Not sure I see the issue. You mow grass, including sod, when it is at a height where you are going to remove 1/3rd of the blade. So let's say you are going to mow your grass down to 3 inches. When the grass is 4 to 4.5 inches, you mow it. If the old sod is almost at that height, then I doubt the new sod is. So if you go over the whole yard, the newer sod will be under or just at the mowing height, and the blades won't be cut, while the old sod blades are cut to the proper height. Does this make sense?

OK JD, let the games begin. LOL First off, let's keep something in mind. This thread is about giving the OP advice as to which SIZE of tractor might best suit his needs. Any advice given, was done so based on whatever he disclosed. And the words he used were "with a 'real' tractor, like a small Kubota, Kioti, Farmall Cub, etc.?". So, he defined what "a real tractor" meant to him and I took him into an even larger series. So...... please read messages carefully before you attempt to chastise me by saying that I am giving out bad info. If someone has five acres or more that they intend to "develop" (check the OP's own words), then having a tractor with a FEL is very handy, as we both know. Running a tractor with a FEL requires more skills than running a tractor without one. Buying a tractor with a two pedal hydro means that the operator doesn't have to think about whether s/he is in the correct gear or range. The trannys in "real tractors" have no syncromesh. If you have a hydro, there is no clutch to wear out or abuse nor will you grind any gears and possibly chip or break a tooth off of one. You mentioned a shuttle shift and I agree that they are great. I have run 580 Case's, JD's and JCB's with them but all of these are TLB's that are well over sixty hp and far larger than the OP needs. Anyone who has a reasonable amount of experience with hydrostatic drive knows about the instant torque multiplying feature that is attained just by lessening the pressure on the forward pedal or levers. No need to stop, put the shuttle in neutral, shift gears and then proceed in a lower gear to dive into the pile. I suggest that you stop by a New Holland dealer and try a TC45DA with a loader out. With a push of a button, that machine will shift from low range while entering and leaving the pile to high so that you can scoot to where you want to drop the material that's in the bucket. In my mind, it doesn't get any simpler or easier to use for the novice or the pro operator. I operated one of those Boomers and was totally impressed. And if 4 wheel drive isn't needed for loader work, then why is it that Cat, Case, JCB, Deere etc all offer that feature and enjoy massive sales. I am not even going to go into the logic behind having 4 wheel drive on a loader because it's a no-brainer. Especially when using a loader in muddy or slippery conditions, which happens all too often. The Ford 4000 is a good tractor but it weighs a 1000 pounds more than the Boomer, was never offered in 4 WD and was made between 1965 and 1975. On top of that, all you get out of the pump is 5.4 gpm. Any 4000 that is out there is likely to have well over 3000 hours on it after a minimum of thirty-two years. So, why would I advise someone to buy tractor technology that old and with that much wear and tear on it? Your comment about bucking the loader is bad information. Manufacturers install cylinders on loaders that are appropriate for the strength of the loader arms. If anything, they err on the side of safety because they don't need the warranty issues. As for the "arse flipping up", you just provided the very reason for 4WD. The second you push the loader bucket deep into the pile and try to lift the load, the front axle becomes the pivot point, thus unloading weight off of the rear tires. When that happens, the rear tires lose traction and spin. Having 4WD provides the needed tractive power to exit the pile. Having a cab with fully operable windows, allows you to work in cold weather with heat on and it keeps the snow and wind from making your life miserable. In warm weather, the cab keeps the sun off of your body but allows the air to flow right on through. Having AC means you can choose to turn it on or off, as need be. Sure, it takes a few hp to run the compressor but having it can mean the difference between doing that chore during the day or waiting until the crack of dawn the next day. If that task happens to be bush hogging ten acres of tall grass, then give me the cab and AC because if the bush hog is sized properly for the tractor, there is still plenty of ponies left to run the AC on a TC45. If you read the OP's latest comment, he was pleased to learn just how new a tractor he could buy and how much tractor he could buy for the ten grand plus budget he gave. So..... this isn't about which tractor pleases me or you. He has his property and perceived needs and you have yours. When it's all said and done, the final choice rests with him after reading and considering all the advice in this thread. Thanks for posting.

