Cub for production farming

[DavidG]

A couple years ago I farmed 5 acres and bought a Cub for cultivation, which people on the forum helped me repair and learn from until I discovered it was actually a piece of junk. I found an okay Cub to replace it but sold it to a neighbor since the farm I'd used wasn't for rent again.

Next year I have an opportunity to grow some vegetables for wholesale to a CSA, an acre and a half tops of mostly 3-row beds, but also some row crops in the traditional fashion. This is basically an excuse to make a versatile implement setup and get good at using a Cub -- it's just about the perfect tractor for what I want to do. This year I've had use of a 35hp Kubota, which just isn't the same.

I'm excited. I'm also curious, who here uses their Cub for production farming? How about as a main tractor, anyone do anything more than cultivate? How do you find working with the Cub in an actual business setting?

Since this would be my actual job I'll need a Cub that I can rely on and can do the work! Good engine/compression/power, good transmission, hydraulics, governor, no leaks, no smoke. Do Cubs like this appear for sale very often? I mean, should I snatch up the first one I find, since most for-sale cubs require some work?

Thanks for your thoughts,
-David

[Former Member]

Boss hog has the perfect cub for you for sale in the for sale section
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=71838

[ScottyD'sdad]

Cubs are suitable for plowing, disking, making raised beds, cultivating, making furrows, and a number of other uses. My neighbor raises 60 acres of vegetables, for CSA, and roadside stand sales. He uses a cub, for cultivating the smaller plants. I use cubs,on about an acre of crops, and have made raised beds, with disk hillers. Preparing large areas would be done more efficiently, with a bigger tractor, but small acreage is what the cub was designed for. Ed

[Goraidh (Jeff)]

I market garden on a 7-acre farm and use my Cubs for plowing the earth (and snow), disc and springtooth harrowing, cultivating, mowing, and hauling. They work just fine for me. Good luck.

[Tezell]

I cultivate about an acre and I do everything with my Cubs. I "turn" it in the winter, harrow,spray for weeds,plant,fertlize,spray for bugs,cultivate,pull a trailer for harvesting,and then mow it all down and start over. They are excellent little tractors for what I use them for plus I really enjoy them.

[tractordad]

I agree with Dale. Boss's cub is a great cub for your needs. As far as implements, depending on your crops, row spacing, method of planting, etc will need to be determined to decide the proper tillage and planting tools. A standard set of front and rear cultivators would be a smart purchase. They are very universal for many crops. If you plan to direct seed, a planet Jr and a Cole 12mx would be a great start to put in most of your crops. If you want a head start, growing your produce in a greenhouse early and then plant direct once soil temperature can be a great advantage.

[Hengy]

This is opening a can of worms, but depending on what all you want your cub to do, you might want to consider at least a couple... Changing implements can be a pain in the butt... One tractor for mowing and snow plowing, one for plowing and cultivating... Minimize changing implements... Of course if you have a fast hitch, that makes most of the changes easier...

Mike in Gibsonia, PA

[Barnyard]

Mike has the right idea, multible Cubs will do it. Here are several of mine getting a workout all in one day.

[Rudi]

David:

I am very well known in my area for doing things with my Cubs most folks don't think a Cub is capable of. Surprise a lot of folks. Does everything from plowing, discing, harrowing, hilling, tilling, pushing snow, hauling 4 foot logs, twitching 20 and 30 foot logs and a host of other jobs around my 25 acres. Some is fields, gardens and the rest is wood lot. Cubs are very versatile and when used responsibly and within their operating envelope very capable tractors.

I'm also curious, who here uses their Cub for production farming? How about as a main tractor, anyone do anything more than cultivate? How do you find working with the Cub in an actual business setting?

Since this would be my actual job I'll need a Cub that I can rely on and can do the work! Good engine/compression/power, good transmission, hydraulics, governor, no leaks, no smoke. Do Cubs like this appear for sale very often? I mean, should I snatch up the first one I find, since most for-sale cubs require some work?

I am not a production farmer at all. The most production Ellie and Granny will get will be taking care of the Alpacas next year .. however to answer your big question ... no I would not snatch up the first one I come across. Look for one that is in good mechanical order, all there and probably has a fast hitch. That way your Cub will be a bit more versatile. Course then you will have to find some fast hitch implements which although challenging is far easier below the 49th than above ... trust me on that one :lol: Would suggest wheel weights all around as an added touch.

I do have a chum here who lives about 20 kms away who does exactly what you are proposing to do on about 20 acres. He uses a square nosed Cub and an IH 274 for all of his needs on the farm. His Cub is his primary tractor for hilling, planting and cultivating. He sells a lot of his produce at our two major local farmers markets and to local CSA's and Organic Food Stores. So yeah, I think a Cub is exactly what you need. A fast hitch Cub would get you started, but yeah I can see multiple Cubs as a good scenario -- I have 2, 2 in pieces and looking at another 1 :D

[TJG]

where is the 35 hp Kubota going? check out "the Bayou Gardener" and see how he uses a larger tractor to till, cultivate, mark out rows...

