Farm and Homestead Equipment is a brand new business. We’re just getting started and would like to introduce our business to the community and potential customers. We are a family owned business with a mission to meet the unique challenges of small farms, homesteads and land managers in our community. Our goal is to provide unique and quality equipment for both individuals and organizations in our community.
The origin of the business was based on our own search for equipment to meet some of the unique challenges of our own small “hobby farm.” Our family is fortunate that we have a small acreage where we raise animals, garden, and produce small hay and grain crops. While we are definitely far from “self-sufficient” and purchase food, farm supplies, etc. from local grocery stores and many other businesses, we appreciate being able to grow and produce significant portions of our own food. We enjoy the fresh food in the summer as well as home preserved fruits and vegetables, meat and eggs throughout the year.
The Covid pandemic and supply chain problems it created, followed by the widespread drought of last year really drove home for us the importance of “doing more where you are”. And with the resources we have on our small farm we have strived to do just that. Most years we produce enough hay for our animals, however, this year our herd was a bit larger, our hay was not as productive as we hoped, and it was hard to buy hay locally. As my husband mowed the grass around our fruit trees for hay, it was clear the standard size mower, rake and baler were going to leave valuable hay in several tight spaces and between trees it could not fit between. And, we saw it as a waste – and a shame. We did eventually find enough hay to purchase to get through the winter, but it was over an hour drive from us thus costing more in fuel, time and frustration. Others faced the same concern with hay shortages and, of course, there are many, many other challenges based on the size, type and focus of the operation. But it was one of our motivators to research better options for our small operation.
My husband’s research into smaller and adaptable equipment peaked our interest further and expanded our focus. It appears that there is an increasing need for more options to address the unique challenges that both individuals and organizations are encountering in small farming, hobby farming, homesteading and just wanting to do more with the land. There are many unique equipment options, beyond the small hay equipment that help address small homestead and urban farming challenges, and we find them very exciting. For example, a two-wheel, walk-behind tractor with diverse attachments designed specifically for small farms, difficult terrain, and specialized tasks. This option might better meet the needs of a small operation at a lower cost while still providing more flexibility due to the many attachments available.
We started on this business journey by trying to find equipment better suited to our needs and to make better use of the resources on our land. Now it has also become a challenge to find and offer unique, quality equipment options to others so they too can do more with their land and resources. Whether it is maximizing limited space or finding ways to manage larger spaces easier and more efficiently, we are hoping to be part of meeting that challenge.
