In the summer of 2018, Charlie and Brianna Faust made a brave decision to quit their office jobs and move to their family’s farm just outside of Long Prairie, Minnesota. Charlie, Brianna and their three children are the fourth-generation of Fausts to live on the property. 

Today, the sixth-generation farmers are thriving, along with their no-till, regenerative, fresh-cut flower farm.

When they first moved to the farm, Charlie worked soybean, corn and small grain fields, while Brianna renovated their 1924 farmhouse and watched over their tiny farmers. As the home renovations began to slow down, the family was searching for more ways to utilize the land they called home. 

Brianna has always loved working with her hands and bringing creativity to any project. After researching sustainable, fun tasks, Charlie proposed that the family start a large garden. Brianna agreed as long as they could grow flowers alongside the vegetables. In the spring of 2020, the Faust family purchased a hearty amount of seeds and got to work. 

The family planted flowers and vegetables on a one acre lot, watching with excitement as they grew tall and brought increased activity to the farm. The activity continued offsite, as the Faust’s flowers were wowing visitors at the Long Prairie farmers market. Brianna and Charlie knew their family was on the cusp of something big. 

In order to become more serious about growing fresh-cut blooms, the family knew they’d need to plant a wide variety of flowers. They also knew that they’d need an extra hand around the property – which came to them in the form of a 2004 Kubota RTV. 

Their RTV assists them in transporting flowers and tools, dumping compost, pulling and laying fabric for seed beds and traversing the farm quickly. It was extremely helpful in the family’s completion of a 30’ x 96’ high-tunnel structure, which allowed them to extend their growing season. 

But Mother Nature had a hurdle in store for the Fausts. Long Prairie, Minnesota experienced a major drought in 2021, halting their growing season and showcasing an immediate need for reliable irrigation systems. With the drought behind them and lessons learned, the Fausts decided to focus on flower and vegetable production, officially becoming Back Forty Flower Farm. 

The Faust family is constantly learning new lessons surrounding flower production, but maintains their standard of no-till regenerative growing without pesticides or herbicides. Instead, they focus on soil health and sustainable growing practices. Whether Charlie, Brianna or their childrens’ hands touch the seedling, each flower grown on Back Forty Flower Farm is cared for up to the time of cutting. 

The family currently grows tulips, ranunculus, peonies, sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, amaranth, statices, dahlias and more. 

Back Forty Flower Farm sells specialty bulbs, flower subscriptions, merchandise and more from their website. Orders can be shipped to customers or delivered within a 15-mile radius. Brianna also has a makeshift farm stand on the farm and would love to expand their sales operations, once their kids are older. 

The Fausts are staying busy with their new passion and hope to grow that same passion in others. You can learn more about Back Forty Flower Farms, browse their store, download growing resource guides and explore a seed library from their website. 

Everything at Ouroboros Farmstead has a purpose. It’s quite literally a closed-loop system, one that embodies a commitment to permaculture and sustainability. There are infinite possibilities, all fueled by the passion that goes into operating the farmstead – owed entirely to its caretakers Andy and Kelsey Lunsmann. 

The Lunsmanns raise Suri alpacas, a breed that makes up around 10% of the alpaca population in the United States. Suri alpacas are distinguishable by their dense fiber, which hangs from their body in a similar way to dreadlocks. Prior to starting their farmstead, neither Andy nor Kelsey had a background in farming or raising animals. Fortunately, they were quick learners. 

As the two learned about permaculture and regenerative farming, alpacas seemed like the solution to their mission. Knowing that they wanted to explore alpaca products, they were originally drawn to Suri alpacas for their uniqueness and the qualities of their fiber. 

Alpacas also clip plants when grazing, rather than uprooting them. Their padded feet prevent them from tearing up pastures and their dung acts as a cold fertilizer. This allows the Lunsmanns to take manure from the communal dung pile and move it into their garden without going through the longer composting process required for horse or cow manure, closing the farm’s production loop. 

With 10 alpacas -- five females and five males -- plus rabbits, chickens, ducks, bees, barn cats, a livestock guardian dog and companion pooch, the Lunsmanns have to get up early to get everyone fed and ready for the day… not to mention themselves. They both work full-time jobs, but Kelsey is able to work from home. This flexibility has been a huge relief for the two, as she can go out during the day and check on animals, refill water, assist in births and address any issues on the farmstead. 

