The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Rosemary on February 02, 2012, 02:32:44 pm
-
Looks like we'll be buying a tractor this year - we've been offered a 1987 John Deere 1140 (56hp, 2WD). It was bought new by a farmer friend of ours and he's said we can borrow it for a few months to see if we like it 8) then buy it if we do.
It's only for grassland maintenance and lifting bales (although I'm sure we'll find other uses for it as time goes on).
Our grass needs a good clean out - there are some pretty matted bits and some mossy bits. What would be the best harrow to get to sort it out?
-
you can go the old fashioned method and use chain harrows these can be mounted on a frame for lifting or without the frame and just drag them they wear at the chain links and can fall to pieces if Dan is good with a welder that will be alright the new style opico harrows are better but dearer around £2000 but you can so grass seed with them
your john dung will be near enough vintage at that age and vintage price :farmer:
-
if Dan is good with a welder that will be alright
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
-
well he can learn cant he :farmer:
-
2wd is ok in the dry, 4wd will get you out in any situations
same as an car eg: nissan micra =2wd toyota hilux =4wd if you had an choice which 1 would you go for. :)
-
2wd is ok in the dry, 4wd will get you out in any situations
same as an car eg: nissan micra =2wd toyota hilux =4wd if you had an choice which 1 would you go for. :)
Depends on your land and tractors - I've had to rescue a 4wd tractor with an older 2wd! It actually had more oomph and was lighter - the 4wd, being more modern, was heavier and more sluggish.
-
2 wheel drive you are carefull where you go and when you go out in it
4 wheel drive gives a feeling of overconfidence either steep land or wet conditions and is the main cause of soil compaction :farmer:
-
I'm with robert on this one. Our farm is in the uplands of north Cumbria, includes moss (peat bog) and hectares of reshy ground... Until 2 years ago, BH had only ever had 2WD tractors.
I'd say 2WD would be fine on your spot, Rosemary. 56bhp isn't a great deal of power these days, but unless you want to sling girt heavy wet bales of silage about you should be ok.
Lucky you, it sounds like a good machine, and you can give it a thorough test drive too. :thumbsup:
-
Spring tine harrow according to Peter Scott at Oatridge on Saturday, but chain harrow would do if that's all that's available
-
We bought a spring tine harrow - disnae half pull oot the rubbish grass and moss.