The X300 is a nice choice. For 2 acres with a 42" deck, I think I'd go with the Freedom 42 mulching deck. I picked up used GT series last year that came with the 42M deck. It does a incredible job with a nice cut. Even with taller grass that gets away from me now and then, raise the deck an extra 1/2" or slow down some and no problem at all. I've only got 3/4+ acres to mow, so a 42" works fine. Personally, I think bagging with 42" would be a lot of extra time than needed. 42" isn't all that big of a deck. An X320 with a 48" deck would be an option if bagging wasn't critical. It lists at the same $4K as the X300R rear bagger. I don't know how the mulching option works on the 48" deck, but I might look into that. You can bag with the 48", but with the powerflo requirement, that tractor becomes a bit like the lumbering beast you want to stay away from. If you would consider something other than bagging, I'd look at the Deere X300 with the Freedom 42" deck or the X320 with a 48" set up for side discharge or mulching. I think either would cut your time down more significantly and you'll see the greatest benefit from purchasing a lawn tractor. I guess if you have spent 4-6 hrs in the past, then any rider will be a big improvment.

George, my feeling is that anyone who looks at a few weeds instead of the plants you are growing, just doesn't understand a garden. Mine has good days and bad days, and today is a bad day when it really looks like it needs some attention. The first thing I see are the half dead pea vines. I will probably take them out in a couple of days, but I find it hard to do when they still provide a snack as I walk by. No one but me would notice that there are three climbing squash vines, about four inches tall, just ready to take over their space when they come out, planted at the base of the same trellis. Also, I recognize that some people's weeds are other people's food. I don't have much lambsquarter, but I have a constant problem with poke in my garden. To me it is a weed and I would love not to have it, but that is never going to happen. My neighbor likes it and it grows to be six feet tall and covered with berries and the birds plant it everywhere. I grow dandelions too, but I don't want to. LOL I once had a sign in my house that said, "If you have come to see me, come anytime. If you have come to see my house, make an appointment." I think most people who want to see your garden, just look and what you are growing, and pay little attention to the tasks that haven't been completed. That is especially true of other gardeners, and should we really care what the non-gardeners think? I had a friend in Alaska that had a large family and a busy life. She said her secret to housekeeping was to get up every morning, make sure everyone made their bed, wash the dishes, empty the trash cans, then move the vacuum cleaner to the middle of the living room, and go on with life. If company came, they would just think they caught you in the middle of house cleaning. At the time, I was young and energetic and laughed at her ideas and never once thought of adopting it. As I am typing this, I am resting after completing several difficult chores outside. The kitchen is clean, I'm getting ready to take out the trash, and the vacuum has been setting in the middle of the room for an hour or so. Although I have only met Dorothy and Glenn one time, I feel sure that they will not make any non-favorable decisions about you or your family, based on a few weeds. LOL I have a neighbor with a manicured lawn. At one time, he was going to move and sold his riding lawn mower. They changed their minds about leaving. His next door neighbor bought a new lawn mower and told him to use it anytime. I never see the neighbor who owns the lawn mower using his mower, but his lawn is always mowed. The neighbor who sold his mower mows his lawn, his own lawn, and the neighbor on the other side of him. Then he is also part of the 'rotation' that mows the lawn of the lady that has cancer. This man does not plant vegetables, but decided he would like to do so this year. His plot was tiny, so not room for much of anything, but I offered him plants and seed. His wife kept telling him that she was afraid he wouldn't take care of it and it would look ugly. Everything he owns is in good repair. Several times in the Spring, he would be looking for Al, or his wife wanted to tell me something, and they couldn't reach us by phone. He would walk over and find me in the garden. One day he said, "Gardening is hard work, isn't it?" I said, "Yes, especially in the Spring, but I love it." He didn't plant the garden. He is in his 70's, and has never planted a vegetable garden and had the experience of watching it grow. His plot was tiny and he could easily taken care of it. Maybe if I hadn't made it look hard, he would have.