Homestead mailing list

["Don Bowen" <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>]

Let me start this by saying I am a gear head, I like machinery.  I have been
around and working with tools on machines for most of my life.  My mother
tells me she would get upset when my father would give me his pliers to chew
on.

For a starting homestead of any size I would suggest a tractor as an early
purchase.  Draft animals may be romantic and all that but to properly use
them with out injuring takes more training on the part of the teamster than
the team.

I would not recommend one of those shiny new compact Diesel tractors unless
you have a spare $20K in your pocket.  That is a lot of money when you can
get something almost as good for a tenth the cost.  Last summer I bought a
well maintained low hours 1965 Ford 3000 with brush hog for $2600.
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/August%2008/images/home.jpg

I would stay away from the older early fifties tractors because you will pay
almost as much and not have such things as live PTO and hydraulics.  There
are many late fifties to early seventies tractors on the market that will
give very good service for many years.

The brush hog was the biggest reason for getting the tractor.  It has been
used to cut many acres of brush and high grass and clear weeds from the
river road.  Well worth the money.  There is a world of implements out
there, an auger and box blade are worth the money.  I can borrow both when
shop building starts.  I would like to pick up a boom and carry all before
too long.

All that and I know someone who would not part with his backhoe for anything
and is waiting for me to fix the brakes.

Don Bowen  KI6DIU
New ruralize pages, follow the link off http://www.ruralize.com
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html