Actually, our 860 sat rusting because it was more efficient to use the 7710 than it was to use the 860. I don't disagree with your statement generally, but that tractor is not efficient in any league. I do generally use the smallest tractor I can get away with, but that tends to be a good deal more than the 860. We just got to the point where it wasn't practical to sit on a 40 hp tractor for days when the 80-100 hp will do the work in a fraction of the time. Your friend using a 4020 isn't really an example of what I'd consider using irrelevant tractors. With the exception of it being 2 wheel drive it'll do anything that most modern tractors will. It's also an example of having a high end hydraulic system. That tractor pumps what, 20 gpm or 24 gpm? Extremly high for it's day and able to handle anythign in it's class yet. Had you bought a low spec tractor in it's day you'd get about 7 gpm, utterly, totally useless in a good many 80 horse tractors today.
I'd also be curious to know what happened to your firend's land since he retired? Was it cut into lots or rented out? Reason I ask is because anyone who followed that scheme around here certainly got by with what they had, didn't owe money, made some money, probably maintained their old gear quite well etc... but they fully depreciated and decapitalized their business doing it. The options that exist for someone wanting to buy that operation or keep in running in the family are one of two things: go to their ears in debt and hope it works or walk away because they can't afford but it and make th epayments let alone upgrade it. It works fine for the guy running the thing down, but when he expects someone to buy it from him and make a living, the numbers never work... which pushes someone to expand, debt, debt and more debt. That's just how it works. We've lost 20% of our dairy producer numbers in the past 5 years and we lost 20% of that in the 5 years before that... and probably so on for the 5 years before that. The main reason is that many of these farms were operated exactly as you describe and nobody can afford to buy the farms as operating units for the price they will fetch if broken up... so the cows go to the auction, the quota goes on the exchange, the equipment is sold at auction and the barns sit empty. The land may sit idle, get rented out to someone else or get sold for building lots depending on where it's at. The farms that continue on are farms that were continously upgraded with new equipment, new barns, ever expanding and many are heavily in debt. There are very few exceptions to that rule. Some do fail, but most keep going.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Choosin, Mounting and Using a Bush Hog Type Mower - by Francis Robinson. Looking around at my new neighbors, most of whom are city raised and have recently acquired their first mini-farms of five to fifteen acres and also from reading questions ask at various discussion sites on the web it is frighteningly apparent that a great many guys (and a few gals) are learning by trial and error and mostly error how to use a very dangerous piece of farm equipment. It is also very apparent that these folks are getting a lot of very poor and often very dangerous advice fro
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
Sell 1958 Hi-Altitude Massey Fergerson tractor, original condition. three point hitch pto engine, Runs well, photos available upon request
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