When they’re not caring for their animals, the Lunsmanns stay busy tackling projects on their farm. Thanks to a Kubota L3560 tractor and RTV X1140 utility vehicle, the two are adept weekend warriors. Fencing, landscaping, moving manure, burning brush and other chores typically take place outside of the traditional work week. 

The two are united in their commitment to raising high-quality alpacas, even taking the livestock to animal shows across the country and learning more about breeding them in the process. 

While Ouroboros Farmstead isn’t open to the public yet, the two are looking to host educational events, community “meet and greets” with the alpacas and are even considering building an Airbnb or Harvest Host option for guests to stay on the farm. 

Recently, the Lunsmanns launched their online store featuring alpaca-fiber hats, socks, dryer balls, hand-woven scarves and insoles – a great gift idea for holiday shoppers. They’ve also partnered with other alpaca farms in the area to sell artisan goods. You can learn more about Ouroboros Farmstead and the Lunsmann’s commitment to permaculture by visiting their website. 

Wine has long been regarded as art you can experience, taste and feel. Penns Woods Winery, located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, is letting visitors and wine enthusiasts across the globe savor an authentic Pennsylvania viticulture experience. 

Gino Razzi, an Italian immigrant and USMC veteran, began the vineyard 22 years ago. His home region of Abruzzo, Italy opened his eyes and taste buds to world-class wines. leading him to start his career in the industry as a wine importer. He quickly realized, however, his passion was encouraging and pioneering viticulture in his adopted home of Pennsylvania. 

When searching for a winery, he came across a seven-acre, established vineyard in Chadds Ford, PA.  Gino knew that this was where he wanted to begin crafting world-class wines. So, he took over the vineyard, bringing the old vines back to life and planting new ones along the way. This special vineyard site is just one of two in the United States within the boundaries of a national park.

Today, Penns Woods Winery grows 40 acres of vines across three different sites in Southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2009, Gino brought on help from his daughter Carley. The two now operate the winery together, although they argue the vineyard does most of the work. All grapes used in Penns Woods Winery wines are 100% grown in Pennsylvania and offer the perfect balance of brix and acidity.

The unique flavors of Pennsylvania soil allow the Razzis to craft European-style wines, from 11 different varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Traminette, Moscato Canelli, Moscato d'Amburgo, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Carmine, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their passion and commitment to putting Pennsylvania on the map has earned them top awards and a global presence, earning high ratings, including 90-94.5 awards from James Suckling. 

The family relies on three Kubota M8540 tractors to maneuver around vine rows, trellises and vine canopies. They placed a strong focus on sustainable farming and viticulture from the start, which led to their decision to purchase reliable equipment that they knew could handle the demands of a vineyard. 

By day, Penns Woods Winery offers a luxurious winery experience for visitors and tourists, amplified by its proximity to First State National Park. Visitors can visit the winery’s beautiful tasting room, embark on a vineyard tour and even reserve the winery for events and celebrations. In addition, Penn Woods Winery features a rotation of exciting events, including live music, wine education classes, craft workshops, wine pairings (January-March), the Derby at the Vineyard horse show, collaborative classes with park rangers and more. 

Penns Woods Winery proudly celebrates Pennsylvania Wine Month in October, alongside fundraising efforts for Breast Cancer, donating $2 of every bottle of Rosé sold to Unite for Her. The winery also supports Hops & Vines for Hunger in PA, donating 10% of its mulled wine sales in November to Feeding Pennsylvania. 

While the wine region may be relatively young, the family is finding old fashioned-success in their commitment to the craft of winemaking, sustainable farming and inviting the community into their passion. 

Follow @pennswoodswine or visit pennswoodswinery.com for more information.  

Jagroop Sidhu’s family migrated from India to America in the 1980s, with the dream of owning and operating their own business. His parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents began working as migrant workers, taking jobs in the trucking, medical, postal and motel industries. Little did the Sidhu family know that one day they’d own a sprawling California vineyard of their own. 

