What Tractors And Equipment Do You Actually Need On A Small Scale Farm

[@terrypitts3626]

Great story about your family and your farm. Thanks for sharing the tractors with us!

[@PlaneViewFarm]

Thank you!

[@hairymanonetwo]

You can buy yourself an IH end gate seeder at sales for as little as 100 dollars. That includes the running gear. They work great ! Bale spears...... use a 6 inch wide channel iron 4 feet wide. Slide the tines through that channel iron so that part of the spear goes under the bucket....add supports. Use a chain and chain binder to hold it in place. Its best if they flop around a bit. That way they are forgiving......if you hit something. And the " two " tines only need to be around 32 inches long. To stab bales.. either way ...from the sides or ends. But..... tip the tines downward then sharply upward to pick up the bale. Even the large round bales can be picked up with 34 inch tines. The dip down and life up method. Its about creativity !

[@jvin248]

Biggest point you need to advise people: you can buy an old tractor for the same cash you'd "put down on" a new tractor and own it outright, no monthly loan payments. Then repair to improve that old tractor (like your wiring updates) as you have cash to spare, not when the bank demands it. My favorite homestead tractor is Ferguson TO35/MF35 as they have a live-PTO and full three point. Parts are still available as there were half a million produced. The Ford N series are ok, but do not have a live-PTO so you must add an overrunning clutch to not get pushed by the brush hog into a fence/ditch/building. A "pig pole" can load/unload many things people want a loader for, a "dirt scoop" can move dirt like people want a loader for. As can a rear blade or box blade on the three point. Lots of options.

[@PlaneViewFarm]

Great point!

[@jvin248]

Check out how that pasture WD hitch lift works and replicate that on your Farmall bucket tractor, using a hydraulic diverter valve, it's pretty simple. I have a wide front WD I got ford 3pt lower hitch arms, bolted under the tractor and use strap steel verticals to the lift arms. Bracket for the top link. Sway chains. If you are thinking of getting the WD running, periodically turn the engine over and put a little oil in the cylinders to make sure it's not stuck by the time you get to it.

[@PlaneViewFarm]

The WD has been stuck for most of my life. It's had water in the transmission, basically scrap at this point.

[@jermainewyatt1995]

Cool tractors, thanks for sharing. This was really helpful for knowing wat to have on a small farm

[@PlaneViewFarm]

Thank you!

[@jermainewyatt1995]

@PlaneViewFarm your welcome how do you like farming on 20 acres? Thinking about buying 20 acres myself

[@PlaneViewFarm]

@jermainewyatt1995 I like it. Especially how easy it is to manage at this point in life. Having a young family, I'm able to balance life and do the things I enjoy with the farm.

[@jermainewyatt1995]

@@PlaneViewFarm gotcha

[@Joshua-b2t3x]

Cub with a lil trailer is handy for fencing

[@PlaneViewFarm]

I've got a little trailer that I'm planning to use for just that sort of thing.

[@bradwilson7514]

I don't have any livestock now, just a small grain farmer, but to me older equipment is the only way to go. I do still have a mowing machine and a wheel rake, my square baler is pretty well shot. I can work on the older stuff and keep it going, that makes it cost effective

[@PlaneViewFarm]

@bradwilson7514 The first tractor I ever bought was a 3000 Ford because it was cheap. I learned pretty quickly that working on old equipment could actually be fun, which helps when you're trying to be price conscious. Now, my wife is always nervous that I'm going to drag another project home. 🤣

[@bradwilson7514]

@@PlaneViewFarm LOL I'm always dragging something home too