Best Utility Tractor

Frustrated that the mower was stuck (and confused as well, as I hadn't seen the anthill at this point), I considered my options. It can seem like modern tractors have so many features and controls that it's hard to memorize them all and put them to use.

With the possible exception of a barn, nothing says “farm” quite like a tractor, and for good reason: They're hard-working, powerful machines critical for many serious farm tasks.

Some even come with four-wheel drive and cabs, making them the perfect option if you're a serious hobby farmer that needs a powerful, adaptable tractor that will serve you in all weather conditions, even when the going gets tough.While the power of a...

Vintage tractors, such as my 8N Ford, are available at a reasonable price, but newer tractors with four-wheel-drive, hydrostatic transmissions and heated/air conditioned cabs (stereo optional) are more user-friendly.

You've finally gotten a few acres in the country, and you're eager to start a farming endeavor: maybe some livestock, an acre of vegetables, an orchard or even a berry farm. In this case, walk-behind tractors have the advantage of not needing a huge truck...

An event that really stands out for me was one of those things that never happens traveling the interstates. A group of friends working with the county's historical museum at nearby Davenport, Wash., had refurbished farm equipment from a half-century...

On many occasions, you need to run your tractor at full throttle—you certainly wouldn't want to go mow thick grass on the turtle setting. Years ago, he had a riding mower with a manual transmission that boasted seven speeds.

Often the width of a 6-foot scrape blade or box blade is all that's needed to safely tend the perimeter of prescribed fires, but check local and state regulations and notify local fire officials before burning.

At best, you'll be left with a ragged looking lawn, and if the grass is particularly thick, you risk choking the lawn mower on too much grass. While I don't claim to be an expert on mowing, I've certainly done a lot of it and have developed a few thoughts...

“A Lamborghini tractor is much better made than a Lamborghini car,” one grizzled old farmer told me. The most notable new tractor business after the war was started by Ferruccio Lamborghini in a barn by using parts from salvaged military vehicles.

Nowadays, the three-point hitch has been formalized into five categories for different sizes of tractors, so implements of a particular size will work with any tractor that can accommodate that size.

The cartridge filter can have one or more O-rings, depending on the style. What size and type of oil filter fits the machine? Locate the correct wrench size (metric or standard, I like using a 12-point wrench end) and an adequate drain pan to catch the...

While they're great for breaking up and leveling tough driveways, they require a powerful tractor, and some people have difficulty fine-tuning the driveway grade with a box blade (which are better suited to fill in holes and break through uneven ground).

If you can locate those you should be able to have enough info for your tire source. The patch will then stick to in the hole and stop the leak—far and away the most affordable of fixes, though again, you cannot patch a busted sidewall.

Take breaks to cool off and escape from the sun. Stock Up on Spare Parts Baling hay is hard on machinery too, and sometimes things just break or wear out. Depending on the number of helpers and the number of balers you run simultaneously, (probably just...

Suffice it to say, the Massey has done fine work for us, though there's no need to feel sorry for Little Mo, who is probably enjoying the lighter workload while remaining the boss of the farm for easier tasks such as pulling wagons.

With many pasture fences to care for, I spend a lot of time each year repairing and replacing fence posts . Manually loosen each post before getting your tractor involved. While this works well in many cases, the three-point hitch can be stronger, and...

With the addition of a mower deck attachment or a pull-behind mower—plus a switch to lawn-friendly tires—ATVs and UTVs can make serviceable lawn mowers. However, the small size of ATVs and UTVs lets them venture where large machines can never go,...

Two perfect examples are tree stumps and large rocks—they're very heavy and often oddly shaped, presenting a challenge when it comes to moving them to a better location (i.e., out of your hay field or barnyard.) So how do you move large objects like...

Don't leave the tank only partially full, as this invites condensation. Either way, spring is a great time to give it change, especially if you haven't for a while. Check Coolant: Make sure the coolant is rated to protect your machine to the lowest temperature...

Winter in the northern hemisphere officially begins Dec. Draining the fuel tank or adding a fuel stabilizer might also be necessary depending on the type of fuel you use and the length of time the machine will be out of use; consult the user manuals for...

Inspect and clean terminals and measure voltage levels. Check spark plugs. If workday servicing hasn't previously identified the need to change air or fuel filters, “seasonal or sooner” is recommended here, as well.

Choose the right piece (or pieces) of farm equipment to complete your spring farm-maintenance chores with help from this guide. Maybe you need a tractor to repair fencing, a UTV to check on livestock or a chainsaw to remove brush and fell trees.

Picking Apron The Picker's Apron assists in picking the last fruits and veggies of the season. Www.glwholesale.com Learn more and inquire about pricing at Great Lakes Wholesale Group This story originally appeared in the September/October 2017 issue of...

Imagine you're trying to clear a field for one of your farming projects. You might not want to use a mattock for removing a giant stump from something like a maple tree (that's a lot of tough roots to cut through by hand), but for smaller stumps, it can...

A Large, Flat Piece Of Wood Once the rock is out of the ground, it can be very helpful to have a large, flat piece of wood. Like, “Remember that time we hit the big boulder with the hay wagon?” Tags Lists

Getting the most recent version can be a challenge. Not only are most difficult to hold open without breaking the binding, they could be incomplete, as information was often added to later revised versions.