Jagroop (Jag for short) was born and raised in California and learned from an early age just how important wine is to the state and the region. After graduating high school, he joined the Marine Corps and was deployed twice during his service. Jag had toyed around with the idea of real estate during his time in the Corps and, after finishing his service, decided to poke around in investment properties and other opportunities to grow his family’s wealth. Ultimately, he wanted to give back to California communities.

In 2022, Jag’s hard work paid off and the Sidhu family acquired Sidhu Family Vineyards. 

Sidhu Family Vineyards is located in Galt, California and features 40 acres of vineyards. The farm is a Tannat vineyard that was planted in 2014 and operates year-round. Tannat grapes are typically grown in Southwest Spain and are also considered the national grape of Uruguay. Jag’s farm is one of very few in California that grows the variety of grapes. 

In order to maintain the vineyard, the Sidhu family purchased a Kubota M5N-11 Narrow Series Utility Tractor and RTV520 side-by-side to assist them in their operations, and they’ve been blown away by their reliability. 

“It has the horsepower we need and the capability, as far as the implement attachments and the three-point [hitch], and the capability to add any kind of attachment to the front, if needed,” said Jag. 

Sidhu Family Vineyards is family-owned and run. Jag and his family are typically the ones working on the vineyard, but he has a hired team of 20 to 30 people to help him with the pruning. He estimates there are 30,000 vines or more that need to be regularly pruned.

The spring and summer months require discing the fields, pruning, spraying for weeds and pests, as well as fertilizing the vineyard. The Sidhu’s Kubota M5N-11 Narrow fits perfectly in their crop rows and helps them disc the fields, and the RTV520 lets them traverse the vineyard with ease and keep an eye on the vines. Jag and his family usually harvest their vineyards during the first weeks of October. They’ve found a buyer in the Lodi, California area and sell their grapes directly to the buyer, who then sells wine with the Sidhu family’s toil and effort to be enjoyed all over the world. 

Jag and the Sidhu family couldn’t be more pleased with Sidhu Family Vineyards, a testament to the family’s legacy of business. A business they can call their own. A business that communities in California can taste and see the Sidhu difference. 

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Most of us only think about reindeer when wrapping paper, cookies and sleighs are involved. Daniel Connell and Tanya Clarke made reindeer a part of their lives year-round when they opened Goldendale Reindeer.

The two are married, emergency room RNs and have had their fair share of difficult days on the job. During their days off, Daniel and Tanya prioritize traveling and spending time outdoors. Some of their adventures took them to farms and cities. A few years ago, the two visited a reindeer farm and Tanya fell in love with the big, adorable animals.

Tanya followed every reindeer farm she could find on social media, bought informational books and started to learn everything she could about them. It quickly became an obsession! She couldn’t get enough of them.

Then, COVID-19 hit and the two found themselves in a constant cycle of boredom at home and being overburdened at work. After a difficult night in the emergency room, Tanya asked Daniel if they could open a reindeer farm. His response?

“Okay.”

Some state regulations make it incredibly difficult to keep reindeer, so Daniel and Tanya turned to Washington. The two looked at South Central Washington and fell in love with the town of Goldendale. They purchased a five-acre farm near town and got to work.

When Daniel and Tanya bought their acreage, they knew they needed a tractor to help them maintain and develop it. But neither of them knew anything about machinery. Daniel’s favorite color? Orange. What did they end up going with? A Kubota L2501, complete with a front bucket, backhoe, mowing deck, box blade and post hole digger! 

Their L2501 and backhoe helped them install 400-feet of water pipe, while the post hole digger assisted them in fencing their property with ease.  As the needs of Goldendale Reindeer have grown, so have the requirements in their tractor. The two have been thrilled with their Kubota and Daniel thinks their next tractor will be bigger and include a cab for those extra windy days.

Once they’d prepared their dream farm for animals, they purchased five reindeer and a livestock guardian dog. Now, Daniel and Tanya have six reindeer, one of them being a breeding bull. Three of their reindeer are pregnant and they’re excited to keep adding to the herd!

In August 2021, Daniel and Tanya received their USDA Certification, which is required to provide public access and tours on the farm. Two months later, they opened up for tours at Goldendale Reindeer.

