The value of a tractor after shtf

Personal opinion is old Ford tractors, 8 N, 9N, 2N, Jubilee or early modern Fords, all take modern 3 point hitch stuff, available any where, most other brands until 1950's used a hitch that only worked on their brand and it can be hard to find equipment. Biggest advantage of the old Fords was that they used a modified Ford car engine and all the parts are still available. Gas engine and fuel is hard to store, but they will run on pretty bad fuel. Don't know how much use they will be after TSHTF, but for us poor folk, you sure can't beat them now. Problem and lesson to be learned, you really need a tractor for a few years when you are clearing land, getting it back into shape, making roads and landscaping, etc, BUT once your place is in shape, your really necessary use drops 90 %. TnAndy and others show that things you can do now with a little effort, hoop houses, raised beds, solar heated greenhouse, hogs, chickens, canning, the list is endless, would be almost impossible after any event.
In my mind, hydraulic hitch, pto, and electric start are minimum. Diesel, wide front end with 4 wd and loader with down pressure are also limiting factors for many people. Better to start with $1500 to 2000 old Ford running here than signing a loan for a $30,000 tractor with all the bells and one that you may not be able to get parts for in 10 years even if TSHF doesn't happen.
Old tractors had belt drive ability, while handy, I haven't found anything yet that I can't use a pto for, mowers, tedders, grist mills, generators, water pumps for fire protection and irrigation, etc.

 

This is John Deere country and I have a 1970s 830 (3 cyl./diesel) 40hp that I got from my late Father. Because of the fuel pump that the 830 uses I will not be able to use Straight Vegetable Oil for fuel. I have 100 gals. of stored diesel and hope that I can buy additional diesel or bio-diesel. I would also like to buy an older Ford, 8N or Jubilee that will run on gasoline or maybe high proof shine. I plan on buying spare parts and engine rebuild kits so that I can keep them running for many years. A good business in the future might be land preparation for 10% of the crop.

 

Its actually 66 gallons, I'm just guessing you can use the other 11 gallons to produce an acre.

Soybeans for Biodiesel Production - eXtension

 

Don't forget that you and your livestock can eat the soybean or corn meal after the oil is extracted. I'm planning to extract the oil, ferment the sugars for alcohol and feed the remaining protein to livestock.

 

A lil sum'm sum'm today

 

Im seeing a 5foot tiller in postage stamp houses !!
Pitcher not the picture

 

The BCS 853 is popular around here on the smaller outfits.
BCS America

The larger 750 offers more (gearing choice, power clutch, etc) but at over $5K for the basic model, and still using a gas engine, not something I'd be interested in.
BCS America


Moving up to a larger - and diesel walk behind will start to really cost
This one goes for over $10K


certainly makes the older FarmAlls look like the better deal - all the way around. - esp since parts can still be had!

 

Especially since a tractor is capable of doing SO much more...pull a trailer, prepare land for planting, and power tools and equipment. You can cut lumber, grind grains, generate electricity, pump water, etc.

 

I dont know what your seeing?
A fellow sometimes has to stop and show a buddy!

 

Meanwhile down in the bottoms where the real action takes place, Spring is out today taking a peek at things!

 

What my soil looks like , Good stuff on the top further down it turns to sandy clay mix, Guessing I can grow a spud or two.

 

If your soil has good worms, a little water and dries out without turning into a solid, your more than half way home. Sandy clay looks like it drains, or you wouldn't have the worms and trees, other than swamp oaks, most hardwoods like dry feet. Seen a couple BCS at yard sales fairly decent price, person selling them had no idea of what they were, Dad's old tiller kind of thing, etc.

 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Cuz postage house needs a spade to turn ..
I see now
Sloth

 

Why yes,There is actually an earthworm that can be seen in the picture,Top left.
We've had heavy rain it seems for like 45 days and counting?