Looking for the right tractor

Wondering if any of you could lend some advice in my search of the "right" tractor for my operation. I have been planning on purchasing an IH 856 to serve as my main tractor for general soil preparation and for forming the raised beds I will grow on. I know this is a big tractor especially considering the fact that my crop areas are relatively small (field sections are 50' x 250'). I was thinking if I bought something larger now I wouldn't ever have to worry about being under powered, say if I ever need to run a Yoeman's plow or other type of subsoiling tool. As I have been looking at my space and thinking about it, I think the 856 could be useful, but may not be all that necessary. Especially since the folks I'm renting from have a 80+ HP Deere. They mentioned the possibility of renting it from them, but we haven't agreed upon that as of yet. If I could rent that for any heavy field work, then I think I could focus in finding something a bit smaller and more maneuverable.

This is where I was wondering if anyone had some advice on models that might fit some or most of my needs. My budget is pretty limited so i'm likely looking for something that has a good amount of age to it. The ideal tractor in my mind would have the following characteristics:

40 - 60 HP
Creeper Gear (used for transplanting), The creeper gear is ideal, although I think it could be replaced by a hydro-static transmission
Front End Loader
3-point
Hydraulic connectors

A high clearance tractor with narrow wheels would be great, but what I've seen of them have looked awful pricey and mostly newer in age.

From the looks of it to me there are probably a lot of options out there that I am not even aware of. I'm hoping that you might have a suggestion or might know someone who has experience with smaller tractors or tractors used on vegetable farms that could meet those criteria. Any thoughts? The biggest constraint is cost, as I'm only wanting to spend up to $7K or so. I'm probably asking too much to get all that in one machine, but that is what I'm trying to figure out.

Thanks for any insight!

For your needs,a IH hydro would be perfect.For the size of your fields I would recomend a 544H or 656H/Hydro70.You should easily stay under 7000.There are lots of good tractors out there-65-80 horse.But I think a Hydro would best suit your needs.

I'd be leaning toward the IH hydro too,but if you want to look at something else that might fit your needs in the Oliver line,the 53 horse 1550-1555 with the hydropower will move pretty slow in low gear and underdrive. My 1550 is one of the most maneuverable tractors I own and the price would be down there where you're looking. Also the 1365 with the creeper transmission was real popular in vegetable growing areas. Those tractors could probably survive a nuclear explosion.

The case 30 series with case-o-matic would also fit nicely. A 530/630/730/830 would work good and the case-o-matic gives infinate speeds and is as bullet proof as they come. The smaller cases, 430/530 with triple range also give some very good creeper gears.

Tractor is just part of what you want to do. Getting a plow and other things to do your work is more important than the tractor Do you need a cultivator,disc,harrow and planter. Mounted plow will be easy to have raised beds. You will want a quick mount loader. Hydro tranny is a must for a rototiller so you can go slow 40-60 hp would work and wide front would be ideal for narrow raised beds. You dont want a huge model and gettin on and off will be important. What are you going to lift with the loader how many lbs.

Take a look at a MF65 or MF85. Old but strong. For your needs i would go Gas. Easier to get fixed. Around here under $5000 with loader.

IH hydro if you can afford it. The torque converter Cases would work but they were bad to overheat if run in unlocked mode and pulling heavy loads.

What is your total acreage, which crops will you be growing, and what are your row widths?

If your vegetable fields measure 50 feet by 250 feet they are about 1/4 acre in size. A 100 horsepower tractor may be great for tillage in the future, but it will not be highly manuverable in a 50 foot wide field. For 50 foot wide fields you may want to use smaller implements like 6 to 14 feet wide maximum so you can make four, six or eight trips across the field and finish at the same end of the field that you started from. Bigger tractors generally need bigger implments and more room to turn around.

For 1/4 acre food plots an A or C Farmall, Allis-Chalmers B or C or a VAC Case would be handy sized cultivating tractors that are economical to operate.

A 30 to 50 HP rowcrop-utility tractor with 38 inch rear tires may fit your needs too.

The loader is mostly for turning compost piles, so I don't imagine it's a whole lot of weight. I think I'd be happier with a bit higher on the 40-60 hp range to handle the rototiller and such. It would be nice not to have to rent a larger tractor to do the chisel or moldboard plowing. I will pull a disc with it as well.

You dont need a 4 bottom plow or a 15' disk....equipment sized to your smaller tractor is readyly available.1-2 bottoms;8-10' disks;6' chisel.......

Ford 4600

Nothing mentioned below will handle as well as the 856. ( Unless someone mentions an 826).

I drove a friends 865 a couple of weeks ago. The seat may be adjustable to correct the problem but the only complaint I had was clutch travel. I'm 5'9" and had to stretch to fully depress it.

Leg really got tired.

You didnt say what crops and how long are the rows that makes a big difference in turning around at the ends how much bare ground at the ends of the rows for turning those would be two big factors. What are you using for composting material. You have many things going on mite want just another tractor for cultivating only. There were veggie models made but nothing now. Where are you located some stuff can be built very reasonable. What are you going to use for a planter.

Gene, I should have just asked you about this when I was there last weekend. My crops are potatoes, carrots, onios, garlic, lettuce and greens like spinach and kale. Rows are set to be 250' long with 20' turnaround areas at the ends of each field and 15' driveways between each field. I may need to shorten my row length and/or increase the driveway width to acomodate equipmnet. Will hopefully be composting cow or horse manure with vineyard waste or other like materials.
I do have the model A for cultivating, and I also have a propane fueled oliver super88 narrow front that I haven't figured out how to fit in the operation.
For planting, all direct seeding will be done using a push type precision seeder. Transplanting will be done by hand at first, hopefully movin into a mounted transplanter within a year or so.

Looking now at a three bottmpom MF plow. Was hoping to pull at least a 12' disc as a heavier piece is useful in breaking raised beds. I do have an Oliver super88 narrow front that could be used for some tasks, just haven't figured what to use it for in the operation.

7 acres total for now. Potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions, lettuce and greens. I do have an A that I will use for culivation only. Mainly wat something that can pull a disk big enough to break down raised beds and big enough to pull the raised bed maker to make 4-6" high, 40" beds.

They had some good looking stuff here at the fall sale in Frytown last spring. They will have another one this Sept mite be soe stuff then as theres lots of that type growing here.

If your Oliver Super 88 has dual hydraulics it could easily be the tillage and loader tractor for your current 7 acres and much more ground in the future. It may not have the creeper gears you want for bedding though. The guys on the Oliver forum can probably find your transmission speeds if you tell them your tractor's serial numbers. As-is, your S88 should have 50 to 60+ HP and weight 5000 lbs or more, add another 700 to 1000 lbs if it has fluid in the rear tires. It should comfortably handle a 3 bottom trailing plow, turning close to 1 1/2 acres per hour, and a 10 to 12 foot tandem finishing disk turning close to 5 acres per hour. Maybe go narrower on the disk in exchange for more speed to throw the dirt further for knocking down raised beds.

An aftermarket 3 point hitch (Saginaw brand? - no draft control) can be added for $600 to $1000 if needed. If you need more flotation and traction in a soft mellow seedbed, a set of rim mounted dual rear tires can be added for $100 to $300 (if you can find them).

A narrow front rowcrop tractor is pretty manuverable. Your disc brakes should be able to lock-up either rear tire for short pivoting turn arounds. No power steering will make the job harder, but a spinner knob on that big steering wheels will help a lot.

If your S88 does not have hydraulics it should be worth $1500 to $2500 as trade-in on a newer tractor that can do the bedding, tillage and loader jobs.

Good luck.