Finding the Tractor That Fits Your Farm
For farmers deciding whether it is time to invest in a tractor, the stakes are high. A tractor can open the door to greater efficiency and safer work, or it can become an expensive mismatch. The recent two-day Tractor Operations and Safety Workshop hosted by Cornell Small Farms led participants through the basics of tractor operations with hands-on guidance. This guide serves to help farmers sort through the choices so the machine you buy supports your goals instead of complicating them.
For many farmers, purchasing a tractor is both exciting and intimidating. A tractor can transform how work gets done, but it also represents one of your most significant farm investments. The right machine, well-matched to your operation, can save time, reduce labor, boost safety, and
serve you for years. The wrong one can sit idle, drain your budget with repairs, or actively limit your productivity.
Veterans get hands-on practice in the field during a recent Cornell Small Farms tractor training held this year at the Homer C. Tompson Research Farm, building confidence and essential skills for safe, effective equipment use.
Kacey Deamer / Cornell Small Farms Program
The recent two-day Tractor Operations and Safety Workshop hosted by the Farm Ops and Futuro en Ag projects of the Cornell Small Farms Program emphasized these themes. Lead Instructor Shane LaBrake, supported by CSFP staff and the team at the Homer C. Thompson Vegetable Research Farm, walked participants through the fundamentals of safe tractor operation and thoughtful equipment selection. Those lessons echo throughout this guide: when farmers understand how tractors truly work in the field, they make better decisions about what to buy, how to use it, and how to plan for long-term farm goals. If you want to learn more about setting those goals and exploring the social, emotional, financial, and ecological aspects of operating a farm business, Cornell Small Farms offers a free Plan Your Farm online course.
This article offers a practical, step-by-step framework for evaluating whether a tractor is right for you now, determining what size and features you need, choosing implements, navigating new vs. used, maintaining service, and planning for growth, all with an eye toward long-term value. Several concepts covered in the workshop appear here, expanded for farmers who were not able to attend.
Do You Need a Tractor Now?
Not every farm or operation needs to purchase a tractor immediately. For small-scale or diversified farms, other smaller-scaled power tools may suffice while you grow your business and identify the workload.
Ask yourself:
- What are the daily and seasonal tasks on my farm or homestead?
- How many acres do I manage, and what kind of field work, material handling, haying, tillage or loader work do I do?
- Are there tasks I currently outsource or rent equipment for?
- Can I rely on walk-behind machines, ATVs/UTVs, shared equipment, or custom-hire services for now?
If your farm’s operations are mostly hand-scale production, light tillage, or small livestock chores, or you are still developing your systems, a tractor may not yet make financial sense. On the other hand, if you find yourself frequently moving heavy materials, mowing large areas, doing loader work (manure, compost, snow), tilling several acres, or making hay, then a tractor becomes a much more essential tool.
Examples of “tractor-worthy” tasks include:
- Brush-hogging pastures or managing fields before they revert to brush or forest.
- Haymaking (mowing, tedding, raking, baling, hauling).
- Tillage and bed preparation (plowing, disking, cultivating, raised bed shaping, stone-picking, ).
- Loader operations (feeding animals, moving compost/manure, snow removal).
- Hauling (wagons, firewood, log skidding, pastured hen houses, hauling sap to a sugar house).
- Post-setting (permanent fencing, small scale structures)
If these tasks fit your operation, a well-chosen tractor is more tool than luxury. Participants in the workshop gained insight into this distinction, especially those who had never operated a tractor before. One attendee, Joe Newlon, an Air Force veteran, shared that climbing into the operator’s seat for the first time shifted his understanding of when and why a tractor becomes essential, saying, “Until today, I didn’t really grasp how much a tractor does. Getting behind the controls for the first time showed me it’s not just a big machine, it’s a tool that makes real farm work possible.”
Matching Weight, Horsepower, and Size to the Job
Once you’ve decided a tractor is the right tool, it’s important to evaluate weight, frame size, and horsepower as separate factors. A tractor that is too light may not have enough ballast or ground contact for safe traction, especially when lifting or pulling, which can increase the chance of instability or tipping. Low horsepower, however, is a different issue. Even a well-ballasted tractor can be underpowered for certain implements, leading to slow performance, stalling, or the inability to operate equipment at the correct speed.
