Tractor Wagon

We get a lot of use from our wheelbarrows and garden cart. But Dan wanted something that could carry larger, heavier loads than what we can manage with those, especially since most of this year’s firewood is down the hill in the woods. We looked at both new and used pull carts for lawn tractors, but in the end, he decided to build a wagon from an old riding lawn mower.

The only advantage a commercial cart has over Dan’s is that they can dump their loads, while this one can’t. But that’s a small trade-off for making something mostly out of materials we already had. Dan bought only the decking boards, so the entire wagon cost under $20 to make.

Being able to transport larger, heavier loads is the kind of useful convenience that enables us to work smarter not harder. We need to get the job done without wearing ourselves out! And that helps us keep things manageable as we get older.

The right equipment is so important around a homestead, although I have to say it usually takes us awhile to figure it out. That probably sounds strange, but with a limited budget we often do things by hand because at the time there isn’t another choice. As we analyze what we do and how we do it, we discuss options and look for sensible technology; usually the simpler the better. It takes some time to make decisions, but I think we’ve been able to make the best choices for us that way.