Todd

[gitractorman]

A Cub will definitely do what you're planning to do, and would be fun too. If you're mechanically inclined, you could look for an inexpensive one and spend the winter going through it, rebuilding the engine, new seals/gaskets in the rear end, etc. and getting it mechanically sound. Unfortunately, this is probably necessary if you are actually going to use a Cub for real work as it was intended. The one that Boss Hog has for sale would be an excellent candidate if you don't want to spend your winter doing that work, or if you don't have those mechanical talents. He's already been through this one and it's ready for work!

Several folks have brought up the issue of multiple implements. Taking the mower out of the equation, a single cub is perfect for farming as you describe. You really would not be swapping out implements all the time, there's a specific progression of how things would be used (typically).

You'll put the turning plow on in the fall, turning over the previous years dead crops. Winter, install the snow blade for snow removal. In the spring, install the plow again, turning over the field. Next, remove the plow, pull the disks around to break it all up. Next, install your planter and/or cultivators/disk hillers, depending on how you're planting. Then you've got cultivators on for the summer. As you can see, this is why I've taken the mower out of the picture. You're likely NOT going to switch back and forth between cultivators and a mower on a Cub. It's probaly an hour long project and fairly labor intensive, and there's no way to run both at the same time.

If you found a fast-hitch, it could speed up the changing of implements, but it would still be the same progression. Cutting your time from 30 minutes to change out standard implements, to probably 3 mintues to change out fast-hitch implements. In this case, and if you could find a fast-hitch flail mower, then you might be in business for mowing, however, you'd still have to drop the front cultivators. Probalby only take about 30 minutes to drop the cultivators and hook up a fast-hitch flail mower.

Anyway, just some thoughts. I wish I had the land to do what you're talking about. I think it would be a lot of fun. Tons of work, but still would be fun!

[Buzzard Wing]

I am a huge fan of the Fast Hitch. But implements are only get getting scarcer. Lots can be said for a few adjustments to go from plow to disk harrow to mower....

I am also very partial to square nose (yellow) Cubs.

[DavidG]

This is all really encouraging! Thank you all for sharing your and your neighbors' experiences.
For getting the ground ready, how many passes does it really take with this tractor? Plowing of course, then disking...twice? 3x? How long a wait in between? Then spring-tooth harrowing once clods have broken down? And then ready to lay beds/plant? You use the 23A disc? I'm looking at one of those on CL soon.

Boss hog has the perfect cub for you for sale in the for sale section

Oh yes, I sure had seen it there!

This is opening a can of worms, but depending on what all you want your cub to do, you might want to consider at least a couple... Changing implements can be a pain in the butt... One tractor for mowing and snow plowing, one for plowing and cultivating... Minimize changing implements... Of course if you have a fast hitch, that makes most of the changes easier...

A long-term future would definitely include more than one Cub, maybe not in the first year, but I'll keep my eye open. Changing implements is the drawback of any single-tractor farm, particularly if it's a Cub...mostly it'll be adjusting simple things like cultivators though. No mowing. A Cub I bought before had a mower, which I wouldn't want to take off and put back too often at all!

Post by Barnyard » Tue Sep 11, 2012 7:11 pm
Mike has the right idea, multible Cubs will do it. Here are five of mine getting a workout all in one day.

That video is super inspiring! Thanks for sharing. I knew the Cub can do everything after the ground's ready, and you all have convinced me it could do an okay job of ground prep too. I think the Cub I used was pretty underpowered -- I couldn't imagine it plowing and disking like that.

where is the 35 hp Kubota going? check out "the Bayou Gardener" and see how he uses a larger tractor to till, cultivate, mark out rows...

It's owned by the person whose farm I'm managing this year. The hydrostatic foot pedal was pretty sweet. I would want a larger tractor to till, in the future -- and it's likely I could rent a neighbor's, but I feel safer knowing the Cub could handle it if necessary.

-David

[Eugene]

For getting the ground ready, how many passes does it really take with this tractor? Plowing of course, then disking...twice? 3x? How long a wait in between? Then spring-tooth harrowing once clods have broken down? And then ready to lay beds/plant?

There isn't an answer other than it's going to take a lot of passes and seat time.

Of the different single operations, plowing will take the most time. I'm just guessing, not knowing soil type, condition and plot shape, it will probably take 3 to 4 hours to plow 1 1/2 acres with a Cub. Just me, I would do the soil preparation with equipment larger than a Cub.

Some operations you can do at the same time. I disk harrow and pull a peg tooth harrow at the same time with my Cub.

[Barnyard]

For getting the ground ready, how many passes does it really take with this tractor? Plowing of course, then disking...twice? 3x? How long a wait in between?

'm guessing you mean how many times will you have to go over it. In my video I went over it once with the plow and immediately followed once with the disk while the soil was still easy to work with.