Backhoe Backstory

  
Before the next few posts I wanted to document and fill you in on the story of the backhoe.

  Last January we were approached by a friend who was looking to split a 20 acre parcel of land near Cedar City. The land came with a well, and a small modular home with solar already up and running. We seriously considered it, but at the time had no money to invest. In hindsight, we are so glad that we didn't have the money at the time. The land was off of a main road that led to a coal mine which had reopened and was used very frequently. When I (Kate) really thought about where I would want a cabin in the woods, that parcel was NOT what I had dreamed of. There also wasn't a ton of potential for me.... especially when I thought about the fact we were going to split it with our friends.  But I am grateful for that experience because it really got Zach and I to focus on saving money so that when we DID find a good chunk of land that we both liked, we would have the means to make it our own.

  After we decided to pass on that piece of land, we had Zach's cousin start to send us tons of listings of property all over Southern Utah. We were very open minded in the amount of acreage and location. We spent all of our free time looking at listings and driving all over to see what was available... all the while saving, saving, saving.

  On March 19th, 2014 Zach casually mentioned to his Dad, who lives in Paragonah UT, that when we buy land we are going to need a backhoe to fix a road and for general construction. The next day he called Zach back letting him know that someone he knew had one for sale. This persons mother had purchased the backhoe 6 years earlier so that when she hired Zach's dad to do yard work it would make it easier and it would go faster.  The woman had passed away 4 years ago and her son had parked the backhoe in his backyard and hadn't moved it since. In fact, there was a tree 4 inches thick growing through the arm of it!!! When Les asked him what he wanted for it... he said we could have it for $1500... but he also couldn't make any promises as to it's condition. He hasn't started it, let alone move it since he had parked it there 4 years ago. Without hesitation, we said NO PROBLEM! We drove up the next day to give him the money.

  Zach and his dad went to pick it up on Saturday morning, March 22nd. He exchanged the money for the key and then set to work on trying to start it up. After tinkering with it for a few minutes the monster roared to life. It purred like a 12,000 pound kitten! He attempted to drive it the 4 miles from Parowan to Paragonah, but the tires shortly gave out due to sun rot. So Zach borrowed his uncles trailer, and hauled it to his parents house.

  WE WERE OWNERS OF A BACKHOE!

  I'm sure loads of people chalked it up to us just being crazy. And that's ok :) because we are.

In July we found Hidden Hills. In October we signed papers, and we became it's landowners.

There is a retired mechanic in Paragonah who said he could help us fix it. So over the past year, whenever he had some time to spare, he worked on our beast. When he would find something that needed fixing... we'd order the part... He'd install it... eat... sleep... repeat. 

Well, on March 28th 2015 (Zach's birthday no less) we got the call that he was officially finished!!!! The backhoe was ready!!! One year and one week after we had initially purchased and brought it "home".

Now... here we are... with 92 Acres begging to be turned into a wilderness dream ranch, a road that needs to be made, and a barn that needs to be built, and our backhoe is rearing and ready to go! Sometimes you have to have the faith to buy a backhoe, and know that the land (and everything else) will come ;)