We all love winter, especially the kids. It’s a whimsical time of the year, with snowmen and sleds and fireside family fun in the snowy evenings.
But winter has its downsides, the piling up of snow and the back-breaking work of keeping your pathways and garden clear of accumulated snowfall. Well, ladies, your answer is a compact tractor.
They are easy to operate and highly maneuverable, and they aren’t just for those of us lucky enough to live on a great big farm. The smaller models are great for smallholdings between 2 and 5 acres.
Here are some reasons why you might consider a compact tractor for winter, and spoiler, it’s not just for getting rid of snow and ice without breaking a sweat.
Why You Need a Compact Tractor for Winter
Yup, winter is the good ol’ STF season (slip, trip, and fall). Ice and snow on your walkways could lead to liability claims if someone is injured on your property. Moreover, you want to keep your family and children safe.
Takes the Pain Out of Winter Chores
If your husband and teenage son are like mine, get yourself a cocoa and expect a performance come snow shoveling time. And if you are like me, most of the time I do it myself to avoid the rolling eyes and heartbroken sighs of Mr 13 going on 90.
A compact tractor equipped with a snow blower, blade, or plow can quickly and efficiently clear your property. Minus teenage sulks, blisters, or a moaning husband.
Allows You to Take Control of Snow Removal
Snow removal services can be costly, and they often get delayed when big snowstorms hit town. You can also be scammed by fly-by-night contractors who don’t deliver on their promises. These are often the times when you most need them, such as being late for work or taking the kids to school. With a compact tractor, you don’t have to rely on anyone else to get the business done.
Keep Your Family and Friends Safe
Sweeping up after Jack Frost with a compact tractor fitted with a plow beats slugging away for hours in the cold with a shovel. Plows fitted with blades clear the walkways more effectively than a shovel, and prevent slips and falls that might hurt your loved one. You can also get a special attachment to spread de-icing material like salt to ensure safe access to your property.
Uncleared Snow and Ice Is Dangerous
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A Truveta study found that over 13 per 10,000 emergency room visits were due to STFs in the winter months, and what’s worse, they found that figure was three times higher for snowy states like ours.
The most common injuries were wrist and ankle dislocation and fracture, followed by shoulder dislocation, lower back strain, and arm fracture. Ouch!
They also found that these accidents happen to the most vulnerable of us; kids under 17 and people over 65 are the most likely to sustain these kinds of injuries.
How a Compact Tractor Can Help
Compact tractors make it easy to navigate narrow driveways and the tight corners of residential properties with ease. This benefit will stand you well with landscaping, but when winter comes, your landscaping tool becomes a snowscaping tool overnight.
If you have a fireplace or woodstove, you can use a trailer or loader attachment to haul up your firewood. You can even haul up logs if you plan to chop your own supplies. It’s also great for stacking animal feed with a bale spear attachment. It’s also a great way to clear out stalls and pens if you have horses or livestock.
But mostly, your compact tractor can help you clear away that dangerous ice and snow. Here’s how.
5 Best Compact Tractor Attachments for Ohio Winter
You have a variety of attachments to choose from when it comes to your compact tractor.
1. Snow Plow Blade
This attachment is the most popular choice for efficient snow removal in both smaller residential and mid-sized properties. They come in a variety of sizes to match your compact specs, ranging from 60” (5ft) for smaller compacts in residential properties to 126”(10.5 ft) for larger compacts in bigger acreage.
A snow blade for a compact tractor allows you to push snow off driveways, roads, and parking areas, and you can adjust the blade to change the angle of the plow to direct the snow where you want to push it. It’s great for residences with a moderate amount of snowfall.
2. Snow Blower
The snow blower attachment is for heavier snowfall, and it works by sucking up the snow and spitting it out of a chute. The chute is adjustable, so you can direct the snow where it suits you to avoid delicate areas, and it can also get rid of “plow berm, ” those pesky banks of snow that get left at the end of the driveway.
3. Front-End Loader With Snow Bucket
This attachment is great for scooping up and moving heavy, wet snow from inconvenient places to designated ones. It also allows for a higher reach so that you can stack snow or clear snow from elevated areas. The best part is that it’s not just handy for snow, it’s great for landscaping and gardening, such as moving mulch or other materials.
4. Rear Snow Blade
This funky attachment attaches to your compact’s 3-point hitch, allowing you to remove snow driving forward with the blade angled to the side, or driving backwards with the blade angled to push snow away. It’s a great option for clearing the edges of driveways or moving snow buildup in more confined areas.
5. V-Plow Attachment
This tool is an attachment shaped like a V, which is great for clearing heavier snow in tighter spaces. The V shape can be used in different configurations, such as a scoop or a straight edge, making it super versatile and maneuverable.
6: Sand or Salt Spreader
These attachments allow you to double ensure your family’s safety by spreading salt or sand over icy areas. This tool is great for removing ice and making slippery areas safe after you have cleared the snow. You can also use it at the same time if you use a front snow blade and kill two birds with one stone.
Conclusion
Taking your family’s safety into your own hands will give you a warm feeling in winter when you have the means to keep your property clear of ice and snow. With a wide array of attachments, your compact tractor will soon be indispensable to your property when the snow comes down..
But beyond that, your tractor can be an efficient and super fast lawnmower without the moaning husband/sons. It is also a great tool to till and prepare the ground for your vegetable or flower garden in spring.
For example, there are attachments for aerating your soil or cultivating between your veggie rows for weed control. There is the front-end loader too, which is great for moving and spreading mulch, compost, or soil.
But first, let’s get through winter, shall we?
