Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Baymule]

I’m glad the boys went to look at Massey Ferguson, Layne loves them, but wound up with a Kubota. He has 2 old Massey’s, can’t kill those things! What horse power are they looking at and are they able to avoid the DEF?

I’m also even more happy that the boys got off the John Deere. It has degenerated into a name brand and they jealousy guard it. Way overpriced and nobody else can work on one of the darn things.

 

[SageHill]

Kubota does have a rebate program through the American Cutting Horse Association. We used that when we got our tractor...

https://kubotacenter.com/offers/2024-equine-purchase-program

 

[Ridgetop]

The fellows have decided on the Massey-Ferguson tractor. It has a 60 hp motor, 47 hp PTO, power shuttle not hydrostatic transmission, with 3rd function in front, rear remote, category I and II hitch, skid steer quick attach, and full cab with heater, AC, and radio. DS1 checked and found that the same tractor models 2022-2024 (NEW) would qualify for 0% interest and also cost less money. There is no difference between the 2022-2024 tractors and the 2025 tractors other than a painted stripe. The difference in the price of the new 2024 DS1 found would pay for the 3rd function and qualify for 0% interest. He talked to the M-F salesperson and it is being shipped to the dealership. We could have gotten a new 2022 for less $$ but it had turf tires. Anyway, several different tractor people had told us that those tires tended to slip on pasture, which we didn't want. And while the 5 year warranty starts from the time you buy the tractor, we figured that buying a tractor that was already 3 years old would lower resale value. We chose the 2024 tractor which was supposed to have industrial tires. Then the salesman called back to tell us it had Ag tires which would tear up the pasture instead of the industrial tires which would be easier on our grass. The salesman checked and they will change the tires out for the industrial tires that are on the 2025 model on their lot. The tractor will arrive in a couple days so we should have a new tractor by the end of next week. Filling out paperwork now. Told DS1 to go ahead and order the hay spear for the new tractor. I will have to learn how to operate it in case I have to use it while they are gone.

Yay for DS1 who did a lot of on line investigation and Thanks to BYHers @farmerjan and @Baymule for their tractor experience and advice, as well as @SageHill - Bigger is defintely better! LOL

The Kubota salesman said Massey-Fergussons were not popular in our area because the dealership is 35 miles away near Canton. I figure he is using that as a selling point for his Kubotas since the same Kubota tractor without a cab was $7000 more, while the John Deere with a cab was almost $20K more. We won't be getting a new truck any time soon but figured we needed the tractor more.

DS1 is coming down with a cold, DH is coughing, I seem to be ok for now. I usually get whatever it is eventually. I better break out the elderberry gummies. Next week DS1 thinks he will be feeling better and able to put in the next row of electric fence. Hopefully he will have 2 lines of fence in before he and DH leave for California. DH is worried about setting up the jugs but I can clean out the barn and set up the jugs for the ewes that are due during October myself while they are gone. I haven't decided if I will just let the ewes lamb in the pasture or set up a lambing corral.

 

[farmerjan]

AG tires do NOT tear up the grass unless you are running them on muddy sloppy ground. Totally disagree with changing them out... but it is not my tractor. The industrial tires will have more "tread" on the ground, and more compaction over a wider area. They will get compacted with snow, but that would not be much of a problem down there.. "All Purpose" ( industrial) tractor tires will do okay most of the time, but will not do for any real hard pulling or stuff that a tractor gets "used for".... The more "open" the tread, the better the traction... On the basically flat ground you have there, it might not be that big a deal...

 

[Baymule]

What do industrial tires look like? Layne runs Ag tires on his tractors and they are on my little Kubota. Yeah, they do rut up in the mud some, but not bad.

Ask Cody, your hay field renter. He will know which tires are best for your soil.

 

[farmerjan]

You can pull up Massey-Ferguson tractor tires... and a picture will pop up that shows 4 "kinds" they sell... The "industrial" style that is claimed to be a good all purpose tire... is like an ag tire but toned down for the smaller weekend farmer with more tread, yet "looks like" a real tractor tire... and is better than the one that looks like a regular car/truck all season tire... lists all the "uses" of the different ones...

 

[Baymule]

Tire Selection Tips

Choose the right tires for your tractor to maximize efficiency and reduce costs. Discover different tire types and get maintenance tips for longevity.

www.masseyferguson.com

 

[SageHill]

Congrats on the new tractor! Sounds awesome. LOL sounds like fun to me, and with all the creature comforts as well.

 

[Ridgetop]

Looking forward to getting it and being able to do stuff without prolonged time down for service.

I need to buy my winter hay but have decided to buy it 10 bales at a time instead a full winter load. We still have plenty of pasture and growing grass for now. Cody says he has a lot of stored hay and he stores it under cover so if I buy small amounts at a time the hay bales won't spoil in heavy rain. It will also allow us to clean up the hay storage area and refence. The back of the hay area is fenced off with heavy iron cattle panels thickly overgrown with brush and vines. We need to tear that all those down and clean up the area which will become a lamb and nursing ewe pen. Next year I plan to have a hay barn so can store our hay bales under cover. Figuring out where to put the hay barn so it is easily accessible for Cody to store our hay in it, and us to remove bales to all pastures.

So excited! Identified the maker of the hay cradle I bought at Atwoods. They only had one and I couldn't order any from Atwoods website since they weren't in stock. All closer stores were sold out, the closest store that had any was Waxahatchie - 85 miles away! They are made by Metro based in Paris, TX! LOL I called Metro and while they don't sell to individual customers they do sell to the NE Texas Co-Op in Sulphur Springs. I called SS NETexCoOp and I can order them there. I can also order the DuraFerm sheep protein tubs I want to try for the sheep this winter. Metro also makes 5'x4' panels for jugs and 5'x4' gates with a 6' bow. I will have to price some of those too. They also make some V grain feeders with a bar in the middle to prevent sheep jumping in and out of the feeders. I might price some of those eventually too. Or draw up plans to make some with a small roof over them so I can feed grain in a covered feeder.

 

[Mini Horses]

Nothing like a good place to spend money!!