Big Plans Call for a New Bobcat Compact Tractor

A CT445 and attachments help New Jersey family transform their 12-acre property

Developing and maintaining 12 acres in the rural New Jersey countryside requires a dependable compact tractor and attachments, which is exactly why Alan and Suzanne Constance sold their previous brand and switched to a new Bobcat� CT445 compact tractor.

A Bobcat tractor with a front-end loader and rear implements helps Suzanne and Alan Constance maintain their 12-acre property in rural New Jersey.

The couple resides in Hamilton, N.J., with three children, and the 12-acre homestead is surrounded by similar properties, including many farms that raise horses. Seven years ago the family built their home and worked tirelessly to landscape the one acre surrounding the house. That included grading the yard, planting trees and shrubs, and installing pavers for a walk-out patio.

Brand familiarity

Alan had previously operated a Bobcat excavator for light construction and landscaping projects and was familiar with the popular compact equipment brand. When he heard that Bobcat introduced a new line of compact tractors, he did extensive research to determine if it was time to make a switch.

"Alan looks into everything thoroughly," Suzanne says. "He did a lot of online research before we made our decision, and we were very happy with the quality and the price of the Bobcat tractor." Shortly thereafter, the Constances bought their new 45-horsepower tractor with a front-end loader, box blade and sprayer attachment from Garden State Bobcat.

Vineyard plans

Alan spends his days working in law enforcement as a detective for the New Jersey State Patrol, and nights and weekends outside on his tractor. "We were doing quite a bit of nursery work when we bought the property," he says. "We eventually want to transform some of the property into a vineyard, so I"ve been building an access road with the tractor and box blade, and using the front-end loader and bucket to move some materials. We hope to one day start growing hybrid grapevines and sell the grapes to some local wineries that import about 90 percent of their grapes.

A CT445 with front-end loader and sprayer attachment (rear-mounted) help Suzanne and her husband Alan keep their property maintained. The couple plans to build a vineyard and grow grapes for area wineries.

"I still have nursery stock near the house, and I use the rear sprayer attachment on the tractor to spray for borers in the fall and spring, and the yard for weeds." The couple previously used a backpack sprayer, which Suzanne says took considerably longer than the new sprayer mounted on the CT445.

Impressive features

According to Alan, one of the biggest differences between the Bobcat compact tractor and other brands was the hydrostatic transmission on the CT445. "I wanted my wife to get involved with the business and operate the machinery, and I thought the best way to do that was to get a tractor with a hydrostatic transmission," Alan says.

"It"s very simple to operate," Suzanne adds.

Additional features like push-button four-wheel drive and the rear remote three-point position control lever pushed Alan even further to the Bobcat tractor. "I"ve had other brands of tractors and have never seen those options, which are standard on my Bobcat tractor," he says.

As the family"s vineyard business grows in the coming years, the Constances know they have a reliable tractor with time-saving attachments ready to help them complete day-to-day chores and tackle new challenges.

Visit the tractor page to read more about the benefits of Bobcat compact tractors and attachments. You can also check specs, view more pictures and watch videos of Bobcat tractors in action.

New tractor transmission option

Bobcat now offers a Shuttle Shift Transmission (SST) option to complement its Hydrostatic Transmission (HST) compact tractors. This option is available on Bobcat CT335, CT445 and CT450 models. The SST option provides an increase in PTO horsepower along with a wide range of operating speeds, which allows the operator to match ground speed with work requirements, such as mowing and tilling, or spraying and seeding applications. The SST option allows the operator to shift on the go to adjust ground speed without having to stop.

Site Navigation

Equipment Navigation