Daniel and Tanya typically take groups of 12 people through their barn and have Reindeer Rumination Time, an opportunity to let people get up close and share facts about the reindeer with guests. Afterwards, they hold a quick safety briefing and bring everyone into the enclosure where they get to pet, feed, interact, take photos and experience hands-on learning with the animals.

Goldendale Reindeer also holds a Believe in the Magic of Christmas event on Saturdays and Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Daniel and Tanya play Christmas music, have fire pits and treats, Reindeer Rumination Time and even have Santa and Mrs. Claus visit. They also encourage picnics on their farm, live music and community engagement. After the isolation they experienced during COVID-19, Daniel and Tanya want to bring the joy of reindeer to everyone.

You can follow Daniel and Tanya on their Goldendale Reindeer journey by visiting their website, Facebook or Instagram page.

When your last name is Lucky, you grow up knowing that life has exciting and unpredictable things in store for you.

Larry Lucky met Corie 20 years ago in a young adults ministry at their church. Corie was a performer and Larry asked if he could book her for a church event. This led to a long friendship between the two, a friendship that Larry wanted to take to the next level. The two kept their friendship strong and, after 15 years of persistence and devotion, the two got married.

Larry works in sound production and has contributed to big shows such as HGTV's Bargain Mansions and programs on Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network. But Larry’s entrepreneurial spirit and Corie’s talents would lead them to try something new.

They began as a small operation, working with sellers and growers in other countries to provide savory coffee to customers. Larry’s vision for the company was matched perfectly with Corie’s experience as a teacher and business endeavors of her own. The two made for perfect business partners.

After selling and working with coffee grown in other countries, Larry decided that he wanted to focus the business on American-made products. One morning, the name American Joe Coffee struck him. And then a jingle popped into Larry’s mind.

The couple began speaking with growers and roasters, sorting through option after option, before finding a roaster in Kansas City, MO. American Joe Coffee made its way onto store shelves just nine months later, in September 2022.

American Joe Coffee is grown and harvested in Hawaii, then small-batch roasted in Kansas City, MO. As Larry puts it, American Joe Coffee is 100% American from bean to cup*. The coffee bags even won an ad award for their design, an impressive feat for a young company!

Both Larry and Corie are Navy “brats” and they proudly name their coffee lines after the Pacific fleet. Pearl Harbor and Tropic Lightning are Medium-Dark roast blends and honor the Luckys' Navy heritage. Larry’s dad’s ship was named after Ensign Steven W. Groves, a Navy Cross recipient due to his heroic actions during the battle of Midway in World War II. They’ve carried on their families’ naval legacy by partnering with the Military Child Education Coalition, a foundation that seeks to support and prepare all military-connected children for life.

The Luckys live on 11.5 acres of land and their long-term goal for the property is to grow an assortment of crops, including coffee. Naturally, they needed a tractor. After researching models and implements, they visited their local Kubota dealer and purchased a Kubota tractor, complete with a cab, for year-round performance.

The Luckys couldn’t be more excited for the future of their marriage, American Joe Coffee and their property. Larry’s desire to chart his own path wasn’t without obstacles. But it’s Larry and Corie’s commitment to overcoming those obstacles, together, that helped American Joe Coffee break free from an idea and become something so much more.

Larry’s tenacity is backed by his personal mantra, “You have to go after your dream and if you don’t, someone will hire you to go after theirs.”

For more information on American Joe Coffee visit americanjoecoffee.com.

* We would like to clarify that our American Joe Pearl Harbor is 100% American Grown and American Joe Tropic Lightning is 51% American Grown and 49% U.S. Ally (Brazil for this blend)

Julia Griffin was studying nutrition in college when she realized she didn’t know how to grow the healthy foods that she was learning about. These thoughts began to eat at her (pun intended), and she knew she had to do something about it. So, Julia began volunteering at a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in Detroit, Michigan. 

At the farm, Julia discovered an immense love for flowers and the process of growing them. She started working full time at the CSA farm and began designing floral arrangements for weddings and other events.

Julia took what she learned at the farm and decided that she wanted to start her own farm, focused on floral design and higher-end products. She started with three city lots next to her house and quickly ran out of room. Her husband agreed that the two were going to need more land, so the Griffins moved to an 11-acre property in Dexter, Michigan. It was here that Julia began sowing the seeds for her cut-flower farm.

