I am not sponsored or endorsed by Kubota or other mentioned companies in any way. This is simply a write-up of my experience.
When we embarked on this mile-high adventure we knew that we’d need some equipment. Something to dig holes, move lumber and who knows what else. We didn’t know just how much we needed it until it arrived. Being accustomed to using our own brute force - we now have a powerful helping hand.
The Decision
We looked at listings for used equipment and discovered that there were no ‘deals’ to be found by buying used. Tractors hold their value, and old ones cost just as much as new ones.
Curt is a master researcher and so the decision was in his hands. Our criteria were;
Small enough that rolling it back over when flipped will be possible. With such steep terrain, a rollover is likely (almost inevitable) no matter which piece of machinery we buy.
A front-end loader to put logs onto the mill.
Big enough that it won’t fall into a mineshaft.
PTO options
A backhoe
3-point hitch
After hours of laborious research, the BX23S checked all of the boxes. Not only that, but one of the nearest mechanics shops is also a Kubota dealer - making the little orange tractor an obvious choice.
Delivery Day
The delivery truck bringing our new shiny machine wasn’t 4x4, so the tractor had to be delivered down the Mountain. For its maiden voyage I drove it 5km up the road. Bouncing all the way, and occasionally panicking as the machine felt a bit tippy.
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