A Tractor for the Small Farm

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A tractor is one of the most expensive—and potentially useful—pieces of equipment any back-to-the-lander is likely to purchase. The following information should help you choose the machine that best fits your farmstead and budget.

By Sam Glenn Griffith

The best sources of information for the first-time tractor buyer (sources which, for some reason or other, most such people ignore) are the very farmers in his or her area who are already raising the kind of crops that the beginner aims to grow. So, when you're faced with the need to purchase one of the expensive implements, begin the search by visiting your neighbors.

Note the make and size of the tractors they're using, and ask for evaluations of the machines. (A pleased owner will often be fiercely loyal to his or her "pet" brand, but someone who feels that he or she has been sold a "lemon" will likely fill your ear with all sorts of horror stories. Use a little common sense when weighing extreme opinions, and you'll learn a lot.) Ask, too, about the attachments each farmer owns ... in order to learn which accessories were a waste of money and which he or she wishes had been bought but weren't.

Working farmers can tell you a lot about tractor dealerships, too. And the quality of the dealer is every bit as important as is that of the machine itself! Try to determine which sales outlets have good stocks of parts and reputations for quick service. I once had a tractor broken down for two full days—at the height of my busy season—because the dealer didn't have at two-cent packing washer for the machine's hydraulic system.

In fact, it's a good idea to buy a brand of tractor that's supported by two dealerships within a few hours' drive of your home. Then, if the closer establishment can't supply a part you need, you may still be able to keep your machine up and running by going to the other dealer in search of the required part.

A TRACTOR FIELD GUIDE

You may well be surprised to know that it's possible to buy a tractor that's specifically designed to handle just about any kind of farming you can imagine. However, the two most common tractor types—and those that'll most likely satisfy the needs of the "new" farmer—are the "utility" tractors and the "general purpose" (also called "row crop") tractors.

Utility machines are typically low-slung and squat-looking. (A common example, in the lower price ranges, would be one of the Ford 8-N's manufactured in the 1950's ... which can sell for anywhere from about $900 to over $2,000 today.) Utility tractors are designed for pulling and powering implements—such as hay mowers, balers, disk harrows, and trailers—that are attached to either a hitch or a lifting mechanism at the rear of the tractor.