"We'll never buy another brand," said my farming neighbor of uncountable years. "We'll never have another color except green and yeller mowin' this pasture."
While referring to her obvious John Deere lawn tractor, I made a mental note of her claim. That was over twenty years ago and she's kept her word. While she and her lawn tractor look no different than long ago, she still claims that a John Deere will outlast and outrun anything. I think after this long; I'm apt to believe her.
If you visit the John Deere homepage, you'll be blasted at how many options of machinery you'll have to choose from. From combines to bull dozers, it seems that Deere makes all the equipment that any small town mower or full contract corporation would need.
Since most of us aren't looking to spend a pretty penny on new heavy construction equipment, let's look at something we might use, a John Deere LT190 lawn tractor. With its 18-horsepower engine (something Murray had to compete with their 18.5-horsepower model), it'll definitely 'get er done,' as many of us in the States have heard.
Perhaps John Deere hasn't changed their model for years, because I swear that my neighbor's lawn tractor looks the same as this new model. With its welded cast-iron frame, you'll probably be able to use it to plow an extra field if you really put your mind to it.
The LT190 will cut at about 48-inches (when tested, more like 44) in length and will hold around 2-gallons of fuel. Plus, it's easy to see when you need to fill as it has a clear holding tank. It will do a bustling 5.8-miles per hour and has a turning radius of about 12- to 14-inches.
One of the newest additions to this model is that it has a Xenoy (special weather resistant and durable material) hood and allows you to manage mowing height with a simple dial, no more levers! It has a well designed pedal and lift system that allows you to easily manipulate the deck. Other knob features are conveniently placed and also allow you to manage it entirely without a whole lot of effort.
Thinking back now, I don't think my neighbors have changed mowers. The grass seems to be the same each year, as their cutting pattern doesn't differ from years past. I still see them out there hopping along on what they call their 'green boy'.