In order to help the Griffins build and maintain their new farm, they bought a Kubota LX Series compact tractor, plus a tiller and brushhog attachment, the same day that they bought their house. Julia always knew that she’d have a Kubota, as all of her farming friends and teachers recommended Kubota to her. 

Willa Rose Floral keeps flowers blooming the entire season and usually has a full amount to sell every week. The farm grows a variety of perennials, annuals and native flowers, utilizing natural growing processes. Julia often hosts bees from Bees in the D, a Detroit-based group focused on educating and preserving bee populations, and lets nature’s pollinators help her work her magic.

Julia runs Willa Rose Floral by herself, but she hires several employees throughout the season to help her with wedding and design work. Willa Rose Floral’s growing season is usually April through October (sometimes November, depending on frost). Julia is busiest in the spring and finds late summer and early fall to be her biggest production time. She specializes in tulips during the spring and shifts to dahlias and other summer flowers in the later months.

Growing such beautiful flowers and creating captivating arrangements allowed Julia to practice another love of hers - photography. She quickly found a following on Instagram and her photographer’s eye made for free marketing and community outreach. Julia absolutely loves when people engage with her pictures and discover Willa Rose Floral’s services from her social media platforms. 

“Building this farm has been such an incredible journey so far. One with lots of high and lows, some tears, lots of stress, some wins and most importantly so much learning,” said Julia. She never saw herself working in an office, and considers herself lucky to work outside every day. It's her favorite part of running Willa Rose Floral and no two days are the same! 

Julia hosts several events and workshops throughout the growing season, promoting her mission and Willa Rose Floral to her community. You can follow her journey and see Julia’s stunning photography over on her Instagram or learn more about Willa Rose Floral by visiting her website.

As a firefighter and paramedic in the Greater Chicago area, Brent Hullinger works long hours to ensure his community's safety.  His days off are well deserved. But what does Brent do on those days off? He doesn’t rest… he builds ponds and water features, with a big assist from Kubota equipment. 

In 2017, Brent opened The Pond Beyond, LLC, a direct result of the skills he honed in his free time. The Pond Beyond tackles everything from designing layouts to installing custom features such as waterfalls, koi ponds and other decorative water features. The Pond Beyond is based out of Chicago, but Brent has had the chance to work on projects in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. The company is a Certified Aquascape™ Contractor and a partner of the Project Fire Buddies association.

The largest project that The Pond Beyond has completed required 675 tons of decorative stone, resulting in a 225-foot stream with 15 waterfalls. Large projects like these have helped Brent get his company’s name out there, and he’s been able to bring on two full-time teammates and a part-time employee. 

When Brent was looking for equipment, he did what any of us would do and demoed several machines at his local dealerships. The verdict? Kubota was the clear answer for The Pond Beyond.

Brent's first Kubota purchase was a KX040-4 compact excavator. As his jobs grew more demanding, he upgraded The Pond Beyond’s power accordingly. Today, Brent’s fleet includes the Kubota KX040-4, still going strong, plus a Kubota SCL-1000, SVL-97-2, KX057-5, ZD331 and L4760GST. Brent and his team perform all the maintenance and service on their Kubota machines, and are blown away by their reliability. He swears that his machines run the exact same as the day they bought them. 

Alongside water feature design and installations, The Pond Beyond offers general excavation, retaining wall construction, grading work, drainage solutions and even holiday lighting installation. Next winter, Brent plans on offering snow and ice control for his customers. 

The Pond Beyond doesn’t just create beautiful ponds and water features, they craft great relationships with their customers. These relationships are just as critical to The Pond Beyond’s success as their Kubota machines are. 

Check out Brent and his team’s work by visiting their website or their Instagram page. 

There’s something grounding about growing up in a farm and ranching community. 

Maybe it’s early mornings in the pasture, and the calluses across our hands.

Maybe it’s the knowledge of crops and the connection we share with our livestock. 

Maybe it’s the joy of a bountiful harvest and the shared sorrow of a lackluster one.

Zachary Whitman experienced all of these in West Texas, where he was born and raised. He discovered the value of hard work, true grit and integrity in West Texas, virtues that would serve him well in life, no matter where his boots took him. 