A tractor that is too heavy can cause soil compaction, struggle in soft ground, and be physically oversized for orchards, woods, or small-acreage layouts. Excessive horsepower, meanwhile, often means you are paying for capacity you will not use, and it may require larger, more expensive implements to match the engine’s power. Evaluating each of these factors on its own helps ensure the tractor you choose fits the real conditions and workload of your farm.
General horsepower ranges for small to mid-scale farms:
- 20–40 HP: Suitable for small vegetable operations, orchards, farms under 10 acres. Good for mowing, light loader work, light hauling, seeding tilling and cultivation.
- 40–70 HP: Versatile for diversified farms, livestock operations, and hay producers covering 10-25 acres. Handles heavier implements like plows, discs, planters, seed drills, hay conditioners, square balers or post-hole augers.
- 70 HP and above: Best for farms with more than 25 acres, heavy field tillage, large-scale hay production, loader/backhoe work, or implements that demand high lift or pull (category 2 or 3 hitch).
It is worth noting that higher horsepower machines use more fuel, often need heavier implements, and may be harder to maneuver in tighter farmyards or around high tunnels. Bigger is not always better. Fit the machine to the tasks as well as the farm scale and infrastructure
Ricardo Orellana (L), a participant in the Cornell Small Farms Program’s tractor training held this year at the Homer C. Tompson Research Farm, practices safe tractor operation with guidance from instructor Shane LaBrake (R).
Kacey Deamer / Cornell Small Farms Program
Some additional sizing considerations:
- If you’ll use a front-end loader frequently, ensure lift capacity matches the weight of materials you’ll move.
- Terrain matters: 4WD and good traction are important if you have slopes, mud, snow, or uneven ground. These also help with tillage.
- Storage and maneuvering space: Make sure your farmyard or structures can accommodate the size.
- Future implements: Consider planned growth but avoid oversizing for tasks you may never adopt.
These same principles were emphasized repeatedly during the workshop. As participants practiced on multiple tractor models, they saw firsthand how horsepower and weight affect stability, traction, and safe implement use. Another participant, Ricardo Orellana, shared, “In my opinion it was a great course for building good habits and practices. It was really useful to know more about tractor safety and selecting the right implements for your tractor and your farm.”
Key Features to Look For
Whether new or used, selecting a tractor with the right features is crucial to long-term usability and safety. For many beginning or transitioning farmers, buying used may be financially more realistic, but features still matter. For a comprehensive guide to tractor terminology, visit TYR tractor’s guide. The more you understand tractor functions and common terms, the better equipped you will be to make your decision.
The following is a list of essentials, once understood, that will help you judge the value of a new or used tractor:
- Live hydraulics and live PTO
- Three-point hitch (Category 1 for many small farm implements)
- Diesel engine
- Two sets of hydraulic outlets
- Front-end loader
- Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) and seatbelt
- 4WD
- Moderate hours on used equipment
- Good service/parts network
Many of these safety features were highlighted during the event, especially ROPS use, safe loader operation, and the importance of understanding how PTO and hydraulics behave under load. If you end up with an older tractor that does not have a ROPS or a seatbelt, you should immediately have them installed prior to farm use. There is a national rebate program for the installation of ROPS at: https://www.ropsr4u.org/.
Choosing Implements That Add Real Value
A tractor is only as useful as its implements. Before you buy, list your most time-intensive tasks and choose implements or attachments that address those first.
Common starter implements:
- Front-end loader
- Rotary cutter or mower
- Plow or disc harrow
- Rear blade or box scraper
- Pallet forks or bale spear
During the workshop, hands-on time with implements helped participants understand how these tools interact with the soil, what makes an implement safe or unsafe to attach, and how implements influence overall farm efficiency. Joe Habecker, an active-duty soldier in the U.S. Army, noted how the experience helped him feel more equipped to select the right tools as he works toward starting his own farm.
New vs Used vs Leasing or Renting
This is a pivotal decision. Each option has trade-offs relating to cost, reliability, maintenance, features, and long-term flexibility.
New equipment often comes with a warranty, updated safety features, and strong dealer support, though the upfront cost is higher. Used equipment can be far more economical, but its condition varies widely and usually requires a careful inspection to uncover wear, hidden mechanical issues, or deferred maintenance. Service for older machines may also mean relying on independent mechanics or sourcing hard-to-find parts. Leasing or renting can be a smart option for seasonal needs or for testing what size or style of tractor fits your farm, while also shifting most maintenance responsibilities back to the dealer.
