We have Kubota L3200 tractor and we got the backhoe attachment today. We will be starting construction on the out building in the next few weeks so it will come in handy.

We are also using the tractor in the garden. We plowed up our whole backyard. We use it to prepare the yard for the next seasonal garden.

So far, we have been really happy with the tractor. We have had it for two seasons and it really preforms well. I have never has a tractor before and I didn’t know that you just interchanged the parts for the different jobs.  I didn’t grow up on a farm so the best we had was a riding lawn mower.

Tractors are something that “farmers” use. I have always had a visions of farmers on commercials, rugged and dusty with cowboy hats, wearing flannel. I never pictured myself living on a farm. I come from a small farming community but never pictured myself as a “country girl” any more than I pictured myself as a “city girl.” Truth is, big cities and lots of people scare me.. so much going on and so many different people bustling along – going to where they have to be. I like visiting a big city every now and then but I don’t think I could keep up.

My family will be kind of unconventional farmers. When we think of farmer’s, especially when we think of what is portrayed in the media in this country, we think of Middle America, the Bible belt. God fearing men and women who bust their ass everyday only resting to go to church on Sundays and then prepare a big meal for the family. We are unconventional in that we are moving off-grid and becoming self-sufficient because we don’t want to be dependent or reliant on anyone but ourselves for our future. So many people in this country are just two mistakes away from shitting in a bucket on the street. I do not want that for my family. I want to be able to care for my family no matter what. Which is why we are learning skills such as farming, carpentry, preserving food and learning how to make do with what you have.

I’d like to think that this is a step in the right direction and one that many people all over the country are making. Getting out of the rat race and breaking free from our cubicles and making our own way. Stop living in a virtual reality removed from our world and get back to where we once were. Knowing where our food comes from and not consuming so many chemicals that just make us sick and depressed. I don’t want to just “go through the motions” every day, tired from working at a job that has no meaning and the only enjoyment I get out of it is a paycheck. I would rather look at my shelves of canned food and realize that I did something meaningful. Because of my efforts, someone will eat and we will be ok, for a little while until the next harvest comes in.

So I am looking forward to becoming an “unconventional” farmer. I am looking forward to a new adventure and seeing where that road goes and what sights I can see along the way. I am looking forward to being around animals like cows, chickens, goats and horses. I want to have meals with my family at the dinner table and take a break from the busy world around us all.

And yes, I plan on taking you with me!  Now, let’s go dig a hole!