ATVs are great for hauling hay, moving feed buckets, and getting from one place to another quickly on the farm. The assortment of ATV implements for farm work is incredible – manure spreaders, sprayers, tillers, and more! Any farmer will tell you that their ATV is used daily and for multiple purposes.
Whenever my mare, Zubedia, hears an ATV, she thinks it’s dinnertime and comes running through the pasture, mane and tail flying, hoping to get something to eat. She is always disappointed when it’s just me going from one barn to another.
Living in the snow-belt, ATVs are great in the winter when it’s too cold to walk to the barn. They are also great to pull a sled (or two) through the drifting snow! If you are like me, with a rural newspaper and mailbox a half a mile away from the house, using the ATV to get the current news is convenient. I guess I take my ATV for granted sometimes.
When the work is done and it’s time to play, there is nothing more thrilling than riding an ATV on the long, dusty trails through Wayne National Forest. Where we live in the heart of the Ohio Valley, there are ATV towns where you can ride right down Main Street. People travel from far and wide to camp and ride.
Since the trails border our farm, we can easily take a ride through the canopy of towering birch and sycamore trees just about anytime we like (when the trails are open, that is). The National Forestry Service maintains the quality and integrity of the trails. For a 45-dollar yearly riding pass, we have access to hundreds of miles of scenic hills and byways.
Some of the trails are for more experienced, rugged riders (not me), while other trails are designed for riders who like to take it easy and enjoy the scenery (that would be me). In the spring, peepers swim in and out of mud puddles while florescent butterflies mingle like angels in the air. In the fall, the changing of the leaves to vibrant oranges and yellows is a favorite sight.
Back on the farm, the ATV becomes a workhorse once again. If you are looking to purchase an ATV, do your research and choose one that fits your workload. Find a National Forest close to you that allows ATVs, and enjoy the beautiful scenery. You won’t regret it.
