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Foodplot tractor

sep0667

sep0667

Land of the Whitetail
*if wrong forum please move

I have no foodplot experience. But, have been watching a lot of youtube and reading. I want to get for sure one clover plot going starting this summer. And then in the future add a few more.

I've started looking at small tractors etc. Do you think a John Deere 1025 is okay for only doing a few acres? Less than 10 for sure. Realistically maybe 3-4 acres total. Would like to get a small disc, culti-packer, brush hog, etc.

This summer maybe I'll just see about renting equipment or seeing if farmer could help me out. I'd really like to do the work myself though and think that having a little tractor to do stuff would be a blast.
 
sep0667 said:
*if wrong forum please move

I have no foodplot experience. But, have been watching a lot of youtube and reading. I want to get for sure one clover plot going starting this summer. And then in the future add a few more.

I've started looking at small tractors etc. Do you think a John Deere 1025 is okay for only doing a few acres? Less than 10 for sure. Realistically maybe 3-4 acres total. Would like to get a small disc, culti-packer, brush hog, etc.

This summer maybe I'll just see about renting equipment or seeing if farmer could help me out. I'd really like to do the work myself though and think that having a little tractor to do stuff would be a blast.
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A 1025 could do it but...... you will have to buy all the equipment for a little tractor. I have a comparable Massy with a loader. For my little hobby farm it works well but when I need to do dirt work a larger tractor always works better and the equipment will be easier to find and cheaper.
 
It depends on what you plan to do with the tractor, but....

If you're planning for just clover fields, I'd say save your tractor money and buy an atv or utv, or an 8n or similar, and a sprayer.

I guess I'm just not a fan of these smallest of tractors.

Others will be along to share their thoughts.

Good Luck!
 
I looked at a JD promo for the 1025, 84 payments of $112 per month. I’m not doing that! I’d find a larger brand X used for less money.


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  • Deleted by Ishi
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For what you are trying to do, I would agree with a UTV. I have done plenty of plots with a small
sprayer, and drag behind disc and a cultipacker. Works great.
 
I like around 50/60 hp or so for small foodplots. I believe all wheel drive is helpful too. A low hp tractor has trouble pulling a disk sometimes. I have a Kubota MX 6000.
 
Big part of the reason I was thinking a smaller one like the JD 1025 or other brand but same size was the fact I could easily store it in my garage at home and trailer it to and from.
 
JBAGS said:
For what you are trying to do, I would agree with a UTV. I have done plenty of plots with a small
sprayer, and drag behind disc and a cultipacker. Works great.
Click to expand...

How do you break dirt on getting a new plot put in using a utv/atv? I've seen plenty of the no till videos, but read a lot of people have poor results.

Something like the groundhog max?
 
sep0667 said:
How do you break dirt on getting a new plot put in using a utv/atv? I've seen plenty of the no till videos, but read a lot of people have poor results.

Something like the groundhog max?
Click to expand...
If you get a good kill with the grass and weeds first, the disc will do the rest with a couple laps over it. I wouldn't want to do 10 acres this way but I have done several kill type plots up to 1acre in size no problem. You really don't need to break into the ground very deep for your seed to take. If you have a decent size quad or a UTV, that's all you need for these small pull behind implements. Do it in this order:
Mow or weed back if grass is super tall
Spray to kill grass
disc up
fertilize
cultipack
hand spread seed
cultipack again
pray for rain!
 
Since you might not have use for it at your home, could you store a tractor at your farm? Then shoot for a no-frills bigger machine that you don't have to trailer back and forth.
 
arm said:
Since you might not have use for it at your home, could you store a tractor at your farm? Then shoot for a no-frills bigger machine that you don't have to trailer back and forth.
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No storage there, and dont want to leave out in the open.

Just thought playing with a tractor and implements would be more fun than an atv. Sounds like the way to go may just be a an ATV with a groundhog max disc, a drag, and cultipacker.
 
  • Deleted by Ishi
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sep0667 said:
No storage there, and dont want to leave out in the open.

Just thought playing with a tractor and implements would be more fun than an atv. Sounds like the way to go may just be a an ATV with a groundhog max disc, a drag, and cultipacker.
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Not sure what your budget is....that makes a big difference.
 
Well, in terms of breaking new ground, if you feel it needs to be done, you could pay a neighbor, or rent a tractor/tiller/disk to do the initial ground prep each plot, or place an ad to have it done, etc.

Like I stated, I'm biased against these littlest of tractors. Guys get a lot of work done with some of them I realize.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do. Food plots are a fun experiment !
 
If you don't have any other use for a tractor other than food plots I'd say you would be money ahead just renting what you need or asking a neighbor for help. Another thing to consider. You mentioned putting in clover. you will need to mow it a few times of year so you will need something for that. I did mostly clover this year on a new piece mainly so I don't have to mess with hauling equipment to it every spring from here on out. Just a couple times of year to mow it.
 
So we recently went through this on our new property. We decided to go with a 2038R John Deere. I wanted to go the next series bigger, but the 2 series had a few conveniences that are better suited in the end game. We have an ATV and all the equipment, and I can tell you that I work the _hi_ out of my fourwheeler each year doing it. I told myself I needed to upgrade. We got a mower deck, tiller, loader, forks, etc with the tractor in a package deal, and even after the promos that we got money off each implement/accessory, wasnt left going "what were we thinking"... In the end game, you could get away with the fourwheeler and disc (got one for sale)...we do 5-7 acres a year in some hilly ground, and 2 acres on flat ground. I am going to be a lot better off using the tractor.
We stayed away from the 1 series, I think they are just to small to be efficient in a plot setting, although its doable.
Now mind you, I have other tractors available, 65 85 and 115 horse, and chose to go this route as well.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
 
Hawk32 said:
If you don't have any other use for a tractor other than food plots I'd say you would be money ahead just renting what you need or asking a neighbor for help. Another thing to consider. You mentioned putting in clover. you will need to mow it a few times of year so you will need something for that. I did mostly clover this year on a new piece mainly so I don't have to mess with hauling equipment to it every spring from here on out. Just a couple times of year to mow it.
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FWIW, I progressed through the years with my plotting to being 100% dependent on others to put things in for me up until now where I can pretty much do everything myself. In the "early days" I mowed small clover plots with a lawn tractor. Ideal? Heck no. Did it work? The deer came to the clover alright. :)

At some point I was able to get an ATV and then a couple of implements for it, including a pull behind mower. Taking everything into consideration as I understand the OP's situation...I would probably go that route...until such time that you can get a real tractor and associated implements.

But one can manage a few acres of clover with a lawn tractor, sprayer and bag seeder...as I have done it that way myself.
 
Above is great info. One other idea I've seen is those old ford tractors. Most are for sale with a mower or a small rotary mower can be added. That's a cheap & simple rig there!! for not much $. I haven't done it but that's another cheap option a guy could look into. See if I can find some examples.... No idea if good deals or good/bad but here's some examples... See some ford tractors in here, etc.....

For Sale "tractor" near Clive, IA 50323 - craigslist

For Sale "tractor" near Clive, IA 50323 - craigslist
desmoines.craigslist.org desmoines.craigslist.org
 
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