Picking the Best Tractor for Small Farms

Using Compact Tractor Comparisons to Choose the Best Tractor for Your Farm

Picking the Best Tractor for Small Farms

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Buying the best tractor for small farm work requires searching for the right tractor for the job. Tractors can be used for many reasons. Identifying the jobs and eliminating the tractors that won’t work is the first step. Tractors are iconic symbols of farming and a common farm equipment purchase. Picking the best tractor for small farm and homestead operations can also be fun. Learning about the different tractor and machinery brands and talking to people with years of experience helps us hone in on the job our tractor will be doing. Don’t over-buy. Just as having a tractor large enough for the job is important, so is not having a tractor that is not too big for your property.

Start your search for the best tractor for small farm operations by locating the dealerships near your property that sell farm tools and equipment, including small tractors. No matter how well you maintain the tractor, you will need service and parts. Being able to pick up parts or schedule a repair is much easier and more timely when you are in the same area as the dealership.

Identify the jobs you will perform with the tractor. This will help the salesperson narrow down the search for the perfect tractor. Plowing, moving hay bales, moving pallets of feed, mowing grass, and cutting hay are just a few of the tasks that can be accomplished with a tractor. Make a farm implements list. Which ones do you use all the time? Would having one of those jobs handled by the tractor improve your farm life? Using a grid to form a compact tractor comparison chart will help you visualize the choices. Grab a sheet of plain paper or graphed paper. On the left side, list the jobs you would use the tractor to accomplish.

best-tractor-for-small-farm

Should I Buy a Used Tractor?

It would be great if you could find a bargain on a used tractor for small farm needs. It would be even better if the tractor was in great condition. In our experience, this is a hard item to find. If a tractor is a good machine, the owner is likely to use it until it is almost worn out. Ask about the hours the machine has been run and be sure to check the tire quality. Let the buyer beware of course. If you find a used tractor, take care looking it over and consider having a machinery mechanic take a look before you purchase.

Does it Matter What Brand I Buy?

Again, I think it’s better to have a local dealership to do business with. The dealership will have better luck ordering parts and scheduling a repair on your farm. John Deere, Alis Chalmers, and International Harvester are just a few of the dealership and brand choices. All of the major brands are built to tackle the jobs on a small farm.

What Size Tractor Will I Need, and What About the Horsepower?

This is where things get sticky when trying to get advice. Many people think that bigger is better when buying the best tractor for small farm work. Let’s break down the answer by looking at three main choices for tractors for small farms. Garden-style tractors are good for cutting grass. They have limited horsepower and may not have enough traction for much more than that. The smaller farm tractors are between 30 and 60 horsepower. These are popular choices for small farming work. This size range can be easily maneuvered around buildings, paddocks, and through pasture gates. Larger farm tractors, over 75 HP, are great for plowing large fields, planting, harvesting, and cutting hay.

best-tractor-for-small-farm

Transmission Options

Hydrostatic transmissions are a newer option in tractor transmissions. This transmission is a lot like automatic. This option is great if you are doing a lot of fieldwork, planting, clearing fields, and cutting hay. Contrast this type of transmission with the classic manual transmission. The benefit of the older style transmission is the extra lower gear. This is useful for pulling because of the extra torque. The hydrostatic transmission is convenient, but the expense is high if a repair is necessary.

best-tractor-for-small-farm

Accessories for the Best Tractor for Small Farm Jobs

The small farm tractors can attach a variety of tools to perform more jobs on the farm. Some accessories attach to the standard bucket on the tractor. This is a convenient feature. However, the tools do a better job when attached directly to the tractor.

Auger – An auger attachment can dig post holes, footer holes for foundations, and holes for planting trees.

Plow – Plows can be used to move dirt, manure, and more.

Harrow– The disc harrow is used to till up the field before planting. The spring tooth harrow smooths out the ground.

Bush Hog – The bush hog can be used to cut tall grass, weeds, and brush.

Mower – Cuts grass or hay.

Hay Rake (and Baler) – Follows and scrapes the hay into windrows, and the baler makes the hay into bales.

Hay Spike – The bucket can be used to move a round bale, but in some operations, it is easier to move the large round bale with the hay spike.

Forks – The forks are used for many tasks. If you feed large square bales, you need the forks for moving a stack of hay bales. The forks can also be used to move feed pallets or large farming accessories such as water troughs.

Measuring gates and narrow areas on your farm before purchasing any tractor for small farm use is always a good idea. Gates may appear large, but the tractor may not fit through the gate, causing more work. Have a good idea of what the best tractor for small farm jobs will include before heading out to make the purchase. The tractor should work hard for you and the farm for many years.

Do you have a recommendation for the best tractor for small farm use? What are your most useful implements? Let us know in the comments below.

4 thoughts on “Picking the Best Tractor for Small Farms”
  1. Have a Massey Ferguson 150 diesel. Had to do some repairs for oil leaks, but now it’s perfect for moving logs, pulling trailer loads, lifting with a boom, brushhogging two small fields, and post hole digging.

  2. Which 25 to 50 engine hp Tractor brand with cat 1 – 2 three point hitch is more universal friendly when purchasing used attachments / implements. I raise this question as I read that some brands only accept their own equipment. Currently I lean toward the Massey Ferguson but is it more or less reliable than the Kubota or Kioti?
    Alternatively:
    Is there an independent review(s) of the Oggun, Tuff Built and Tillmore market garden tractors? Of these I would choose the Oggun as I believe it is more implement universal and not in house dependent. The one draw back for me is no front mount snowblower.

  3. Diesel vs Gas engine is another consideration! If you don’t know diesel it’ll be a learning experience – but that may be ok…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *