I want to tell you the story about our dump truck, Trusty Joe.
Several years ago we bought an old Case Backhoe from a guy named Joe. He was a friend of our customers, Steve & Doreen, and they thought we might want to buy the backhoe from him.
Joe lived in San Jose, down by my parents and he was an engineer, leaving one of the tech companies to start his own construction company.
This is Joe, with his Case backhoe.
Brian was interested and went down there (about 6 hours south) to look at it. It was in great shape, he could tell Joe took great care of his equipment, and Brian agreed to buy the backhoe.
Joe told him he was also selling some attachments and implements that worked with the backhoe. Brian wasn’t sure we needed all the accessories and parts Joe was also selling.
But Joe was sentimental about this old backhoe and wanted all the parts to “stay together” – so he sold us the whole package for a really great price we couldn’t pass up.
And even though we didn’t know it at the time, those parts have saved us hours of time and been so useful in the ranch.
Joe thought we’d need them and he was right.
Joe died last year, and his wife Barbara recently decided it was time to sell his bigger equipment.
She wanted to know if we would buy them so they’d all “stay together” – just like Joe would have wanted.
So we made a family trip down to San Jose to meet Barbara and our sweet customers who originally connected us with Joe, Steve & Doreen.
This dump truck is in perfect condition, with cherry leather seats and everything in perfect working order, we expected nothing less from Joe’s equipment.
Maisie jumped in and said “this is a WELL KEPT” truck! It was twice the size of our old dump truck and helps us keep dry rock where we need it for the animals.
We hauled the old dump truck home on a flatbed trailer and shortly after it arrived on the ranch, we christened the old truck “Trusty Joe” – of course.
Joe’s wife, Barbara, was so sweet to meet and share stories of these pieces of equipment that meant so much to her husband. She has since joined Joe in heaven but we think of them often.
This equipment helps us out a lot on the ranch – and even though it might seem silly with pieces of equipment, it feels like an honor to carry on Joe’s memory in using them on our ranch… all of them together in a well-kept line up at Five Marys!
thanks Joe. ❤️
What a fantastic story! So much sentimental value and love in each piece of equipment.
What a wonderful story!! Trusty Joe is smiling down on y’all and the equipment he loved so much!!
That is a great story! I can tell from their pictures they were good kind people!
So sweet. Fun hearing the background about the equipment.
Wow! What a sweet and inspiring story! We have all the old equipment from my father-in-law on our farm. So I understand the sentimental value.
Great story. Thank you for sharing.
Awwwww such a sweet story.
This is such a sweet story. i also love the element of supporting people, companies that are local or small or family owned instead of going big business!
So sad to hear Joe’s wife has now passed but what a blessing that they are now togetherness again. Thanks for the update. ❤️
He would have loved this so much🙏❤️
That is the best story!! Reading it gave me goose bumps feeling the love & caring shared, which is as usual from the Five Mary Ranch Family🖤
This warms my heart to see all of Joe’s beloved collection at home at 5 Mary’s ❤️❤️❤️
This story is so sweet! Thank you so much for sharing about Joe and Barbara with us!
I’m so happy you are able to keep this equipment together and I know from your stories that they are all well taken care of and loved! I really enjoyed reading this!
Love this story! Thank you for sharing it!
This is one of my favorite story’s. I remember when you guys brought it home. You all were the perfect family to have these! And the sweet back story is even better! ❤️
Brought tears to me!! So thoughtful to think of them and not yourself. Keep being you!!
Friends like Joe are the best to know & have known 💙💙💙 great memories! Perfect name for the Dump Truck
Such a cool story! Love that it gets shared all over the internet because of you guys!
I love how you keep Joe alive! The story of how his passion has led to being a part of the backbone of 5Mary’s is so inspiring. We could all hope to pass on such a legacy. Thanks for being such an inspiration, Mary, in heart, home and community. We LOVE 5 Mary’s and love supporting you and your family. The biggest blessing had been to see how our family comes together around a 5Mary’s meal! If I’m serving up your meat EVERYONE suddenly appears!
This is such a cool story! Jo’s equipment is in good hands.
Such a special story and I love that you kept his equipment together!
❤😢 a story that filled my heart and made me cry. I love how you are honoring Joe and his wife. Ya know thats what I love about you and Brian. You honor the land, the animals and the people in your life. It shines brightly to the world. Thank you for being incredible examples while just living your daily life. God bless.
What a wonderful story!!
SO special! Just found you guys, and I’m loving all the different aspects of your sharing your life with us! And, I’d love to win some meat. 😉
Love the Trusty Joe story! You have such pride in your land, animals and equipment. It is so inspiring and so fun to follow you. Thanks for sharing your life and loves, Mary.
I love that Joe’s equipment is living a 2nd life with your family.
I love this story. The value of his legacy and history is worth more than any brand new equipment.
I love this story ! And how the truck has trusty joe on it ! Great equipment! Love your beautiful ranch
Thank you so much for sharing this story. I love how much sentimental value some of your equipment has. My dad and his brother have recently tried to sell their fathers beloved skidder and I only hope someone like you who will value it buys it.
I love this story, and I love how you are keeping the back hoe “family” together. What a wonderful way to memorialize Joe.
Great great story!
This is such a wonderful story. You brought tears to my eyes. You all are amazing! Not only did you make a beautiful tribute to Joe but you also gave his wife comfort. That equipment was part of him and it’s so special that she entrusted you with it. Thank you for sharing this with us. It is a great feel good story this Sunday🙏🏻!❤️🙂
I remember when you bought “Trusty Joe”. Such a sweet story.
What a great tribute to Joe, the value of hard work and taking care of what you’ve been entrusted with. You’re family is a blessing.
This is precious!! So interesting💘
This is the sweetest story!! Joe lives on through Five Mary’s Farm. What an honor 😊
Awe ❤️ I am sure Joe is happy to see his beloveds all together again 🥰
What a great way to honor someone. Love your big heart!
What a sweet story! I imagine Trusty Joe will serve your family for years to come!
I love this story! Guys like Joe are few and far between. You guys are special too!
I love this story! 🤍
What a great story! 😊
Love this story and how awesome that you could use his equipment in such a way to preserve his memory!
This is such a great story. I’m going to share it with my Hospice patients tomorrow. They will love it so much.
Joe’s equipment story made my eyes leak.
Loved the story. I admire the way you are leaving your life. I grew up on a dairy farm I know its hard work.
So wonderful that you continue to carry on the traditions of “Trusty Joe”!!
I absolutely love to hear stories like this one. Makes my heart happy. Thanks Mary for sharing it.
I absolutely love to hear stories like this one. Thanks Mary for sharing it.
What a great story! Made me tear up a bit! So happy you kept everything together for Joe! Love stories like this!
Such great history and a great way to keep trusty Joe’s memory alive!
Made me just a bit teary-eyed. Sweet and sentimental. Sounds like the story could be a country song!
Such a sweet story! And love the new platform!
Such a great story. Now I’ll think of Joe and his wife every time I see this equipment on your IG stories!
I think Joe would LOVE all that you are doing now. He adventures on… such a great memory to share of him!
Love the story behind this equipment – and the fact that you’re honoring Joe by using it. We have an ollllllld (did I mention old?) rusted blue tractor in the back of my family’s property that we towed all the way from Cheyenne after my great-grandpa, a beekeeper, passed away. It’s been sitting for a while, but we’ve got a new plan to get it up and moving and I love that I’ll be able to work on my property with such a special piece of equipment.
I love stories about people. This reminds me so much of my father and other country people in my life. They knew the value of hard work and took care of their property. Now we live in a disposable society and no one takes care of things.
Such a lovely story! My family had a truck “Big Red” used in my grandfathers produce business and my dad and I still talk about it often nearly 15 years after my grandfather has passed.
I truly believe people come into our lives for a reason and this story is a sentiment to that. What an honor and true privilege for your family, who work tirelessly to educate and put quality meals on our tables, to be able to carry on while using Joe’s equipment. I know he is proud and looking down on all of you above those green pastures and fields of gold- and how wonderful it is to know that a little bit of chores, work, each animal fed, and meat produced, has a little bit of Joe in it. This is what makes the world go round. xoxo
What an amazing story! Thank you for sharing! I know Joe would be so glad you kept all his equipment together!
This brought tears to my eyes, lump in my throat and my heart swell up with love. Beautiful story!
Love the content and the documentation of your story! Keep them coming💗
So very sweet!
I just love the idea of keeping everything together! That is so sweet and I bet Joe is smiling down from Heaven and is glad that all of his equipment is together and loved.
Joe would be so pleased to know his equipment stayed together in your family!
It’s amazing how the love and care can be felt when someone takes the time to notice. His legend now lives on!
Thank you for sharing this sweet story!
So cool! Equipment with a story is so much more meaningful on a farm.
What a great story! Joe and Barbara are ever so sweet!
I love this so much. Whst a great way to honor Joe and Barbara.
K!
❤️ what a wonderful heartfelt story.
Thanks for sharing.
Love this story!
One of the many things I love about your family is that you purchase things with a history and that you care about the backstory. I’ve always loved antiques and if I know the story, even better!
I so love thus story! Thanks for sharing…I totally understand Barbara wanting to “keep it all together” and you all wanting to do that and naming the truck after Joe. I think you all did the right thing and its not silly at all!! My kind of people!😍
Beautiful!
Life is all About stories like this….reasons why I’ve always loved thrifting and buy others old and dealt loved items… there’s always a story and heart into their items…. great post… had to know the whole story when I saw your insta post 💕