Big Power, Small Package
With exceptional power for its class, Massey Ferguson® GC Series tractors tackle an array of jobs with unmatched reliability.
By Richard Banks
“I love my Massey,” says Di Rau about her Massey Ferguson GC2400. “My husband says I should do commercials for that tractor. I guess here’s my chance.”
Rau, who owns and operates the three-acre commercial Betsie River Centennial Lily Farm (www.betsieriverlilyfarm.com) near Thompsonville, Mich., expresses such amour for her GC for a variety of reasons. One is its ability to navigate between tight rows. “You can make a really sharp turn,” she says, which is made all the easier with the tractor’s power steering and short wheel base.
While the GC may be considered a subcompact, it’s not lacking for horsepower. “I’m amazed at the power,” says Rau, who’s the fourth generation of her family to live on what is now a 76-acre tract. She uses the GC to pull a tiller, operate a front-end loader and push a snow blower.
“Along with the width and the tractor fitting in between her lilies, the horsepower range was a major consideration for Di,” says Ron Gillison, owner of Gillison’s Variety Fabrication, Rau’s local Massey Ferguson dealer. Gillison explains that many competitors rate their tractors at full rpm. “The GC is rated at about two-thirds rpm. That means you aren’t having to push your tractor as hard to get that horsepower, and it should have a longer life because it’s not having to run wide open.”
“I need that power,” says Rau, and not just on the farm. “The snowfall here is heavy and wet. Most years we get about 200 inches, and I have a quarter-mile-long driveway that I’ve had to do myself. I wanted something reliable that I can operate to push a snow blower. With four-wheel drive, the tractor pushes right through, and doesn’t spin its wheels.”
Making the GC all the more indispensable for Rau is its after-market cab. “I’ve got a heater in it. I can be doing my driveway during one of these cold Michigan winters with a short-sleeve T-shirt on,” she says.
Another reason Rau “loves” her GC: “It’s easy,” she says. “The very first thing, at the top of the list, was that [the tractor] had to be woman-friendly, and the GC is just that. It was also easy to buy,” adds Rau, since the financing packaged offered 0% interest for 72 months. “That allowed me to say, ‘Okay, then, let’s do the bucket too.’ And I’ve never been sorry.”
Comfortable Ride
No matter the tractor’s size, Massey Ferguson designs its operator platforms with plenty of space and ergonomically placed controls. For instance, the GC Series features a left-sided brake pedal and an easy-to-use joystick for controlling front-mounted implements. “It’s very comfortable,” says Di Rau of her GC2400. “The joystick on it is just so natural. It’s so easy to use, too.” For more information, see go.myFarmLife.com/GCseries.