Accessorize Wisely

Things you may want to use with your tractor on a hobby farm include the following.

BLADES: There are different types for spreading dirt, gravel, etc.

BOOM: Attached to the bucket or three-point, a boom lets the user lift things high using hydraulic power. I raised high tunnel arches with a boom I made using scrap angle iron.

ROTARY CUTTER: Also known as bush-hogs or brush-hogs, these cutters rough cut brush and grass, often up to 2 to 3 inches in diameter.

CHIPPER/SHREDDER: These are more powerful for your dollar than electric or gas and don’t require any small engine maintenance.

DISC: Although called a disc, it’s made of several discs and pulls behind a tractor to break up soil. Make a few passes, and you have dirt that looks tilled.

FINISH MOWER: Mows like a lawn mower but much wider swaths.

FORKS: Many styles to choose from, some even attach to a bucket but they’re weaker. Hay forks have two to three spikes and can also be used to turn large compost pile or move pallets. Adjustable pallet forks are also available.

FRONT-END LOADER: Technically, this is the hydraulic arms that stick out front, but most sellers mean the arms and an attached bucket.

HAY-MAKING EQUIPMENT:

Cutters, rakes and balers come in all types and sizes.

POST-HOLE AUGER: This has lots more power than a handheld model and don’t require any small engine maintenance. SKID-STEER QUICK-ATTACH

PLATE: Make sure your bucket attaches to the tractor using what most people refer to as a skid-steer quick-attach plate. Other accessories for your frontend loader (e.g., hay forks) that have the quick-attach system can be swapped with your bucket in seconds.

TILLER: A small tractor can drive a 4- to 6-foot-wide tiller without fiddling with any small engine maintenance.