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High Green Farm



Joined: 30 Nov 2004
Posts: 349
Location: Mid-Suffolk
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 11:51 am    Post subject: Ride on Lawnmowers Reply with quote
    

Anyone out there with any experience of ride on lawn mowers? I am wasting too much time walking behind a silly little mower for 4 hours each weekend and want something bigger! Need a mower that will cut about an acre of lawn etc, plus something big enough to do some of the paddocks on an occasional basis.

Have a second hand John Deere on loan from a local supplier, and am very impressed with it. I have heard someone say that the pasts for John Deeres can be expensive though....any ideas or experiences to share?

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm really not being silly - what about sheep?

thos



Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 1139
Location: Jauche, Duchy of Brabant (Bourgogne-ci) and Charolles, Duchy of Burgundy (Bourgogne-ça)
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 11:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Bugs wrote:
I'm really not being silly - what about sheep?

No, you want a proper shearing tool for sheep. A ride-on-mower will get the fur all messy.

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We have an arrangement with one of our neighbours - he stores his ride-on in our barn and we get free use of it. This is a Murray - very basic and an ex-Council machine. I think our neighbour paid about £300 for it at auction.
Even without a grass collector bit on the back, it certainly beats the heck out of using a scythe, which was what we were doing before the neighbour took pity on us!
If you can find an auction house that specialises in ag equipment, you should be able to get one for a lot less than the as-new prices.

selfsufficientish



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 364
Location: Bristol
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I heard on the radio the other day that lawnmowers are worse for the environment than cars, a lot worse. Something to do with a two stroke and oil being in with the petrol causing different emmisions. Can't remember all the exact details. I sure sheep are a lot more environmentaly friendly if you don't like sheep what about goats

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Goats will probably prefer the rose bushes, and doesn't Seymour say something about them spending all their time working out how to escape?

What about rabbits?

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Or a wildflower meadow? That's an excellent excuse.

What on earth do you want an acre of lawn for?

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Bugs wrote:
What on earth do you want an acre of lawn for?


That's the real question, what a monumental waste of space....

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Give the man a break . Sheep and goats will wreck everything in sight - would you want all your favourite trees and shrubs to be ring-barked? It isn't a pretty sight. And wildflower meadows still have to be cut down after they have flowered.

Anyway, ride-on mowers are fun!

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

But, but, but...so much lawn! What about fruit trees and asparagus beds and shrubs and things.

Anyway, he keeps pigs, he's teetering on the edge...I bet he really wants sheep

(PS High Green Farm, I'm not having a go, I'm just jealous - you don't strike me as the lawn type so there must be a reason behind it!)

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Not being mean, just saying that there's plenty of low maintenance food producing ideas for that acre out there....

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

How about guineapigs? They are apparently very tasty, and would keep the lawn down without doing too much damage.

Bugs



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That's the spirit, Judith

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

How do you keep them in, don't they burrow?

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 05 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

No, I don't think they burrow. I was thinking of 8 x 4 guineapig tractors. Perhaps 10 beasts per tractor. 20 tractors to the acre. Move these every day to keep the grass nibbled and the ground sweet.
Probably needs a bit more thought, but do you think it is a goer?

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