Cost of ownership goes well beyond the sticker price. Fuel consumption, scheduled maintenance, unexpected repairs, replacement parts, tire wear, and insurance all add up over time. Downtime is another hidden cost, since a tractor that sits waiting for parts or repairs disrupts workflow and may require renting equipment at short notice. Participants at the workshop talked through these real-world considerations with instructors while practicing maintenance routines, checking fluids, and troubleshooting common issues, helping them understand how long-term operating costs shape a smart purchasing decision. One instructor shared that the best money he had spent in the previous year was for a shed to protect his tractor so he would have less maintenance costs and downtime.
Service, Maintenance and Local Support
Even reliable tractors require upkeep. Before purchasing, research dealership support, parts availability, and repair services.
A typical maintenance checklist includes:
- Engine oil and filters
- Hydraulic fluid and coolant
- Tire pressure
- Grease fittings
- Belts, hoses, seals
- Loader cylinders and linkages
- PTO and hitch function
Shane LaBrake emphasized daily safety checks and routine maintenance during the classroom sessions, reinforcing the idea that good habits prevent downtime and accidents. “If you make safety checks part of your daily rhythm, everything else falls into place. A few minutes spent looking over your machine can save you hours of trouble later, and it keeps everyone on the farm safer,” said LaBrake.
Planning for Future Growth
Cassandra Garling (L), farmer veteran and a participant in the Cornell Small Farms Program’s tractor training held this year at the Homer C. Tompson Research Farm, practices safe tractor operation with guidance from instructor Ethan Tilebein, Field Assistant, Thompson Vegetable Research Farm.
Kacey Deamer / Cornell Small Farms Program
Your farm equipment needs will evolve over time. Choose a tractor with enough capacity to grow a bit but not so much that you overspend on unused features.
Growth planning tips:
- Buy slightly above current needs
- Avoid paying for far-future features
- Build implement collections gradually
- Consider resale value
- Keep maintenance records
Participants in the training spent time exploring how long-term planning influences smart equipment decisions, and how those decisions, in turn, shape the trajectory of their farms. Instructors encouraged them to think beyond immediate tasks and consider how tractor weight, tire choices, and implement selection affect soil health through compaction, residue management, and field preparation. They also discussed how the right equipment can streamline labor and create safer, more efficient workflows during the busiest parts of the season. These conversations helped workshop attendees see that choosing a tractor is not a one-time purchase, but a decision that guides future infrastructure, cropping plans, and the overall direction of a farm as it grows.
A Thoughtful Investment
Buying a tractor is more than purchasing a piece of equipment, it is selecting a productivity partner. When you take time to assess your needs, match machine and implements to your tasks, and plan for service and growth, you empower your farm for years of success.
The tractor workshop demonstrated how powerful hands-on instruction can be in supporting those decisions. With bilingual teaching, real-time coaching, and a chance to operate multiple machines, the event helped farmers build both skill and confidence. Hands-on time gave participants a chance to start tractors, navigate practice courses, and troubleshoot common issues, all with steady coaching. Many described the experience as empowering and transformative. Habecker reflected, “I have learned so much about tractor safety and operations. I now feel 100% more equipped than I was two days ago when it comes to identifying the appropriate tractor implements and then using the tractor implements as I’m looking to start my own farm in the next two years.”
Resource Spotlight
If you want to learn more about setting those goals and exploring the social, emotional, financial, and ecological aspects of operating a farm business, Cornell Small Farms offers a free Plan Your Farm online course. (https://smallfarmcourses.com/p/plan-your-farm-hub).
National rebate program for the installation of ROPS: https://www.ropsr4u.org/.
For a comprehensive list of tractor terminology that will help you understand differences between machines: (https://tym.world/en/all-how-tos-checklists/tractor-terminology).
For learning more about specific models of tractor you may be considering, the resources at TractorData.com (https://tractordata.com/) are comprehensive.
If you are looking for a used tractor or implements, Tractor House (https://www.tractorhouse.com/), and Fast Line (https://www.fastline.com/) are useful websites for exploring your options.
Shane J. LaBrake is an independent agricultural educator and consultant. He has more than 30 years of experience providing English and Spanish-language training on tractor and chain saw operation, safety and maintenance. He also provides consulting services on equipment selection. While he avoids social media, he readily answers email at: sjlabrake@verizon.net
Sections of this article were inspired by the writings of Rich Tabor, Grazing and Ag Economic Development Specialist with CCE Chenango County and Shane LaBrake, agricultural educator. Any links provided do not imply explicit endorsement by the Cornell Small Farms Program or Cornell
University.
