Justin and Rachel Orr always wanted to raise their kids outside with a strong work ethic. So, they bought 10 acres in North Berwick, Maine to make their homesteading dreams a reality. They built their house from the ground up and are currently building out a barn to expand their capabilities.
They currently have 7 Nigerian Dwarf Goats, 30+ Laying Chickens, seasonal meat birds for processing (they just processed 2 dozen), 8 Celadon and Coturnix Quail, 1 American Staffordshire Terrier, and 2 cats. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of work to maintain the land, take care of the animals, and continue to build out their dream. But like many homesteaders, Justin and Rachel both have full time jobs. Justin is a machinist by trade, currently is a Supervisory Process Manager of a Production Department. Rachel is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist, who conducts evaluations of individuals across the lifespan for developmental, neurological, psychological, and medical conditions. She also oversees the regional assessment services for NH and ME for a large group practice.
The bulk of their non-working hours are spent outside, either taking care of the land or reaping the benefits of it. Justin is an avid hunter, fisher, and loves to hike and play sports. Rachel has been a long-time animal lover, but she didn’t grow up with animals in her home, so is loving the homesteading lifestyle.
The couple has been together for 12 years, married for 6, and have 2 adorable children (Cody and Gianna). “This is our 4th house together. We have known that you can always add to the house but can’t always add to property, so we found a place with some extra land to grow and expand into.”
To help them with their projects, they purchased a Mahindra 1626 Tractor with 1626 Loader from Abbotts Power Equipment. It was their first tractor purchase, and one Justin wishes they would have made years ago. “I was a metal worker for 16 years, which was helpful when choosing the ideal tractor. Mahindra’s construction and capacities are superior to all others in its class, and it has made everything from feeding the animals hay, to digging posts, to moving rocks on the land, so much easier.”
Their top tip for new homesteaders is to enjoy it. “Everyone always says to us, “That’s so much work,” and it is, but we find it so rewarding. It instills responsibility in our children and fosters a sense of accomplishment for all of us when we see the finished products. Our children are learning about the value and consequences of hard work, as well as an immense appreciation and respect for animals and their roles in our lives, both for companionship and products (eggs, meat).”
The Orrs have considered opening an LLC to support some of their farm products and business. They plan on expanding their farm animals once they finish the barn (donkeys, pigs, more goats, and maybe some other animals, such as sheep). They hope to breed the goats one day, and also have intentions of planting an orchard and organizing the hundreds of high bush blueberry plants on the property
To connect with the Orr Family, and follow them on their homesteading journey, follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
John Ringeling and his wife dove headfirst into homesteading and farming when they purchased a 30-acre blueberry farm in Chester, Massachusetts in 2013. They had been living in Boston, and were wanting a bit more space for projects, and to feel more connected to the world around them. The Berkshires seemed like the perfect place for them to achieve their dreams; it was close to the city but felt like it was worlds away.
At first, they weren’t planning on being farmers. They were weekend warriors still commuting to their day jobs and maintaining the land as best they could. But as John grew tired of his career in biotech, farm life was calling his name. And at the beginning of the pandemic, he turned it into his full-time operation.
The first two things you must figure out when you have over 1,000 blueberry bushes is how to harvest the blueberries, and what to do with them all. John hires a small group of people in the summer to help with the harvest and has found creative ways to sell his product.
The first is through a partially subsidized Farmer’s market in Summerville, Massachusetts, where they ensure low-income families can buy fresh and local produce.
The second is through restaurants in the Boston area. John found that pickled green blueberries taste like capers, and really brighten and add dimension to a dish. So, he sells them the unripe blueberries for pickling, and the ripened ones for their desserts and pastries.
You’d think that would be enough for a new farmer and homesteader, but John has also built out two greenhouses, where they’re growing chili peppers, tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, currents, schisandra berries, and so much more.
They also have a chicken coop, pigs, a whole maple syrup operation, and a honey business on the property.
John’s wife still works full-time for her corporate job, so John is largely left to tend to the land and the farm on his own.
To help him with his daily tasks, he purchased a Mahindra 2555 Shuttle from CCR Sales and Service in Essex Junction, Vermont. He then got a post hole digger for fencing, a grapple for moving brush and logs, and a subsoiler to loosen the rough mountain soil.
“As a one man show, I need all the help I can get. And my tractor has really extended what I can do. Being able to do something by yourself, just flipping a lever or two, is pretty cool.”
John’s advice for first-time tractor owners is to go as big as you can afford, and to ask questions—to your dealer and to other owners online.
“If you’ve been a potato farmer for 20 years, that means you’ve grown potatoes 20 times. Nothing you’ve done 20 times you’re an expert at.”
You can get some fresh honey and maple syrup from Wild Acres Farm through their Instagram page Instagram.com/WildAcresFarm and follow them to watch as they build their farm and land into an edible forest.
When you grow up on a century farm, working and living off the land is key part of life. And for Abbie Spackman, she hopes to keep it that way.
Abbie grew up on Roundtop Farms in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, raising sheep and growing organic vegetables. The farm has been in her family for over 100 years, and even now, there are 4 generations of Spackmans living and working on their 600+ acres.
They have 2 Mahindra tractors: a 2565 and a 2655, both with cabs, that they purchased from Weldon Equipment in Julian, PA. The cabs are an essential for them, as the weather in Pennsylvania can shift in an instant, so having the climate control for snow, wind, dust, rain, and extreme heat really comes in handy.
