Tractors, Mowers, Chippers, Trailers, Chainsaws, Generators, Boat Engines, Flood Control, & Census.

My lawn crew is mowing and fertilizing

https://youtu.be/5dp8s96fF5E

 

Crazy!

 

Do you hunt off the porch?

 

No. Wouldn't be too sporting

 

We use the same guys! They leave their "beans" all over the place. I kick 'em and spread them out over my zoysia.

 

At my farm, from the porch, I have a feeder 173yds out with hog lights. I set the driveway sensors out there, it gives me a door chime when it detects motion.

It's about feeding the family too, lol

 

Lasso the 6pt bucks. Sporting as heck.

In for the video and subscribed to the "not funny" gif thread.

 

Here are our workhorses. My great-grandpa bought the MF new way before I was born. Sold it to the school ag. director under the condition he could only sell it back to us, and he did. We had a Belarus we bought in '95. You could hear that thing knocking from 1/2 mile away. It blew up after a couple of years. We kept using the ol' MF. Hurricane Michael knocked down 85% of our trees and we needed something new to clean up. I didn't vote for it, but we wound up with a JD hydrostatic. My dad and uncle love it but I feel like it's a giant lawn tractor. Maybe I'm old-fashioned but I prefer the ol' MF, even if the muffler vibrates off from time to time. We've been talking about having it restored, which I think is a worthy family project, as it has served us so well for so long.

 

Question for you yard dogs:

I'm sitting on 1/2 acre with centipede in the back and zoysia up front. We moved in 16 months ago. The previous owner definitely put some TLC into the front yard. I've never been a Lawn Guy, but I feel I owe it to the home to keep up the original owner's efforts. I'm on a slight slope with a few pine trees to the side. I get full sun. The thatch is THICK on this lawn.

I've been push mowing front & back, which takes about three hours, including trimming and blowing. I'd like to get a lawn tractor, aerator, and dethatcher setup for next season. I have my eye on the Craftsman T240. 22hp, tight turn, 46" deck (so I can fit between the pines & flower beds). I'd also like to put a hitch mount on the back so I can move my boat and utility trailers around the yard, so the front bumper could be useful if I needed to hang weight on the nose to balance it out.

None of my friends have riding mowers, and even fewer have lawns. I'm relying on the internet to guide my purchase. So I figured I'd ask your advice on lawn tractors. I hope to keep the tractor and attachments around $3k, total. Planning to put in a 20x90' garden next year, too, so a tiller option would be great (obvs outside that $3k budget).

Brinley Aerator: $140

Brinley Dethatcher: $110

Craftsman Sweeper: $290

 

Buy a new zero turn for lawn mowing only. They are incredibly efficient, last week I mowed 2 lawns with a 42" rider I had fixed, took 90 minutes. With my 42" zero turn it is only about 35.

Pick up a used garden tractor for the other stuff. Cutter decks wear out/rust away long before the rest of the tractor, tractors without decks are easy to find and cheap.

 

You are right that a zero-turn would be ideal but I don't have the storage space for that big a unit, don't know how to work on zero-turns, and towing attachments are tricky (aerator, dethatcher, hopper).

 

@MadDaddy


Yup I would agree 100%, 42in ZTR would work great, needs a thick metal deck, not a regular lawn mower deck on the ZTR.

Used garden tractor; since a tiller is in the future, you don't want a belly deck on it for tilling anyways, just make sure that used tractor works with a tiller you have in mind.

 

Add a 1200sq ft metal shop to your list.

 

If you have lots of obstacles to mow around, the steering on that Sears unit will be wore out in 5 years.

I can't endorse that mower.

 

I just finshed a lofted 16'x24' and it's filling up quick between the camping gear, racing go-kart operation, kid's bicycles, motorcycle, and other projects
I'm already planning to add a lean-to off the back and one side to park the boat, kayaks, and a mower.

 

My 42" zero turn takes up no more space than a garden tractor, perhaps a bit less effective space as a tractor needs more maneuver room even to park.

Working on it: It is an engine, cutter deck and 2 hydro units - almost the same as a tractor, most of the stuff is more accessible than a tractor too.

You are right on the attachments, zero turns are mostly for mowing only. I guess cutting your mowing and trimming time by 60% has to have some shortcomings.

 

I have no complaints about Husqvarna riding mowers

 

If you want a smaller super built reliable mower find yourself one of these I have one and I love it it is perfect for my small 1/2 acre lot
Little bit pricey , but worth every penny extra. Scag puts the same commercial quality parts in their lower priced mowers. They offer a 15% discount for vets. Oh - and a 5 yr residential use warranty. You CAN pull smaller attachments --I use a little trailer always and have used/pulled my neighbors plug aerator.
Liberty® Z Zero-Turn Riding Lawn Mower | Products | Scag®

 

Grasshopper is one of the few that offers others attachments for their front mounted deck designs but honestly, owning one, I don't think they would work well for things like plowing and such simply because weight distribution would be horrible. [mine has the vacuum system with dump handle, that works exceptionally well]