Cheapest way to cut a large area of grass?

[kslb]

I need to find an economic way to cut a grass paddock. It is 5 acres in total and I have been thinking about an old second hand tractor with a flail or a tow behind mower for the 4x4 or possibly a quad and tow behind mower or even a compact tractor with flail.

 

As you can see I cannot decide and wondered if any one new of an alternative or any pros and cons of the options I have described.

 

The absolute most important thing is cost as there is very little by way of available funds. It needs to be cheap and good enough to last a few years.

 

Any input welcome, thanks.

 

Keith

[TLicense]

Get a goat.

[spidermonkey]

Fire?

[Geo]

Get a goat.[/quote

 

or a bunch of sheep, i mean the Aberdeen team.

[monsween]

You weren't expecting serious answers were you

 

Hire a sit on mower for a few days and then we all come up for a meet and take turns in exchange for beers

[neo2810]

Sell the land to the council and rent it back off them. Cutting the grass is then their problem...

[SupraJames]

[bignum]

big blu-82....boom:)

[monsween]

[SupraStar 3000]

Wee wee

 

Our garden lawn is covered in little dark brown rings where the pee has killed the grass.

I really must get around to building that outside loo.

[fizzle]

 

 

 

 

used to use one of these and they are the nuts!!

[Scott]

Some goats/sheep would do the trick nicely

[far]

http://imagecache6.allposters.com/LRG/26/2680/URZUD00Z.jpg

[Wez]

Get some livestock

 

Failing that you could setup a nice dirt/rally course and get some rally sport trainers or a couple of cheap EVOs or scoobies

[ray007]

get the scissors out....lol

[Ricky49]

Cows

[kslb]

I already have a few sheep in one field however I want to divide the land into three fields and rotate the sheep through in order to reduce the risk of worms, footrot etc however a little over an acre will remain garden so will need to be kept cut.

[DamanC]

Try to borrow some livestock

[ozz]

we've got around 5 acres for horses, we cut the fields occassionally with a ride on mower. We paid £850 from B&Q 5 years ago, its never been serviced, never changed the oil and its cut grass and marsh grass upto 18 inches high, best thing we ever bought! Mad thing is would get £700+ for it now as they have really jumped in price (£1500+).

 

Its a Briggs and Stratton engine I think, its worth getting a decent one. A slightly quicker method would be a quad (we have one) and get a powered cutter (we don't have one) but that will prob cost you 3-4k for both of them. Might be best option, they hold their value, depends how often you need to cut.

 

I would advise against an old tractor unless you are handy with tools as they can be expensive to fix. My neighbour (farmer) was always tinkering with his tractor and it cost him loads even doing all the work/welding himself.

[ozz]

I already have a few sheep in one field however I want to divide the land into three fields and rotate the sheep through in order to reduce the risk of worms, footrot etc however a little over an acre will remain garden so will need to be kept cut.

 

For an acre, ride on mower definitly.

[Chris Wilson]

Get a "collectable" old tractor that will hold its value like an MF35 and a second hand topper. Our lawns are 2 acres and I use an Iseki SG15 ride on diesel mower that collects the grass, but 5 acres would be tedious. A topper won't collect nor give a great finish, but they are fast and durable. An offset toper lets you get right up to fence lines. I got my topper and tractor off Ebay.

[HadeS]

Burn motherf$3r

[Homer]

If it's only for livestock an old tractor (no need for low ratio box or a high torque take-off) and a tow mower will do the job perfectly. All depends on how good you want it to look, what you plan on keeping on it and your budget really! Old tractors and available fairly cheap, tow behind mowers are a little more pricey. I would not recommend a flail unless the land is rough and you are not planing on keeping "fussy" livestock.. Also, do you want the grass collected?

 

I'd not recommend a small tractor mower or quad for 5 aches, it'll need a full size mower unless you have a lot of time to spare maintaining it!

[j1mb0b1]

Looking in my local paper today and spotted this, Would be a quick way to get the job done :p

 

[kslb]

Thans for all the ideas, I will have a look at some old tractors and take it from there.