[Mickey]

Hi,
New to the smallholding lifestyle and loving it  The quad bike has given up the ghost and we are to replace it shortly with a second hand one from a local supplier.  I am wondering whether we can manage the land with just the quad or should we get an old tractor or something similar?  In terms of land management we are looking at maintaining the majority of it as pasture for the sheep etc but we will need to get the grass cut and other maintenance as and when required. 

The land is quite steep in places which I have found a little hairy on the quad but it is doable, I am not sure what 'machinery' I will need to manage the land or whether I am best advised to get attachments for the quad or get a proper tractor etc.  What do others find works best?

[marka]

Mickey,

There are pros and cons with both - we just use a quad for rolling and chain harrowing and are using a local farmer for topping the fields. However this makes us dependant on when the farmer can come and top the fields which is not ideal as it sometimes doesn't fit with how we want to use the fields / move the animals around.

You can get powered toppers to tow behind the quad but prices of these seem to have gone through the roof recently almost to the point of being able to buy a tractor for the price of one of these toppers. Also the powered toppers only have a relatively narrow cutting width compared to a tractor mounted one - so it takes longer to cut any given area.

You could however do what we did last year which was top the fields with a sit on mower - now that takes a long time trust me but sit on mowers arent really designed for that level of abuse hence probably why ours has refused to start at all this year !! 

There are other advantages of having a tractor - if you get one with forks on the front then you can use to move bales around and lift other things - if you wanted to try making your own hay then you'd probably be able to arrange to borrow a hay baler from someone. Also access to a lot more implements.

It is a big commitment though because you will probably still need a quad even if its just for towing and getting around.

We have hummed and hahh'd about getting a tractor so much so our local farmer got fed up with me talking about it and has offered to let us borrow one of his for the winter so we can see how much benefit we get from getting one ( and to shut me up...... )

Regards

[pgkevet]

It depends on how much land etc. But if it;s scary on the quad it will be terrifying in a tractor unless you carefull choose something appropriate.
Tractors are fun and really useful.. mine has front loader which gets used a lot BUT the guy that does mow my slopes ('cos I haven't got the skill and courage) always takes the bucket off first to reduce weight on the smaller front wheels.

I should add that I'll ride the quad up ad down those same slopes all day without many worriesbut wth the tractor one is very careful about the ground being not so hard the tyres can't grip or too wet and slippy or too frosty and slippy etc. Find a deep rut or hole with the smaller front wheel and its time to change underwear on those steeper bits....

[Backinwellies]

We (as most smallholders) had same dilemma ...........  but having used quad with harrow and flail mower  on our 28acea smallholding have decided to stick with that ( and buy a better quad)  ........... slopes and wet land mean quad is best. A local farmer is hired to top larger fields if we are getting behind.

 Means we to have to buy in hay ... but it will takes many years of hay buying to spend enough for a tractor and all the attachments!

The only thing we would really like a tractor for is a front loader .... to handle bumpy bags or large bales ...

[Mickey]

Thanks for those replies, all great advice for me.  I think I probably want a tractor to ride on without knowing exactly what I could do with it.  We are due to replace the quad shortly as it has apparently become uneconomical to repair.

[IretonsFarm]

Go on treat yourself, makes sense in the long run 

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=65560.0

[Small Plot Big Ideas]

Go on treat yourself, makes sense in the long run 

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=65560.0

Oh no, a tractor advert... Get thee behind me Satan!

[uksfdawn]

We got a second hand quad and got a tailer for it I use the quad it suits me carting feeds about and hay, we then got a little Kubuto tractor second hand and managed to get a topper link box and forks over the year all second hand, hubby uses the tractor he likes to play at farmer Giles, we still look out for attachments, we only have five acres but are in the process of buying another 17, he keeps talking of upgrading to something bigger but I keep talking him out of it 

[Mickey]

Sounds great having fun with the tractor