A tractor or dozer can be a very useful tool to prepare for the fire season. This story shows you a number of ways to put your machine to the task. The information is general in nature. As guidelines and regulations vary from location to location it is imperative to refer to your local authorities before commencing any work.

Also be aware that there are limitations on using certain kinds of machinery, particularly during the fire season.

There are thousands of old tractors still in service in farms all over the country. Many are still performing admirably but some just aren’t up to the job they are being used for.

This brief article may help you to decide if your current machine is right for you and look at some options of what to do with the old girl if it is time to upgrade.

A tractor can be the most useful piece of equipment to the small acreage farmer. Done safely, tractor work can save countless hours of manual labour and be a rewarding experience. However, careless use can cause machinery damage or worse still end in tragedy.

The following is a guide to good safety practices. It is invaluable advice for those new to agricultural machinery and a good refresher for more experienced operators who may have become a little complacent.

Every rural property needs a new water tank at some point. This story shows how an old leaky tank was removed, a new base was constructed and new tank installed.

This property has all of the rainwater from the house roof directed to a small catchment tank which is then pumped to larger storage tanks. When the old catchment tank rusted out it was decided to replace it with a larger one.

A little regular maintenance will keep your tractor running reliably and performing at its best. If you have a basic mechanical aptitude, the following guide is a useful starting point for general maintenance procedures.

It is important that you consult your tractor manual for specific information relating to your tractor. If you feel out of your depth after reading this information, have your tractor serviced by a professional.

A tractor and a few implements can make light work of preparing a home vegetable patch. All you need is an area with good exposure to the sun, access to water and a bit of soil preparation.

Plants need sun to grow. You need to choose a location with a minimum of 4-5 hours direct sunlight per day – the more the better. Where possible choose a location facing north to north east to capture morning sun. Avoid shadows from trees, buildings etc.

If you have an old rainwater tank lying around, rather than throw it away, you can to turn it into a simple bush shed. A bush shed can be very handy for storing firewood, farm implements or parking a dozer out of the rain.

Obviously, you will need a tank. It is surprising how rusty a tank can be on the top and bottom but still have a good wall. This is fine because the tank wall will become the shed roof once the tank is cut in half.

When planning, select a site where the shed opening can face away from the prevailing weather.

Fitting a backhoe to a small acreage tractor can really increase the type of tasks you can take on around the farm. The beauty of a backhoe is it can still be removed and other implements fitted, extending the versatility of your tractor. Advances in affordability, quality and performance have also made the backhoe far more accessible to the average small acreage farmer.

This article provides an overview of what you can do with a backhoe, some tips on operation, types available and things to consider when purchasing one.

If your small acreage tractor has been partially flooded it may be salvageable. The following will give you some basic pointers to evaluate and fix it if possible.

The most important thing is do not attempt to start it until some basic checks have been made. Running an engine with water in it can cause significant damage. If you have any concern that there is water in the engine or clutch it is best to engage a diesel mechanic.

Scotty has put together some basic proceedures, tips and advice for doing self-servicing or your machinery. These servicing tips will help to optimise the performance of your machinery and help to give longer life to your products.

There is helpful information on changing your tractors air filter, oil filter, motor oil, transmission oil, differential oils, power steering, lubrication, servicing brakes and clutch and much more…..

There are plenty of choices when it comes to buying an economical tractor for the small acreage farmer. The following provides a basic guide to help you assess the pros and cons of buying New Vs Refurbished Vs Used.

There are some fairly obvious benefits in buying new. You are not buying into any potential nasty surprises of a machine that is in need of expensive repairs….

All gravel driveways need maintenance from time to time. Armed with a tractor, grader blade and this guide you can whip those potholes and corrugations into shape in no time. A variety of grading techniques can be used depending on the conditions associated with your driveway.

Ripping is a method of breaking up the driveway surface by dragging prongs into it. It is useful where the driveway has become “slick” due to most of the gravel being compacted below the surface by vehicular traffic. Ripping drags this compacted gravel back to the surface.

The chainsaw will always be the first tool the farmer will reach for when collecting firewood. However, smart use of a tractor can make the task safer and easier. Dead trees that are still standing can be a potential hazard. If you choose to take them down yourself, using a tractor can be a good alternative to felling with a chainsaw.

Only small trees can be pulled over this way but the advantage is you can keep your distance when doing it. The other advantage is you won’t be left with a stump as that will come out too if you are lucky.

There is a lot of uneven ground out there and there are a number of implements that can be used with a small acreage tractor to level things out.

Levelling implements vary and include grader blades, box blades, 4-in-1 front end loader buckets, dozer blades, pasture harrows and levelling bars.

The humble tractor is only as useful as the implements you attach to it. The ability to quickly and easily change implements makes the small acreage tractor far more versatile for the average hobby farmer. The following will show you how to make light work of changing implements. Implements can be broken into three types:

- 3 point linkage (3 PL) connections – Power take off (PTO) connections – Hydraulic connections.

If a tractor is the most useful tool around the small acreage farm, then the 4-in-1 bucket would arguably be the most versatile attachment. Standard front end loaders have been available on small acreage tractors for many years. In recent years, 4-in-1 buckets have become more accessible on small tractors as the affordability and quality has improved.

This article provides a brief description of the functions of the 4-in-1 bucket, some dos and don’ts in operation and what to look out for when purchasing one.

If you’ve got the space, what could be more fun for the kids than having a dirt bike track? This guide gives you tips on how to build a basic track suitable for mini bikes or BMXs using a tractor and front end loader.

You need a location that won’t be a hassle for the neighbours or upset council. Think about the noise and dust that will be generated and talk to your neighbours if you think there will be a problem.

This project involved improving the property frontage in two ways. A basic vehicular access was created and a dilapidated wire fence was replaced with a simple rail fence. A compact dozer was used for the job as the blade was perfect for cutting in the driveway and the machine had a PTO enabling a post hole digger to be used.

The entrance had originally been used for tractor access from the road into a side paddock. The area had since been converted into a lawn / garden and a dry weather car entrance was required.

Draining water away from a boggy area can make your land more usable. This article shows you how some sub-surface drainage was installed using a backhoe and a few simple materials.

If you have an area where water tends to lie, you need to get gravity on your side to make it flow away. This is achieved by creating a channel or drain which falls to a lower point. Some drains are left exposed – these are known as open drains. Alternatively the drain can be buried. These are known as sub surface drains.

If you are lucky enough to own a horse, a simple structure with an enclosure will shelter it from the weather and make it easier to manage.

In a previous project, a basic bush shed had been built using an old rainwater tank. It was decided to convert this into a shelter/yard for a miniature horse. It was built to “full scale” so it would accommodate large horses as well.