Review: Swisher Predator 24 - 11hp Brush Mower

Well, I got a new piece of gear for the ranch. A Swisher Predator 24 - 11 hp brush mower. I needed something to handle the tall grass in the fields and small saplings around the property. In a perfect world, I'd have a big 5 foot brush hog and a tractor big enough to pull it for the main part of the field, and this brush mower for the areas where the brush hog doesn't fit. But until I can afford to get a new tractor (my little tractor didn't seem to have enough juice to power a brush hog that I borrowed a while back) I thought this will be a good stop gap. It takes a lot longer to cover a big area than a brush hog, but is a lot less than a new tractor.

Swisher Brush Mower Review from R. Upshaw on Vimeo.

I've used it much more now, and for the most part I'm pleased. If you can pull out the saplings, it makes things much easier. I actually got a Brush Grubber (that I'll review later) to do this part of the job.

The problem with going over it with Swisher is that you leave a little stump behind. It works as advertised, but I don't like all the little stumps. If you're OK with that, then full steam ahead. I've been much happier to pull out the saplings, and be able to mow without the little knobby stumps. I feel like it's a losing battle at this point... It's hard to keep up with everything. I keep telling myself that once I get all these saplings/stumps out, it will be easy to mow! But for now, I'm pushing that rock up the hill.

See you next time!

From City Boy Starts Farmin'