Becoming a Green Household

Our family made a big transition this week. We can officially say, “We have become a GREEN household!” I know, I know, pat on the back to us as the invisible audience applauds and the spotlight shines down on us. It takes so much planning for the future. It takes dedication to the process of improvement. It is the knowledge that you are doing something good for your family and household. It is the great feeling of preparation when someone asks the question, you can definitively say “yes, we have become green…how about you?” Want to know how we did it? It was pretty easy actually…we just took the plunge!
My husband grew up with a big dream. He loved to play farm. And it wasn’t your typical farm. Our farm as kids had horses, cows, pigs and lambs. However, Jake and his brother’s farm was a crop farm. Each bedroom was a different crop and all summer they would “cultivate the carpet” and reap the rewards of their hard work. The only tractors, combines, and forage harvesters were all tried and true John Deere’s. His grandpa helped cultivate that dream when he let him help on the family farm. Driving only a “JD”, pinto beans, potatoes, winter wheat, corn and alfalfa were typical crops to see throughout the year, along with a small cow calf operation. I always laugh when we go down to the farm in July. Jake will tell his grandpa how great his corn looks (and Grandpa always has the best corn around) and Grandpa will tell him, “Aw, it looks okay” as he shakes his head in a small nod. Then the “Nebraska horse girl” will later go up to Grandpa and tell him the same thing. You would expect the same response? Nope, I get a big smile and a “Yeah, it really is looking good this year!”
Jake and I met the first week of our freshmen year of college. I lived on the floor above him in the Ag Dorm. I was one of many Equine Science majors in the building and he was the only Agricultural Economics with a Concentration in Farm and Ranch Management. Actually, at the time he was the only one in the college with the major, and after graduation, would be the last one before the college changed the curriculum. Jake wanted to farm, I wanted to raise horses, and together we knew we could make both work somehow. After our first school year, Jake got a glimpse of his dream. Spending the year on a farm in the cab of a John Deere, Jake worked summer fallow. On my visit to the farm, we had a lot of time to share our dreams as we sat in the air-conditioned cab. Yes, it was that BIG of a tractor. Jake was in the driver’s seat and I sat on the lunch box with plenty of room to spread out and be comfortable for a long day of hard work. After school was over, Jake made the decision to put his dream on hold, so I could eventually realize my dream to have a horse operation.
Last May, part one of our dream became a reality. We have our acreage. It was finally time to find a tractor to help us do all of our hard work. Jake scoured the Internet for information. He stalked tractorhouse.com for over a year. He researched makes, models, implements, horsepower, lifting strength and annually maintenance costs. After all of his unbiased investigation, he came to me one night and said, “Sweetie, I don’t think I can do it. It has to be green!” I couldn’t argue with him. I just didn’t have it in me and it wouldn’t have been fair. With paintings on the wall of old John Deere’s, an extra bedroom outfitted with a homemade blanket and pillows, signs, and tractors all around the room, how could I tell him no?
We went to our local equipment dealership and took a look at the multitude of tractors available to us. We had a couple set criteria: a removable loader, 4 wheel drive, a specific list of implements, the ability to lift round bales, and of course it had to be green. After getting some great information from one of the guys there, we came home to do more research on a particular model. Jake found a little 4105 with a loader that fit the bill. The loader can haul 1800 pounds, huh… the size of a round bale. Coincidence? As my hubby would say, “she was meant to come home with us,” like it’s a puppy or something else furry and cute. I tell you what… he worked hard to get me convinced. Can’t you tell? It has skid steer tires on the front so it turns on a dime. It is a diesel and thankfully it doesn’t sound like an airplane taking off as does the pickup. Gotta love boys who like loud toys! And I have to say it is about the easiest thing to maneuver. Even this newly sleep deprived blonde mom can figure it out! Jake once again scoured the Internet to check the pricing we were getting for everything and it all checked out better than expected.
I think that was the longest week and a half in Jake’s life! Driving by his “metal baby” every morning, his heart would start to race as he checked to make sure she was still there waiting for him, calling his name. The test drive clinched the deal. Jake was hooked and only had to do a little convincing to get me completely on board. He pulled out all of the stops, even singing the Kenny Chesney “She Thinks My Tractors Sexy” chorus. Finally, as I was later told, the fourth best day of his life came. His tractor was delivered. As Josh and Jake looked over every aspect of the new toy, Makenzie showed us she was just as excited as her dad. Jumping and talking, Makenzie was ready to go for her first ride on what she sure thinks is HER tractor.

As soon as all the t’s were crossed and the i’s were dotted, Jake was out the door ready to do some mowing. Poor guy! Gets a new toy and his wife tells him 9 o’clock at night probably isn’t the best time to use your new machine for the first time. The next day, Jake heads to work ready to brag about his toy to the rest of his buddies. Now most farm people know, when you say you got a tractor, you mean an actual tractor. Having a lot of “city only” buddies, Jake had to actually pull up a picture to show them the definition of a tractor. By the way, who considers a lawn mower a tractor? And city kids just don’t understand the coolness factor of being able to put the bucket on the ground so the front wheels are suspended in mid-air, flipping two levers, pulling the hydraulic lines, and backing up is all it takes to be loader less. How great is that? Talking to fellow horsewomen, we all can appreciate being able to do all the farm work by ourselves if need be. I can actually put out a round bale then take the loader off and drag an arena all by myself.
Finally, Jake gets the opportunity to drive his “green dream machine” for the first time. Mowing a good section of the acreage, Jake took good use of the daylight while I got Makenzie ready for bed. Only Chex objected to the “monster” that came near his home. Running and bucking with each trip Jake made down the side of the property, gave Chex a little release of some penned up energy since he isn’t allowed in the pasture with the big girls yet. Tonight, Jake finished mowing and while Makenzie was asleep, we got some manure moved into the garden so that it is prepped to be tilled under. Peaches and Roz didn’t share Chex’s opinions about the extremely quiet machine. Wanting to check it out and smell the only non-edible green thing that was coming into the pasture, the only way they would leave us to the task at hand was to give them some alfalfa. Remember, I am not above bribes.
As Jake drove back and forth between the proposed garden site and the pasture, my heart swelled with pride. My “little boy in a candy store” was having such a good time. Each time he came past me I would get a huge smile and a giddy “school girl laugh.” I am so glad that I can finally help Jake realize part of his dream. I am so proud of the fact that we are at such a great point in our lives and that all of our hopes and goals are starting to become realities with consistent patience. Knowing that the “honey to-do list” will get done with less hesitation if a tractor is involved doesn’t hurt either. And that honey do list for the summer is not small. Getting a garden in the ground, disking up an arena, setting up a permanent dog agility course, and building a lean to before fall is just the start of our ever-growing project list. But we have both found new excitement in putting the baby to bed so we can head outside and work until dark, even if it means we don’t finish dinner until 10:30. Additionally, we have a few fellow farm grown friends that we tend to entice with free beer and dinner whenever we need help around the house with a project bigger than the two of us can handle. The phone calls have already started rolling in of said friends offering their assistance with the next venture. This time they are willing to bring their own beer as long as the can come “play.” Oh, I guess the sayings are true…”boys will be boys” and “you gotta love boys and their toys!”

Not only are Jake and I excited, but Makenzie has also found the power of a ride in her pink John Deere t-shirt. Now everyone will know that she is definitely Daddy’s Little Girl as they “Check Out My Ride.” So the only lingering question is do you “Got Greene”?