How helpful is a tractor or snomachine in your sugaring operation?

[dano2840]

was wondering how helpful (for all you that have them) these pieces of equip are to you,
I know that i would be screwed if the farmer didnt let me borrow his tractor, i would be now where, couldnt log or collect sap, or plow snow, split my wood well i couldnt do alot,
Im thinking of getting a snowmachine to help in the woods, is it worth buying? does it help that much?

[tom jr.]

Dano,
I have countless times used snomobile to tap and check buckets during sugaring. Its also a hell of a lot faster than a tractor,if you have to go any distance(my bush is about a mile from the house) and their is no damage to the ground from it, in my opinion it is worth having. even a snocat would be nice (ski slope style) !!!!!!!!

[Haynes Forest Products]

Like all equipment if it helps use it but In Wisconsin we dont have snow in the woods every year so out goes the snowmachine (thanks Sara) 4 wheelers are alot easer in the small snows,slush and water. I would think that a small trailer behind a 4 wheeler is more practical. I hate digging any peice of equipment out of the snow so I spend all my time of roading in good boots or snow shoes.

[jcb]

I would say 4x4 atv would be th way to go. Put a winch on it and you will be able to get out if you get stuck. There will alot more times you can use an atv in the woods than a sled. In deep snow you will have trouble but if you keep the trails broke out all winter, witch can be fun, you will be able to get out there un the spring.

Thats what we do

Jim

[Fred Henderson]

I use a kubota RTV with tracks. It has proven to be invaluable to us. We haul all our sap from 500 taps with it, plus do the tapping and hauling the buckets, lids etc.We just put the tracks on yesterday. It leave no ruts in the woods.

[NH Maplemaker]

We use a Honda foremen with snow tracks on it and have not found any were that we can't go no matter how deep the snow!! As a matter of fact most years when we do clean up we can't be leave what we had been driving over.The only thing it doesn't like is the ice that we sometimes get on top of snow!! But I think adding cleats to the tracks will solve that problem. Jim L.

NH Maplemaker

[dano2840]

you could probably solve that problem by putting snowmobile track studs on it. Arent those expensive though?

[sapsick]

we use a honda atv with a log arch to handle our logging needs. it allows us to be very low impact and very selective in pur thinning. then we use sleds in the winter and pack trails all winter to carry us thru spring. its what works for us

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

I'm sure all of us have our preferred machine for use in the sugar bush or woodlot. Guess it comes down to what ever works for you. How wet is the area you are working in, how steep is the terrain, are you hauling loads of sap or logs or firewood, or just transporting yourself. I have a kubota RTV (without the tracks that Fred has) that I find very useful when working my sap lines or hauling small loads of wood. I also have big 4wd farm tractors that I use with a 3 pt hitch skidder winch. My favorite, all around tool is our team of belgians. They start whatever the temperature;) .

[dano2840]

well i have 2 sugar bushes and nither are wet in the bush 1 has the skid roads which the horses carried the sap back in 40s the tractor works nice in the upper part where 3/4 of the taps are but at the bottom it turns into a swamp, at the bottom there is a steeeeeeep hill, i could make it on a snowmachine but not on the jd, believe me i tried, tried to go after a beach log,..........nearly escaped with my life, was able to sit the tractor back on all 4s before she rolled, haventbeen any where near that hill w a vehicle since, i dont plan to eather..... good thing to,
a 4 weeler would work but, not as much fun as a sled and i probably would haul wood from places where i cant get with the tractor, plus the tractor is 2wd, but its more rugged than any 2wd than ive ever seen (it could go places some of the 4wds couldnt go) but, idk what to get, im borrowing a sled this year from my uncle we will see when i get it, but maybe i will find a cheep 4wheeler, but i need a 3pt log winch first. actually i need a 372XP first then a winch (the old 61 is starting ta get tired, its got some where around 2500hrs is what the guy said when ibought it ive put around 100 on it)
ohhh i almost forgot i have a team of lineback oxen at our farm that we r gunna train some time, cant wait to use them next year!!!!!! 1 of them his name is freckles is HUGE and still growing he could pull half a ton right now!!!

[Acer]

RTV900 with tracks, have a big place and I'd never get anything done without it.

Kind of like a go anywhere pickup.

Dean

[dano2840]

how much do these tracks cost??????????????????????????/

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Dano,
Your bank just dried up, remember. You don't even want to know what the tracks cost. I already have the RTV and wish I could do more than dream about the tracks. On another note, get to training those cattle. I have a friend that Sugars using them. Also does custom logging with them, offers ox cart rides at fairs and stuff. They are a real walking advertisement!

[Russell Lampron]

I use my 1930 Model AA Ford Doodlebug tractor as much as possible to drag out logs and haul wood and sugaring stuff. I also have a Honda Foreman and Rancher that get used for getting in and out of the woods and gathering sap. The old Ford doesn't like the deep snow too much.

[davey]

I use one of my old Farmall H's in the woods and love it. with the narrow front end I can manuever around most anything and with the dual brake pedals and a little luck, haven't been completely stuck very often, ... yet. I took the frame of an old single axle manure spreader and mounted some big poly tanks on it and so far it works for me as a trailer too.

