Owning a slice of the American Dream is a lot of work. Whether you have two acres or 20 or even more, having the proper tools for the job makes country living not only feasible but enjoyable.
For many, owning land is a means to an end. There is room for a garden, some chickens, maybe larger livestock such as horses or cattle and perhaps a woodlot to harvest your own firewood to warm the house on those long winter nights. But with the opportunity to become more self-sufficient, comes work. The garden needs tilled or more top soil is needed for the raised beds. The pasture land needs mowed, seeded and fertilized. The stalls need cleaning and the compost needs to be turned and eventually loaded up in someone’s truck so they can add organic nutrients to their gardens. And, if you live where the winter comes early and stays long, you have a driveway to plow and keep clear for yourself and maybe your neighbors.
Enter the farmers helper, a tractor. With a proper tractor you can accomplish more, in less time, and with less potential for strains and injury on your body. For us, our first venture into land ownership and having four acres of pasture and a long driveway began 15 years ago. The first year I managed to keep up with things, sort of, with a riding mower and a small trailer. The next year I purchased a 1962 International B414 tractor. I paid $1000 for the old orchard hand with a 5-foot Bush Hog mower, a spring-tooth harrow and a nearly worthless back blade. A good gas tank cleaning, a new fuel pump and an oil change and I was officially a farmer!
1962 B414
The old tractor is still with us after four relocations and two winters of record setting snow fall in Deer Park, WA. It has a few hydraulic leaks, looks about like it did when I bought it and still starts on the first crank. But, this year, with heavy snow and cold temperatures that kept the Yakima Valley white for months we decided that a tractor with a loader and preferably four wheel-drive was now a priority. We just didn’t have any place to pile more snow this winter with the ATV. A loader to pick up and move snow would have been a blessing.
2017 Snow Pile
Then spring came. What happens to all that snow when the temperature goes up and the rains come to the foothills? It all turns to water with no place to go. Enter the Flood of 2017.
The driveway & neighbor’s overflow ditch
Within a few hours on the night of March 15 our little creek went from high to out of control. In the early morning hours there was as much as 8″ of water coming down the drive. Fortunately, our neighbor had an emergency overflow ditch dug after a similar issue in the spring of 2016. However, this year the water came down the road and into our front yard in a matter of minutes.
Again, thankfully, our neighbor was prepared. He had purchased a Kubota tractor with a loader last year. We were able to build a dam in a matter of minutes to slow the flow of water into our yard and protect our home. Justification number 2 for having a loader at our disposal!
I had been researching tractors, loaders and brands for several weeks when the flood hit. The night we built the dam I spent my time between checking the ditch and the yard learning everything I could about compact tractors with loaders. Of course Craig’s List was my first stop. I found quite a few tractors for sale in and around central Washington. However, I was finding a lot of what I would call glorified riding mowers with small loaders. These were tractors with anywhere from 18HP to 24HP at the engine. Meaning that the PTO horsepower would be somewhat lower. As my research deepened and my knowledge increased, I determined a 30-35HP tractor would be a better long-term investment. It would allow ample power for our current property and allow us to have a powerful tool for our ultimate dream of a nice piece of timbered land in North Idaho.
The Craig’s List ads almost always had a some photos of nice tractors that had loaders, were in the 27-35HP range and fit my budget. The ones that really caught my eye were a couple of Yanmar diesels from a dealer in Thorp, WA called TractorCo.com. TractorCo.com has been in business has been in business for over 20 years and was an early adapter to utilizing the power of the internet to advertise and sell used tractors all over the Pacific Northwest.
The tractors that TractorCo.com sells are all used diesel imports. Many times these tractors are called “gray-market tractors”. Quite simply these are tractors that were made for another market, typically the Asian market, and are legally imported to the US for resale by various dealers. The tractors are used, reconditioned and upgraded with various US safety gear then sold on the used market. Many of the tractors have very few hours on them and are upgraded with a new front loader. This coupled with a durable Yanmar diesel engine and their reliable Power Shift transmission makes loader work a breeze.
Other upgrades and enhancements include ROPS (Roll-Over Protection System), new seats, seat belts, emergency flashers and PTO shaft shields. The tractors have new fluids and filters, and in the case of all the tractors we saw at TractorCo.com very good or new body-work and fenders and paint. There is a new battery installed and the tractors all start quickly and function correctly. The tractor we eventually chose was a Yanmar 3110D with 883 hours on the meter.
Of course, as with all used equipment, it is buyer beware. We had the good fortune to speak with Buck, the mechanic at TractorCo.com and he gave us a full run-down of the features, operation and the goods and bads of the tractor we chose. I also read nearly every Tech Article at the Hoye Tractor website to learn about the various Yanmar models and the specs. Hoye Tractor also carries a full inventory of new and used parts for imported Yanmar tractors. They are a wealth of information when trying to decide if a used import is right for you. I highly recommend ordering the Operation Manual for the tractor you choose so you know exactly what all the levers do and how to safely operate your tractor. Also included in the manual is detailed service information and specs on fluids that you need to be sure your tractor lasts for many years.
Upgrades that we will make to this tractor include the following: bolt on hooks on the bucket from boltonhooks.com, two pairs of LED work lights mounted on the ROPS; one forward, one rear for night-time work, a new gas cap with functional fuel gage and a new ignition switch and keys. Again, this is a used tractor. While it is a major upgrade from the old International, it is an early 1980’s vintage and is not perfect. However, with some care, maintenance and a few minor upgrades it should provide us with the mechanical advantage we need to complete our work around the farm safely and efficiently.
Next time we’ll take a look at a couple of the updates and see the tractor in action around the farm.