Abbie’s full-time job is with AgrAbility PA, a program that provides services and support to farmers with disabilities or long-term health conditions. Her role is to work directly with the farmers, assessing their farms, equipment and tasks, and making recommendations on tools, equipment, modifications and other solutions that will help them continue farming. She then works with companies, vendors, foundations and organizations to help the farmers obtain financial assistance and the assistive technology they need. A big aspect of what she looks at is equipment access, and she loves that Mahindra tractors are accessible and require very little modifications.
During the pandemic, she took on 6 acres at her family’s farm and started a new project: the Heirloom Farmer. She is growing a mix of vegetables from heirloom seeds, which come from open-pollinated plants that pass on similar characteristics and traits from the parent plant to the child plant. Most produce grown today utilizes hybrids, so heirloom seeds and seed saving are becoming less and less common. Abbie hopes to change that, and has been saving seeds for years, and sharing saved seeds with other local farmers.
Her flagship product for the Heirloom Farmer is her family’s heirloom pie pumpkin. Her great-great-grandparents first received the pie pumpkin seeds from the Sioux Indians, and stored them away for over 60 years before her grandfather found them and decided to plant them.
The pie pumpkins get quite large (up to 33 pounds) and have a very unique flavor. Her family realized that the variety could become extinct if they ever lost the seed, so they started seed sharing in the 90’s and continue to do so to this day.
Abbie is also testing other heirloom varieties and ancient grains this year, in the hopes of offering a range of organic heirloom products in the future.
Like many who grew up on the farm, Abbie’s full-time job keeps her away during the week, but her weekends and her heart are with the Heirloom Farmer and Roundtop Farms.
To learn more about Abbie and the Heirloom Farmer, follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
As the Official Tractor of Tough, we strive to make our products as tough as our customers. Being tough can take on a lot of different forms: strength, tenacity, resilience, perseverance, state of mind.
And when it comes to John and Audrey Krafft, they’re as tough as they come.
John and Audrey live on Kraffty Farms in Kenwood, California, up in Sonoma County. They have about 8 acres of land where John was born and raised, and on it they have cows and pigs for meat, chickens for eggs, and bees for honey, goats for ground control, and some dogs to protect the animals.
But John and Audrey’s life changed forever in October of 2017 when the North Bay Fires destroyed their home.
It was a windy night, and John was packing to head out of town for work for a few days. Audrey smelled smoke, but John wrote it off. Then a neighbor called and told them there were fires nearby and they should get out of there. The two of them left with nothing more than John’s overnight bag, expecting to be gone for only a couple of hours. But as they made it to the main road, they realized things were far more significant than they thought. The fire had jumped the highway. Smoke and ash and giant burning embers were everywhere. They feared the worst, and when they finally were able to make it back to their property, confirmed what they expected. Almost everything was destroyed. Their homes and outbuildings and everything inside, their Max 26 tractor and tools. The only things that survived were their animals, and a handful of tractor implements and attachments.
But instead of giving up and losing hope, they immediately decided to rebuild, and use the fire as an opportunity.
John works in mapping, and completely reconfigured the layout to accommodate his new vision for the property and allow for growth. They moved into a 5th wheel on the land, upgraded their tractor to a Mahindra 2555 and got to work.
With both of them working full time at home, they would carve out anytime they could to the rebuild.
They started with the perimeter and used their tractor and an auger to drill and place over 400 fence posts. They then rebuilt the outbuildings for the animals and started on the barn, main house, and guest house.
When we went to visit the Kraffts in April, they had just moved into their new home, and like any homesteader, there is still more work to be done.
Their next projects are to clear space for a garden and start to plant fruits and vegetables to eat and share with their community.
“A really special thing happened after the fires and during this rebuild process. We were never very close or connected to our neighbors before, and now we’re all like a family. We trade our eggs for lemons and produce, help each other with bigger land projects, and try to support one another as much as we can,” said John, about his biggest lessons from the fire.
And John and Audrey are great neighbors to have. John is the local tractor hand, likening having a tractor to having a pickup truck. He often is asked to help clear a tree, move a mailbox, or dig some posts, and happily obliges. And Audrey started her own cookie dough business during the pandemic, offering sugar-free and gluten-free dessert options at their local markets, and teaching baking classes in town.
When asked what advice they have for first time homesteaders, both expressed the importance of having steady jobs where you have the flexibility to work remotely. “We couldn’t do what we do and take care of our animals if we were commuting to an office every day,” said Audrey. They also shared how critical it is to connect with the local community, and not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. “I was never a big community person, and now can’t imagine living any other way. It feels like a very old school way of life, but also a really natural way of life.”
As for tractor tips, John’s biggest advice is to work with a dealer that you trust and have a solid relationship with. “I bought my first tractor and the tractor I have now at Truck Tops in Santa Rosa, and every time I walk in the door, my sales rep Chris knows my name and asks how I’m doing. It’s key to know you can count on them for questions, advice, service and maintenance,” said John, about his dealer experience. His second piece of advice is to go as big as you can afford. “When it comes to tractors, bigger truly is better. And don’t skimp on attachments and implements, either. Because they’re really what gets the job done.”
You can connect with the Krafft family on Instagram @KrafftyFarms to see what they’re up to, and what new projects they’re working on. And if you want to learn more about Audrey’s cookies, check out krafftykitchen.com (we had some…. they’re delicious).
Thank you to Audrey and John for opening your home up to us and sharing your story.
If you’d like to be featured as a part of our Customer Spotlight Series, shoot us an email with a little bit about you and your journey to [email protected]
