Discover Versatile Compact Tractors

Image Gallery These compact tractors can mow the lawn, till the garden, blow snow, grade the driveway, haul hay, dig a pond, drill postholes and generally make rural life easier. SCOTT HOLLIS

No single piece of equipment can save you as much time and effort on your homestead as a good tractor. Today’s tractors mow, dig, move, plow, till, scrape, grade and even generate electricity more efficiently than ever before.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the right tractor, when properly equipped, can save the rural property owner or small farmer many hours of labor each year. And it’s no exaggeration to say that the wrong tractor will waste hundreds of hours of your time and make you want to pull your hair out.

So before you buy your first tractor — or replace the old workhorse — it’s important to understand what’s available for use on a small farm or acreage and how you might put it to use. (See our chart to compare brands and models. — Mother)

Unless you’re operating a full-scale farm, you’ll probably want a compact tractor. Smaller, more versatile and less expensive than full-size farming tractors, compacts can handle almost any task. A new compact tractor with a typical set of implements will set you back $20,000 to $40,000. If you’re not ready to spend that much money, you may want to pay the farmer down the road who owns a tractor to help you out. In the process, you’ll learn about operating a tractor from an experienced neighbor.

If you’re set on owning a compact tractor, but your budget’s tight, shop for a used one. A word of caution though: Used tractors aren’t discounted as much as you might expect, and you may end up spending many frustrating hours up to your elbows in grease and hydraulic fluid, or spending a lot of money on maintenance if machine repair isn’t your specialty. Plus, unlike the new compacts, older tractors generally weren’t designed for today’s small-acreage property owner.

Before you begin shopping, make a list of the chores your tractor will need to perform — particularly the size of your jobs and the weight of things you will want to pick up. That list will dictate the size and type of machine you should purchase.

The features and performance of compact tractor brands currently on the market vary widely. When you shop for a tractor, insist on a test-drive, or better yet, request a few demonstration days on your property. Besides the nature of the work, many variables may influence your choice, including the topography of your land and your type of soil.

Also, it helps to compare your local dealers. Many high-quality compact tractors are available on today’s market, but if you don’t have a good rapport with your local dealer — or if the local dealer is 100 miles away — even the best-built machine eventually will become more of a burden than an asset. If you have several local dealers, then get to know them before you buy. You may decide to buy a tractor that didn’t initially catch your eye if you like the dealer who will help you maintain and repair your valuable machine.