Gonna need a bigger mower
 

I got a new job in the DC area and we are in the process of buying a home in Loudoun county (No VA, 45 min west of DC)...picture below shows about 60% of the property.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1270521049.jpg

I don't think my push mower will work, gonna need a larger mower and would appreciate some feedback as I've never had to maintain a property of this size.

Wayne C.

I'd get a pretty good size tractor w/ attachments. You'll need all the mechanical help you can get keeping that property in style, very nice by the way.

Yeah, a mower ain't gonna cut it, pun intended, you need a tractor.

I dunno. I have around 1 1/2 acres of grass to mow, and I go around trees and granite 'obliscs'. My old craftsman took a while, but I got my John Deere L130, and can mow it in about 1 3/4 hours. The current model is the JD L150. They have them at Lowes, and I think they're a little more than 2K. Their seats are also a lot more comfy than Craftsman. I'm guessing I've had mine for 4 +/- years, and all I've done is replace the blades and a spring. And I must say, I'm not real nice to my mower.

You can also get the Craftsman trailer and tank sprayer, and spray whatever you want whereever you want in a fraction of the time. All electric off the power port. Good luck.

My only suggestion is to buy new and buy diesel.

A decent Tractor is 10K used. If it has a PTO then the mower deck is another 2K minimum. If it's a powered deck it's still 2K min, and, it uses even more fuel. A tractor only has a wider swath, it doesn't mow much faster than a twin JD. And, all adjustments are made from the seat, unlike the tractor. To clarify, the tractor will go faster, but you can only go so fast when you're mowing, and forget about backing up with a deck on. Can't do it without risk of damaging the PTO. I guess it depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. I've spent 2 hours in the seat of a tractor. Didn't help my roids, I'll tell ya that! Not trying to be contraversial, just giving my 4 1/2 cents.

Thanks guys. The current owner has a Kubota (sp?) and accessories, just not sure what he wants for the lot. I have been told about a zero turn mower, some say can do 3+ acres an hour (I have about 12 acres) so seems doable, just not a tractor, so not as flexible.

Wayne C.

Jeeeees,,,ya didn't tell me it was 12 acres!!!! What IDIOT told you to buy a John Deere??????

PS. Don't get any better than Kubota in that price range. Go to their forum and see what they're going for, then negotiate the price into the house. That's what I tried to do, but she'd already sold it to a neighbor. He still likes to drive by and smile. Rat Ba**ard.

Welcome

I guess you mean at 4am, right? :)

30-40 HP tractor and a 3 point hitch finish mower makes short work of it.

Congratulations. Your spread looks beautiful.

A year or more ago I bought a used Kubota L2500 (28 hp. diesel 3 cyl.) - about 10 years old with 500 hrs. on it. It has a loader and came with a mower deck in the back which runs off of the PTO. It was used by the park department of a small town locally. It's true I wouldn't try to back up while operating the mowing deck, but it lifts up hydraulically so you can lift it up and put it down wherever you want. It came with turf tires which I like because they don't tear up the property, but I also have a set of industrial tread tires. I wouldn't do without it. A couple of days ago my wife didn't like the location of a boulder and asked me to move it. I was really surprised I could pick it up with the loader & move it. It was granitic rock about 4 ft. wide, 2 1/2 ft. high, and about 1 1/2 ft. thick. I paid $8K for it. I was looking at new 35 to 40 hp. Kubotas at the dealer. They went for around $19K with a loader. I had to get out of there before I did something stupid. Keep your eye out for a decent deal. I got mine from Craigslist.

My sister and her husband live in the Purcellville area... get some horses like they did... problem solved. :eek: :D

Heh heh. She does have horses, but not for keeping the grass in check... she's always had horses. She/they have a small tractor for any cutting or plowing they wanna do. Something about like this, I think:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1270527891.jpg

12 acres? Get a 60" ZTR unless you really think you need the tractor for other stuff.... Our 48" ZTR is rated like 5acres an hour.... I can see it on flat ground like that too....

BTW, that looks like an absolutely gorgeous piece of property. Congrats.

Very nice!

I cut 5 acres of lawn, and use a 27 HP Kubota tractor with a 6' belly mower deck. Takes about 2 1/4 hours to cut it all. Plus I have a front end loader, brush hog for any rough cutting in the woods, 5' front snow blower for the winter, rototiller for the garden, and a few other toys for it. A zero turn might cut faster but will not do all the others. You need a tractor, and get one that is big enough. Look for 4WD, power steering, hydrostatic drive, and get the loader. Its the best wheel borrow you will ever own!

Dixie Chopper- fastest mower made.

my condolences.


beautiful property though.