Best Solution for Mowing 20 Acres?

[turbotrip]

I need your help figuring out the best solution for mowing 20 acres of land in Bearspaw in the NW. Its just wild vegetation until the land will be developed in 3-4 years, but the weeds get pretty wild. It costs around $3k to cut it every time right now and I'm looking for the cheapest/best solution.

Solution A: Buy a new tractor and pay some kid $15/hr to ride it around

Solution B: Buy a used tractor and pay some kid $15/hr to ride it around

Solution C: Find a cheaper person/company than the current one to mow it

Since I have no experience with this kind of stuff (tractors/acreages) I was hoping for some advice.

For new tractors here is what someone recommended:
1: Zero turn, commercial, 72"cut, price $ 16,255
2: Tractor with tow behind 72"cut lawn mower ( tractor can be used separately with loader (price not included) for snow removal $ 21,700
3: Commercial Lawn Mower Tractor (Home depot or Canadian tire lawn mower style), 60"cut, (tractor can be used separately with loader (price not included) for snow removal $14,214.

Where would I look to find a used version of something similar to these? Or is it a better idea to just buy one of these new (maintenance)? Or any recommendations for someone who will cut it for cheaper?


thanks

[FraserB]

If the land is going to be developed, can it be assumed that it will be striped down to bare earth when the time comes?

If so, have you looked at the cost of the clearing of 3-4 years of growth at the time of development vs. constantly mowing it?

As for used tractors/mowers, Heavy Equipment Trader might be a place to start.

[sxtasy]

Monsanto style

[heavyfuel]

[spikerS]

FIRE!

Kidding, honestly your best option is going to be getting a small tractor with 3 decks. Your everyday ride on from Home Depot just isn't going to cut it, pun sort of intended.

If that is not an option, then some sort of landscaping may work out. Alternatively, for a property that size, maybe a couple of sheep or goats are great at keeping grass down.

[AE92_TreunoSC]

Goats are the best answer to any question.

[codetrap]

Have you thought about leasing it to a sheep farmer?

[89s1]

Seriously, you gotta do the goats.

There is no other way.

[Maybelater]

» Click image for larger version

[Tomaz]

I have a John Deere 445 with a 54" deck. Takes me about 3-4 days and a couple cases of beer to mow the full 20 acres. I wish I had a PTO tractor. :-(

Either way, if you get a tractor, I'd happily do your mowing.

I do suggest sheep. They will keep things pretty controlled.

[BlackRadon]

Originally posted by FraserB
If the land is going to be developed, can it be assumed that it will be striped down to bare earth when the time comes?

If so, have you looked at the cost of the clearing of 3-4 years of growth at the time of development vs. constantly mowing it?

As for used tractors/mowers, Heavy Equipment Trader might be a place to start.

Seems like a good option! Goats is great to. Haha

[CanmoreOrLess]

Are you required by local laws to keep the property mowed? If so, there has to be a guy down the road who would not mind making a few bucks once a month and already has a tractor, etc.

[SKR]

Do the math on a mower to see if it's even a viable option. 20 acres is 871,200 square feet. A 72" mower going 5mph will take 5.5 hours (72" is 6 feet, 5 miles is 26,400 feet. 871,200/(6*26400) = 5.5). Maybe you can go faster than 5mph, I don't know. A 60" mower will take another hour or more.

You say that it's all weeds, but what is it actually? Maybe it can be sold as standing hay if the land is flat enough and then it's someone else's problem. Goats will need water and a fence.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by Tomaz


I do suggest sheep. They will keep things pretty controlled.

Not a good idea, goats would be much better. The problem with goats is they will eat the fence posts, fence, any buildings, hoses, feeders, water troughs...etc. They are hard to keep contained. They really will decimate the weeds though.

[turbotrip]

lol im not buying no goddam goats/sheep/other animals.
and yea if you dont keep it maintained I believe they will have someone do it for you and send you the inflated bill just like in Calgary, so not doing it for 3-4 years is not an option.
What is the Heavy Equipment Trader? isnt there a store that sells used farm equipment like a used car dealer?

EDIT: and if any of you guys want to graze your sheep/goats on the land for free come on by!

[roopi]

Originally posted by turbotrip

What is the Heavy Equipment Trader? isnt there a store that sells used farm equipment like a used car dealer?

www.autotrader.ca in the top menu select farm equipment.

[barmanjay]

Find some cattle ranches and offer some free grazing land for a while

[sputnik]

Bearspaw makes you mow undeveloped land?

[speedog]

Have any of the people who've posted in this thread considered the costs of keeping animals or even subletting the land to a rancher?

Livestock just can't be freely turned out to pasture unless they're cattle on a large ranch which isn't the case here. Sheep and goats - higher maintenance livestock. Water will have to be provided and fencing/cross-fencing will be an issue/cost that will have to be endured/maintained - sheep, certainly an attractant for the wolves/cougars that live on Calgary's western fringes.

Cattle, OP may not be allowed to run them if this property is in fact abutting Calgary - suspect adjacent land owners (acreages) and rules would have a say here.

Simplest solution is to keep the property trimmed using mechanical means - if it's usable hay, then possibly a farmer might be interested but any great amount of weeds will negate that possibility.

[turbotrip]

Originally posted by sputnik
Bearspaw makes you mow undeveloped land?

thats what I was told, however I strongly doubt it. but anyways we still need to keep it trimmed whether or not its required by the bylaws