[ROBIEZ]

I use a 4x4 tractor in the summer to haul wood and work in the bush. In the winter I use snowmobiles to pack trails in the bush,and when spring comes I use them or tapping and collecting. When mud season comes I use my 4x4 atv for collecting.Each machine has its purpose/season, thats what works for me. Hoping someday to get tracks for the atv,then the snowmobiles will be for recreation.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

My dad has a nice 4x4 JD tractor that is a aprox 55hp that I used for several years and it was awesome to collect sap with when I used to make syrup in his building. After living there for 30 years, he decided to sell and move and there went the tractor with him so 3 years ago this week, I invested in a new Kubota L3400 4x4 tractor. Hated to spend that money as three years later it has aprox 85 hours on it, so that tells you how much I use it. It gets used to collect 100% of my sap and without a tractor, I would have to quit or get a RTV or something like that as a pickup wouldn't work.

Either way, it is very useful when working around the sugarhouse in the summer and hauling in 6 to 8 cords of wood each year. I could probably sell it for about the same price as I paid for it 3 years ago as I got such a good deal on it and it hardly has a scratch, thus the reason why I bought it new. I know how I take care of things and would always wonder how it was taken care of by someone else and the matching Kubota Loader is invaluable, especially considering it was only $ 1900 more in a package new when I bought it. I have a 125 gallon leg tank on the rear(actually holds 140) carryall and a 65 gallon leg tank in the bucket and I fill the front tank completely full and the rear tank aprox 85% full.

[Acer]

dano,
5k for tracks.

[MFarmall]

Like Davey, used an M Farmall this year. The dual brakes do help. I have to cross a fairly good size creek to get to most of the trees so a tractor works best for me, as if get much rain it can be up 2-3 feet real quick, and have crossed it with 4 feet if REALLY have to. An ATV wouldn't get very far when it is up.
Switching to the Cockshutt 40 next year, it has better 3 point hitch for the tank platform. Just have to get the rear tires switched out to 2 with a little more tread. Have grass drives around the fields to the woods and old logging trails thru it.
Mel

[Fairfield Sugarmaker]

We have done it all, had a JD2150 with half tracks, alright if the right person is on the tractor, we have 2 4wd tractors and one 2wd and use primarily the 60hp SAME which is an awesome woods tractor and very easy on fuel. Tried the snowmachine route and that didn't work so well once the snow left and sugaring is still on. Now we have a Yamaha Grizzley 660 with Tatou tracks and man you can get just about anywhere you want to and then sometime where you probably shouldn't be;)
Tatou tracks should run $3000 or maybe a bit less

[DS Maple]

I have to agree with all who said there are different machines for different purposes. We have quite a range of equipment available including 33, 56 and 115 hp 4x4 NH tractors, a polaris ranger, Tucker sno-cat, Ski-Doo Scandic and SAME explorer II 70 Special tractor. The Tucker (which was on loan) was great in the woods because it hauled sap effortlessly and the quality of the trails was still able to be maintained for xc skiing, snowshoeing. etc. The Ranger is nice for getting to buckets along nearby roads as well as accessing the woods when there is no snow. The tractors don't get used as much for collection as they do for general work in the off season. The SAME set up with a six-way blade, front and rear locking diffs and a grapple winch is unbeatable for hauling trees. Hands down it is the most stable tractor I have ever run. The 33hp is just about useless, and the 56 and 115 both have cabs therefore making them a little more difficult to use deep in the woods. (The 115 did come in handy as a mobile lift though.)

[dano2840]

there is a bobadier sno cat for sale right here in waitsfield, i want to buy it but i dont have the 2k or maybe it was 3, i would love that, i was told you could use those year round as long as you keep the mud cleaned out of the tracks after every use

[southfork]

I do very well in northern Wisconsin with a Polaris 6 wheel ATV. I also have a Honda Rubicon for lighter work and a JD 550 dozer for the tough stuff. I have a Kubota tractor 4WD on wheels but it is not very friendly to the muddy and frost laden roads. Kind of have to match the machine to your sugarbush, terrain and budget.

[adk1]

The best way is to use an ATV and then purchase the TRACK setup for it for the snow. that would be by far the best way if you asked me.

[dano2840]

ok lets recap first im gunna buy a new husky 372XP then a 3pt log winch then a 4 wheeler w tracks, hmmmmmmmmm one of those wont be purchased as funds wont permint ohhh al most forgot i gottan buy a truck too prob a 2500 w/ min mount fisher plow

[adk1]

Aint it grand how we can help you spend your money :)

[Acer]

I know you guys like pictures.

http://i40.tinypic.com/24ca5ap.jpg

[dano2840]

is it alot harder to steer some thing with tracks on it????
i would think it would be on 4x4s that dont have pwr stearing

[Acer]

Rtv has power steering.
ATV's except for grizzly are very hard to turn with tracks unless they are moving.

D

[TapME]

well this year we will find out which one works best, It sure beats hoofing all the sap. Just wish my truck would come to me when I whistle.

[wilson maple]

I use an old 8n ford tractor as a gathering buggy. I put a trailer behind it and a 125 gallon sap tank in it. I run chains most of the season because of the mud and snow. I do everything I want with it especially skidding logs for firewood just wish it had live hydraulics so i could run my three point hitch log splitter but I have another tractor to run that.

[dano2840]

ok lets recap first im gunna buy a new husky 372XP then a 3pt log winch then a 4 wheeler w tracks, hmmmmmmmmm one of those wont be purchased as funds wont permint ohhh al most forgot i gottan buy a truck too prob a 2500 w/ min mount fisher plow

ok all i have to do now is win the vt lottery.............................