What are the top 10 implements you should have in your machine shed? To answer that question, the first thing you should do is make a list of all the jobs you need to get done around your place. Mowing pasture, or turf-type grass? Lifting, moving, and dumping material? Scraping and moving dirt? Grading or leveling land? Digging holes? Working a large garden?
Which implements are right for you depend on what you need to get done. But having said that, here’s a list of what we believe owners of large properties should have in their machine sheds to take care of the most common jobs they’ll face.
#1 – Tractor Loader
Without a loader, you’re only getting half the productivity available from your tractor. With a loader, you can add a material bucket (US CA) and turn your tractor into a scooping, moving, dumping machine. Add a pallet fork (US CA) and you’ve got a forklift. Add a debris grapple (US CA) and you can put all that woodland refuse in one, big pile. And the list goes on.
#2 – Rotary Cutter or Grooming Mower
Which is right for you? Here’s a handy rule of thumb.
- If you’re maintaining turf grass, or any other grassy area you’d like your friends and neighbors to admire, you should probably be using a grooming mower (US CA).
- If you’re keeping rough areas like a road edge, back lot or pasture under control, you should probably be using a rotary cutter (US CA).
Be advised, these mowing implements are not interchangeable. It’s important to use the one that’s right for your application. You’ll need at least one of them, may be both, because as we all know, the grass just keeps on growing.
#3 – Box Blade
A hard-working box blade with scarifiers (US CA) is one of the most versatile implements you’ll ever have. Grading and leveling gravel drives. Building paths. Leveling land for a new building. Spreading dirt from where you don’t want it to where you do want it. Terracing land. Providing some rear ballast when using your loader attachments. Generally speaking, it’s one of those must have tools you’ll probably use a lot.
#4 – Rear Blade
Digging ditches. Returning gravel that’s been pushed off your gravel driveway back where it belongs. Grading and smoothing your drive. Snow removal. You’ll find plenty of work for a rear blade (US CA).
Now, which implements do people believe are also high on the list?
#5 – Land Plane
A land plane (US CA) is a great tool to have in your machine shed for maintaining a gravel road or driveway, smoothing a horse arena, leveling a garden, and plenty of other uses you’ll think of.
#6 – Snowblower
If you have a long driveway up to your place, or any large area you need to keep clear of snow, there’s nothing faster or more efficient than a Tractor-Mounted Snowblower (US CA).
#7 – Post Hole Digger
Build a fence. Build a deck. Build a pole barn or machine shed. Plant trees. A shovel or post hole digging tool that’s powered with your back is no match for a post hole digger (US CA) and auger (US CA) powered by the PTO on your tractor.
# 8 – Rotary Tiller
If a large vegetable garden is on your list of wants, you’ll want a tractor-mounted rotary tiller (US CA) to prepare the soil for planting every spring, or before planting a cover crop in the fall.
#9 – Pallet Fork
Along with a bucket, a pallet fork (US CA) is one of those versatile tools that can make all kinds of jobs easier around your place. Stack a load on a pallet. Strap it down. Move it all anywhere you want. Handy.
#10 – Spreader
Need to spread salt over a large area to keep the ice at bay? A polyethylene, tractor-mounted broadcast spreader (US CA) is perfect for the job. Not only will it stand up to the salt, but it’s also perfect for spreading seed in the fall and fertilizer in the spring. That’s a 3-season machine, which always means more for your money.
Those are the Top 10 implements we think you should consider first. Actually, that’s 11 if you count both the grooming mower and rotary cutter.
Frontier offers more than 600 implements that will help turn your tractor into the workhorse it was built to be. They’re available exclusively from your John Deere dealer. And remember, always read the Operator’s Manual before operating any piece of equipment and follow all operating and safety instructions.
Helpful Links:
How to maintain a gravel drive
Maintain A Gravel Drive Using A 4-in-1 Bucket
How to remove snow from a gravel drive.
How To Remove Snow 3 Different Ways
How to use a box blade: The basics.
How to use a tractor mount rotary tiller in your large vegetable garden.
How to make great garden soil.
How to aerate, fertilize, and over seed your lawn
How to use a one-row cultivator.