So what is a farm without a tractor? That is exactly what we thought. I have scouring the Internet for months, looking for the perfect tractor for our new farm. Like any other major purchase, there are several lists. The two big lists are “What I want” and “What I need”.

I tried to remain practical. We have 12 acres of land with about 1/3 open. I didn’t want a tractor that was too small for the property nor did I want one that was too big (if there was such a thing!). I started with a list of the immediate tasks we would use the tractor for. Here is what I came up with:

• Plowing snow in the winter
• Mowing the back fields
• Moving firewood on pallets
• General landscaping
• Clearing brush and logging the occasional trees from the woods

My list for features also had to be practical. I knew I needed a front end loader,  a three point hitch and around 30-50 horse power. Both make a tractor very versatile. I know this because this is not my first tractor. Having grown up on a farm, I remember the limitations and issues with certain tractors. Having a bucket on the front is a very handy tool. Those were my requirements for features. Oh, and I had a rough budget in mind as well.

The three main web sites I looked at when shopping for a used tractor (buying new was within the budget!) were my local Craig’s List, TractorHouse.com and Machine Finder. Since tractors are pretty heavy, I really wanted to find one local that I could drive and look at. Buying a car online, sight unseen is one thing, buying a piece of farm equipment that may have been subject to a lot more abuse is another. I really didn’t want to make a small vacation out of tractor shopping which is unfortunate because tractor prices and availability seem better in the Midwest. Even after you buy the tractor, you still have to figure out how to get it home.

I looked at Craig’s List a lot, given that I knew I was looking at local tractors. Since NH is a small state, I looked at neighboring states too. I talked to friends who knew tractors. I asked questions. “What do you have?”, “How do you like it?” “Is it big enough for your needs and what do you use it for?” This helped me narrow my list. As possible tractors came around, I called and asked more questions. I used a web site called TractorData.com often in my search. I would come across tractor models and brands that I wasn’t familiar with and I used TractorData.com to look up specs and details.

Narrowing things down was a challenge. I found one tractor about an hour away. It was a 4 wheel drive Zetor with a loader. This was a brand I wasn’t familiar with. Turns out it is popular in Canada and Europe. The tractor was very well priced. About half of what a more popular brand would go for for the same size. However, I decided to pass on this one because of concerns for resale (would I be the last owner of this Zetor???) and the nearest dealer was 1½ hours away. The tractor also had a cab which would be nice in the winter but I was concerned it might be harder to get in the barn and restrict my view.

So back and forth I went. Do I settle for an older, two wheel drive model and take the chance that it will remain reliable or do I spend more upfront, get something newer with less hours, more efficient and safer? In the end, that is what we did. We found our John Deere 4510 just 30 minutes away. It is a 2004 model with about 550 hours on it. I was very familiar with a John Deere 4700 which a friend of might had several years ago and loved it. It was the perfect size, not too big and not too small. The price was a little higher than my ideal budget but in the end I think it was the right choice. The sellers were able to deliver it that afternoon which made it a very convenient transaction.

All in all, we are very happy with our tractor choice. It is modern enough to be safe, easy to drive and has already been put to work. We purchased a set of pallet forks for move firewood and brush and a brush hog mower for trimming the fields.  It is a lot of fun to drive as well!

Open pool

Get a handle on septic issues

Build dormer on back of the house

Fix the barn

Buy pick-up truck

Research tractors

Take down dead tree in the back

Build porch furniture

Stack lots of fire wood

Get a handle on bat problem

Put on new back and side roof

Paint five rooms

Finish unpacking

Put in new pine floors in future master suite

….well some things have been accomplished in the past few weeks but it seems there is still much to do around here

It’s been a very busy past couple of weeks. We closed successfully this week on our new farm. We are all very excited and can’t wait to move in. We have some painting to do before the big move but expect to be full time residents by the end of June. Expect more posts as we start to dig in to our homesteading adventures.

• Henry started saying “Mama” during breakfast…it  just melts my heart
• I scored a great patio set and a sleigh bed for Lily at a yard sale this morning
• We had lunch with wonderful friends and enjoyed the beautiful day outside at White Park
• We went to Beech Hill Farm to visit all our favorite critters
• We stopped at Jordan’s Ice Cream on the way home for lemon sorbet
• Everyone is napping and I am enjoying the quiet

We’ve had a lot on our plate this past month and as time passes the kids continue to grow and change.  I sometimes need to remind myself to just slow down and just watch them.  Lily can now pedal a tricycle and swim with just a bubble on her back.  She also uses the potty all day!  Woo-hoo!  Henry mastered sitting in the last couple of weeks and he belly crawls everywhere.  He has a huge interest in cords and the fringe on our living room rug.  Development is simply amazing.

We’ve had a regular heat wave around here the last couple of days with temperatures in the nineties.  Kinda crazy for Spring in New Hampshire!  Yesterday was the first beach day of the year and today we hit the pool.  Lily is not a huge fan of the cold water but still managed to get in both days.  Henry really loved the pool.  The air conditioner is on and both kids are sleeping in diapers.  Who knows, we could be back in turtlenecks by next week…

It’s hard to think of short, reasonably priced activities, within a 1/2 hour of our house, that are also developmentally appropriate for a two year old yet appealing to adults as well.  If you have any ideas I would love to hear them.  We decided to try miniature golf at Pirate’s Cove this past weekend and I think it was a big hit!  They did not charge us for Lily and they gave her a small plastic putter and her own ball.  She had a great time hitting it around (looked more like hockey than golf) and actually got it in the hole on a few occasions.  At the end they even gave her a pirate’s hat and flag.

I’m wearing Henry in the Ergo Baby Carrier.  People stop me and ask about it all the time.  I own a lot of carriers for the kids and this one is by far my favorite.  It can go on the front, back, or side and is extremely comfortable.  I highly recommend it!

Until a few years ago, I did not consider fishing one of my preferred past times. I tried it a few times when I was a kid and found it too laid back for me at that time. Elizabeth reintroduced me to fishing a few years ago while vacationing on Saranac Lake. I became hooked (no pun  intended) and have looked forward to the start of fishing season every Spring since.

Yesterday was the first day of our family’s fishing season. I usually go with my brother who just came home from college.  This year Lily was old enough to join us. Our preferred spot, Shellcamp Pond, look busy when I drove by so we decided to try Turtle Pond in Concord. We were also testing out the boat engine after some winter servicing.

Everything went well. No one got wet, even when it came time to load the boat. Lily reminded me of myself when I was little. Fishing was too boring for her unless the engine was on or there was a fish in hand. I caught two fish, a Yellow Perch and a Sunfish. Lily asked to ‘pet’ each one. We had to explain that you don’t really ‘pet’ fish and that they needed to go back in the water. The motor seems like it is still fouling one cylinder and I am bedazzled as to why. Perhaps this is justification for a different boat some day?

It’s been nice to take a break from house showings this weekend and enjoy some special “Papa time”!

We’re finding that selling a house in this economy is not as easy as we had thought it might be.  We’ve had lots and lots of showings, which means keeping everything clean and clutter free at all times.  With two Labradors, a two year old, a seven month old, and a husband that works out of the house….well let’s just say it has been stressful.

I’m also finding the impending move to be bittersweet.  We’re so excited to move to a farm yet this is my favorite time of the year at our current house.  Everything is in bloom and we’ve been bringing in fresh cut flowers for our showings.  There are so many local playgrounds to visit on these nice days and soon we’ll be able to picnic at the lovely town beach.  My very favorite thing about this house has been the long deck that offers a view of some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever experienced.  I guess we still have some sunsets left to watch.  With any luck some other family will be enjoying our deck by summer’s end.