He showed an aptitude for politics that would eventually see him lend his political skills to presidential campaigns and White House assignments for 16 years. After his career in politics, Zachary began working for Amazon. 

The money was good and the work he was doing was important. But Zachary began to feel a growing hole in his fulfillment. It would inspire him to look beyond everything he knew and take a leap of faith.

Zachary hung up his suit and tie and started to brainstorm his next project. He was looking for something that would get him closer to his roots. 

In December 2019, Zachary discovered a 357-acre property for sale in Virginia and the wheels began turning. Of the 357 acres, 65 were ready for agriculture operations and 292 acres were forested. It was exactly what Zachary had been searching for.

From the start, Zachary decided this property would provide visitors an opportunity to step away from their screens and experience everything nature has to offer. A property that would help him find lasting fulfillment in this grand adventure we call life. 

Zachary knew he wouldn’t be able to achieve his vision alone, so he got to work and purchased a Kubota B2301 and several Land Pride attachments – his new farmhand. His family grew up working with Kubota equipment, and Zachary knew a Kubota machine would be perfect for his new property. 

He used his compact tractor to clear out shrubs, till a garden, clean up his hay field and build housing for animals. Zachary even used his B2301 to help him renovate his house on the property! Although he dreams of having a tractor over 50 horsepower someday, his B2301 has been the perfect size for his needs, especially the needs Zachary couldn’t have predicted when he started. 

Currently, Zachary has one AirBnB built on the property, as well as a garden for his guests to pick fresh produce, chicken coops for fresh eggs and a handful of fishing spots. His end-goal is to add three tiny homes, a barn house, an A-frame structure and another cabin in the woods. 

He’s planning on bringing goats and cattle to the farm, while working with a local butcher to provide quality meat to the community and his guests. As his garden begins to grow, Zachary wants to build an apiary to house bees and assist him in the conservation of natural, Virginia wildflowers. With so much forest on his property, Zachary wants to dedicate a portion of it to deer and bear habitats, as well as hiking trails (safely distanced from the bear habitats). 

For more information and to follow Zachary in Rooted Land Company’s journey, visit his website or Instagram page.

It’s hard to know what we’re meant to do in life. But when you find it, there’s no feeling quite like it 

Marshal and Alicia Hartman met during college, and each knew they had found the person they wanted to spend the rest of their life with. The two were married and Marshal took a job with law enforcement in the big city. Over the years, their family of two would grow into a family of five. 

Unfortunately, Marshal was injured in 2019, before the pandemic and needed to spend almost 2 years recovering at home. While following their city’s recommendations and distancing themselves at home, it became quickly apparent to the Hartmans that they needed more space. They needed a change. 

For them, that meant a move out of the city and into rural Nevada. 

Marshal and Alicia had always talked about wanting to raise animals. With their move to the country, they found themselves with enough land to make this dream a reality. 

The Hartmans bought three baby sheep and began bottle feeding them. It was an activity for the whole family, and Marshal and Alicia began to research how their family could harvest and use sheep wool. What they discovered is that they were much more interested in alpaca fiber and its uses.

So, Marshal and Alicia purchased their first alpaca and fell in love with its quirkiness. They bought three pregnant alpacas and locked themselves into the alpaca life. 

Alicia began posting pictures and videos of the alpacas on an Instagram page, giving their friends in the city a glimpse of their life in the country. The hashtags that Alicia used captured a larger audience, and more and more people began finding their farm, Great Basin Alpacas, on social media. 

Great Basin Alpacas is 10 acres in total, including the Hartman’s home. Their female animals have two acres dedicated to them, while the males are on just one acre – for now. 

The Hartmans even have full RV hookups, so people who want to come and see their alpacas can stay on their property. Eventually, they plan on bringing grass-fed lambs to their farm. 

You can find Great Basin Alpacas Farm and book an RV stay on harvesthost.com. 

In order to maintain their property, the Hartman family has a Kubota BX23S sub compact tractor and a Land Pride scraper. They chose their Kubota because they knew they would need a durable and reliable piece of equipment to keep up with their growing needs. The BX23S has surpassed their expectations.

Currently, they’re using harvested alpaca fiber to make socks, beanies and yarn. The Hartmans also found a local fiber processor and plan on working with them down the road. Since you can only shear alpacas once a year, the Hartmans' plan to grow their herd and sell more fiber is one that will take time. In the future, they want to provide their farm products at local farmers markets and possibly even open their own store. 

