Hand Tools and Machinery for Country Living

[72gmc]

Ripley also said, "If we let it in, the ship could be infected. You know the quarantine procedure." What a party pooper!

I tend to think of a chain harrow (maybe called a drag harrow?) as a standard tractor implement.

[j44ke]

When we relocate to Wyoming next spring, a tractor is on the "need" list. Our home will be in Worland and I know the local tractor dealer, because it's a small town. There are a couple of Kioti models I like but he can also get me a Kubota or keep an eye on the auction world. I want a front loader, shredder/mower deck, and a box scraper. We have a bunch of downed Russian Olives that need dragging out of the tree line before we can cut them up and burn them. If you put Russian Olives in a chipper, you are just distributing new trees because the chipper doesn't destroy the olives. Ripley got it right, "I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

Wide open spaces like Wyoming, I might get one step larger tractor than mine which is the CK2620H*. Has a 25hp engine. CK3520H is the 35hp model. You might also consider whether a cab would be of benefit in those cold Wyoming winters - unless you are spending winters in AZ. I got mine with a front loader and a hydraulic snow plow. Just added a rear ballast box and skidsteer forks for managing logs and rocks. You might look at a York rake to go with the box blade. There is always one more attachment that is going to make everything easier. Also most of those back blade/box blade/york rake/harrows show up for sale used. Those have few if any mechanical bits and older ones are made out of impressive bits of steel.

*This is a perfect tractor for my uses. I can fit between trees and get from A to B without having to cut my way through. And the lift capacity is kind of extraordinary. Hydrostatic makes operating it easy peasy. And 4WD and the hydraulic plow has made winter snow days kind of fun. Plus by doing the plowing myself slowly and carefully, I am extending the life of my gravel driveway considerably.

[bigbill]

Wide open spaces like Wyoming, I might get one step larger tractor than mine which is the CK2620H*. Has a 25hp engine. CK3520H is the 35hp model. You might also consider whether a cab would be of benefit in those cold Wyoming winters - unless you are spending winters in AZ. I got mine with a front loader and a hydraulic snow plow. Just added a rear ballast box and skidsteer forks for managing logs and rocks. You might look at a York rake to go with the box blade. There is always one more attachment that is going to make everything easier. Also most of those back blade/box blade/york rake/harrows show up for sale used. Those have few if any mechanical bits and older ones are made out of impressive bits of steel.

*This is a perfect tractor for my uses. I can fit between trees and get from A to B without having to cut my way through. And the lift capacity is kind of extraordinary. Hydrostatic makes operating it easy peasy. And 4WD and the hydraulic plow has made winter snow days kind of fun. Plus by doing the plowing myself slowly and carefully, I am extending the life of my gravel driveway considerably.

It's likely that our house will be in town. Most of the year, the tractor will be at the horse property for mowing and other things that need a tractor. There is a house we're looking at that was pulled off the market but will likely return in April. If we get that house, it has three acres, and all kinds of equestrian structures such as a round pen, arena, barns, and stalls. The tractor will be where the horses are. We have a small flatbed trailer that will work for a tractor.