Publisher’s Letter: How Did I Survive Without Her?

Blaine Howerton at the controls for the first time on his Kubota Bx23s tractor
By Blaine Howerton, Publisher
North Forty News

After the mile-long block of ice melted on the road to my mountain property, I realized that living up here on the mountain in winter will be nearly impossible with just an ATV and a small blade. I say “here” because I am writing this article from the small mountain writer’s studio I built last summer.

So, I woke up — enter my brand-new Kubota BX23s Tractor!

For years, I knew eventually, I was going to need some heavy equipment. But when I decided that I would be living on my mountain property by summer, I knew I would need “reinforcements” — NOW!

So I visited Wickham Tractor where Darrell sold me my new Kubota. The sales experience was friendly and fast! I highly recommend talking to Darrell about your heavy equipment needs.

After I completed the purchase I was even more excited than my kids!

Since I had never driven a tractor, much less having even ridden on one, I turned to my usual resource: YouTube, about how to operate it. Next, while I was waiting for my options to arrive at the dealership, I went over there and drove it in circles in the parking lot. I parked it and practiced using the backhoe and the loader. And I thought I had handled it pretty well — until it was delivered.

My first project was to widen a small portion of my road so I could park my 2nd hand RV Revela, in a convenient spot. As a newbie, what might have taken me 2 hours, took me 6! But after 10 more hours on the tractor, tackling many other projects, I must say, I’m getting pretty good at it. I have new roads on my property everywhere!

And now with the falling rain, I’m watching patterns of drainage on my road. Ditch digging, here I come! I now realize that my new Kubota will be useful in every season. And, I agree with so many homesteaders on YouTube who swear by their Kubota Tractors — they are workhorses!

Now I just need to name her. Suggestions, anyone? Hit me up, let’s name her together!

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LOCAL NEWS — CRITICAL AT A TIME LIKE THIS!

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