But they don’t mind the wait. They’re having a great time getting to know these animals and spreading their roots in the Nevadan countryside. 

Learn more about Great Basin Alpacas and the Hartman’s property by following them on Instagram. 

Align Outdoors is a group of friends who wanted to do better. Better for others and themselves. Better for their clients and partners. Better for their community.

Andy, the founder of Align Outdoors, loves taking his daughter to playgrounds in their community and discovering fun, innovative playgrounds. The two discovered one playground company that stood out above the rest– playgrounds manufactured by Landscape Structures. Andy reached out to the local representative, Parkitects, and after they saw his passion and enthusiasm, was offered a job as a Regional Manager.

It only took a few weeks for Andy to realize Parkitects playspace designs were in high demand and there was a growing need for more installers… so he proposed Align Outdoors as a solution.  

Align Outdoors is a team of six friends, each with rich histories in landscaping and working with one another. For the last year, Align Outdoors has been servicing Western New York with much needed commercial playscapes and custom landscapes. 

The Align Outdoors team wanted to use their talents to revitalize communities and build exciting playgrounds. To enjoy every single day and have fun on the job. Align Outdoors gives them this opportunity, and they don’t plan on looking back. 

Align Outdoors is already booked for next season and in talks of bringing on another crew to help meet their growing demand. The team’s partners and manufacturers notice Align Outdoor’s commitment to stunning installations and have voiced pride in their hard work. Together, Align Outdoors is pushing for a larger impact on community work and are even working with non-profit partners to volunteer their time and donations to better their community together.

The tools they use to get the job done? Andy and the Align Outdoors team choose Kubota equipment because they know they can trust Kubota’s CCE and landscaping equipment to help them make the world a better place.

Learn more about Andy and Align Outdoor’s efforts by visiting their website. 

Align Outdoors on Instagram

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Mulder Outdoors is Northwest Indiana’s one-stop-shop for landscaping, hardscaping, lawn maintenance, drainage and light excavation solutions. Andy Mulder started Mulder Outdoors eight years ago, but he’s no stranger to the landscaping industry. 

“What drives me is the ability to build amazing projects for people and reflect back at the end of the day.” 

Mulder Outdoors is a five-man team, but that doesn’t stop Andy and his crew from taking on big challenges. Simple things like jobsite cleanliness, acute attention to detail and clear communication are clear differentiators in the Mulder Outdoors experience. Andy invests into his company and the equipment they’re working with and equipment like the Kubota KX080-4 lets Mulder Outdoors take their capabilities to even greater heights. 

Andy loves the industry, loves the team he works with and, most importantly, loves being outside in #KubotaCountry each and every day. 

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Podcast: The Mulder Life Podcast

The Legacy Academy opened its doors in 2020, right during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Holly ___ watched as five students grew to nine and realized that these students needed options for building vocational skills, as well as college-bound individuals in need of real world STEM applications. So, she started Legacy Foundation and rounded out its board members with 

“The Legacy Foundation seeks to teach principles from the past, using the technology of today.”

Holly’s family donated five acres to the Legacy Foundation and students have the opportunity to attend farm school days– days where they’ll take the STEM skills they learn in the classroom and watch as they translate to agricultural science, permaculture and aquaponics projects. 

Right now, the Legacy Foundation is working to restore an old barn, install a well system and hook the barn up to electricity. With the help of a trusty RTV900, her father’s old tractor and the eager spirit of the Legacy Academy students, Holly has watched students find inspiration in working the land and a deeper appreciation for STEM skills in the field, especially during the uncertainty of online school and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Future Legacy Foundation projects include a garden, farmer’s market, parent drop-off/ pick-up loop and picnic table area. The Legacy Foundation relies entirely on community sponsors and private donations. You can donate to the foundation by clicking here.

Legacy Academy: https://thisislegacyacademy.com/

Legacy Farm: https://thisislegacyfarms.com/

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A letter from Jamie Boss Sr.

