When my husband and I decided it was time to shop for a tractor, we started by looking at Kubota tractors, but ultimately ended up going with an LS Tractor.
We believe Kubota offers excellent quality. (My Mom’s Bobcat Skidsteer with a Kubota engine has been working reliably since I was a toddler.) However, we heard the LS Tractor line is made by the manufacturer for New Holland tractors and should prove reliable.
For us, the deciding factor was being able to get a 35 horsepower (hp) tractor with a cab (LS Tractor model XR3135HC-35HP) and no def fluid. The Kubota model we were considering was about 10 hp smaller and would not be able to handle moving 1,000-pound hay bales.
When purchasing new diesel-powered equipment these days it is important to keep the impact of environmental regulations in mind. Some large equipment requires the use to def fluid–which needs to be used up relatively quickly. We were not prepared to use and maintain our equipment as intensely as that type of system would require, but we also wanted a tractor larger than those with no emission regulations at all. Choosing a model with exhaust regen cycles made a lot of sense for us. So far we haven’t had any problem with the exhaust system on this LS Tractor model.
Looking back, we’re also thankful we got the bigger model since our land is filled with gopher and badger tunnels. Smaller tractor wheels would be even worse about falling into those holes.
The attachments we got for our tractor include a bucket, tiller, mower, hay fork, and box blade. There is a learning curve to figuring out how to attach and use each piece of equipment, but it’s fairly simple once we figure out how it’s supposed to work.
As novice tractor users we’ve had a few unpleasant surprises along the way like discovering what a sheer bolt is, knocking the bucket joystick out of adjustment by hitting something in a patch of dense weeds, and being unable to open the hood after something bent the front bumper. But overall out tractor has made trying to manage 20+ acres seem almost possible.
Do you have a small tractor for your acreage? Favorite attachments? We’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below. Â