that we are going to replace next year...but for decades (and now too) I have had a number of Ford 8N's and Jubilees.  They are old but run for ever and many of the parts are off the shelf from NAPA dealers still. They are very simple, easy to work on, take category 1 implements and they are incredibly affordable...a good one can be had for 1,500 to 2,500 here with decent tires and an attachment or two.  They have no problem with a 5ft bush hog.  Mine does about 90% of what I need it for.  They have limitations, no 4wd, poor machine for a FEL, no external hydraulics (a small system can be added for small applications).  The price point for these is very attractive and their utility is very diverse....this may be a viable option if you are okay with old Iron.  They are also good with belly mowers or rear finish mowers for the lawn...and I have a set of turf tires that I can give you a deal on.