Riding bikes taught Jeremy Witek what is meant to feel alive. He started Global Action Sports Solutions Parks with one desire in mind– to create the world standard in adventure sport facility and trail development with unforgettable commitment to user experience. Now, 20 years later, G.A.S.S. Parks has completed more than 70 projects in 29 different countries, including involvement in events such as: Red Bull Rampage, Red Bull Ride’n’Style, GoPro Mountain Games, X Games and Downhill Taxco.

Jeremy and his team rely on Kubota construction equipment to help them build skateparks, bicycle trails and even motocross tracks. They’re currently using Kubota U17, U27-4 and U35-4 mini excavators, as well as a SVL65-2 skid steer to make sure there’s no obstacle they can’t conquer. They work to create parks and trails that are accessible to adventurers of all ages and skill levels. Jeremy encourages local kids and members of the community to assist him in finishing each project and shows them how these tracks bring riders, skates and hikers together. In order to terraform and design these trails, Jeremy and the G.A.S.S. team have to wait for favorable weather, which means they get to do a fair amount of biking in their downtime! 

G.A.S.S. Parks is currently building a downhill bike park for the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians in San Diego, California. The bike park is located on the La Jolla Indian Reservation campground, which sees over 100,000 visitors annually, and is set to open fall 2022. G.A.S.S. expects over 20,000 mountain bikers to visit the new park, which will feature a shuttle system for riders and their bikes. Each trail that Jeremy and his crew build is built in a way that preserves nature and gives it plenty of room to grow.

The G.A.S.S. Parks team features project updates on their Facebook and Instagram pages and are planning on starting a high-end YouTube channel later this year. Laying the groundwork for the next generation of skaters, bikers and hikers… G.A.S.S. Parks and Kubota know how to get the job done! 

In a world where we see dozens of photos in hours, what makes one stand out? This particular setting started on a bright sunny Torrance, California morning at Jon Nakamura’s family home where his friend, Armondo Castillo, and crew began demolition and excavation.

Jon started the day looking through the eye of the lens, ready to capture the cosmetic changes to his parent’s home, but also to give back to Armondo and his crew proving that even something as simple as a driveway is also a work of art. Jon and Armondo first started shooting together as a way to display Castillo Rock Concrete’s expert services, but as a photographer, Jon had to highlight the hard work that Armondo and his team give day in and day out with their Kubota equipment by their side.

Jon fully believes that life is too short to not live in the moment and it's important to be able to look back at photos and remember times of change and to have something to pass onto future generations. “I never want to pass on a bad photo, as that might be the last photo of that person.”

Peter Mills, the owner of Elevated Trail Design, a North Carolina based trail design company born out of Peter’s love for adventure coupled with his passion for the outdoors. Elevated Trail design owns a fleet of Kubota U17 Excavators to construct premium trails across the country running from mountain bike and equestrian to walking trails in state parks.  After working for trail design teams at ski resorts in college, Peter knew that he wanted to take his talents back to North Carolina to start his own company. Elevated Trail Design “uses natural landscape while maintaining high standards of safety and sustainability”- with a goal of constructing trails that expand trail-goers appreciation for the outdoors. Building both long and short length trails with varying terrain, Peter relies on the versatility of the U17 Excavator to operate across a diverse range of projects. For mountain terrain, he loves the U17’s efficient maneuvering to navigate steep sidehills while he appreciates the compact size for single track trails with narrow pathways.

Find your own oasis and experience what it means to be a land owner. Derek and Honey Smith started on a hobby farm before they found their own slice of heaven a farm in the Pacific Northwest. When they needed some equipment Kubota was there to help. The Smith's are stewards of the land and strive to use best practices to provide for their family and to someday pass it along to their children. Rosie the RTV-X1140 is their workhorse and has changed the way they are farming today, but as Honey puts it, "It's a lot of hard work, but it's worth every minute of it."

Jake & Abbey Sass live and operate a farm on land bought in 1953 by Jake's grandfather. They farm hops that are sold to craft breweries local to their area, using Kubota tractors to help them keep their operations running smoothly.  

Meet Jared and Joelle Orem, farmers, hay producers, and proud Kubota owners. Jared put it best, "We have never worked a day in our life, even though it's hard work." Jared is proud to continue the legacy that is Orem Farms. Kubota wants to continue the legacy of our family farmers because together we grow and Together We Do More.