Joe Thomas’ Dream Yard: A 40-Acre Hunt-and-Fish Property | Exmark
Joe Thomas has lived to hunt and fish for as long as he can remember. And for him, it was never really about the fish in the livewell or the big buck on the ground—it’s the anticipation that hooks him. But as much as he loves being out there in the moment, he knows one thing is always waiting back home: the grass never stops growing. So follow along as we visit Joe’s 40-acre dream yard and see how he built a place that fits his hunt-and-fish property to a T.
The Inspiration Behind a 40-Acre Dream Yard
Believe it or not, his whole property used to be a cornfield. Years before they ever lived here, Joe would look out at that open ground and think what a cool place it’d be to build a house someday. So he made himself a promise: if the opportunity ever arose, he’d build right here and own a piece of it. And that’s exactly what he did. He started with six acres and, slowly but surely, kept adding on over the years as the budget allowed. These days, the place has grown to a full 40 acres.
A Bass Pond in His Own Backyard
Ask Joe to name his favorite part of the property and he doesn’t have to think about it—it’s the bass pond. Sure, he fishes for a living, but that doesn’t stop him from grabbing a rod out of the boat, wandering down to the dock, and firing off a few casts whenever the mood strikes. Some days he’ll slide the little pond boat in and paddle around instead. Having his own water right there in the backyard, ready whenever he is? That’s always meant a lot to him.
Why He Built a Yard Without Fences
Take a look around and you’ll spot something you won’t find on most properties: no fences. And that’s no accident. Joe grew up in your typical suburban neighborhood, where every yard was boxed off from the next. He decided way back then that if he ever got out of the city and built his own place, he’d skip the fences altogether. He’s held to that policy ever since—and he’s convinced it’s a big reason the property looks as good as it does.
Two Trails, Two Totally Different Worlds
Two main trails tie most of the property together, each one running a half to three-quarters of a mile long. The first heads down through the woods, and getting it there took plenty of chainsaw work and cleanup to open up a path that wraps the whole wooded edge of the property. It turned out so pretty that Joe’s wife put her foot down: they had to have a bench out there, a spot to sit and kick back whenever they wander down. The second trail is a whole different animal. It cuts through a CRP field Joe manages as bedding and habitat for the deer and other wildlife, and he uses his Exmark to keep a mowed path running the far perimeter.
Keeping 4.2 Acres Looking Sharp
Here’s the thing about cutting 4.2 acres every single week and keeping it perfect: it’s a monumental task. And Joe travels a lot, so things have got to get done fast. He found that out the hard way. When he first moved in, he took on the whole place with a tractor—in sessions that lasted eight hours and fifteen minutes, stopping only to top off the gas. That was the day it hit him: he needed an Exmark. Now, with a 60-inch deck on his Lazer Z zero-turn mower under him, a job that used to swallow an entire day gets knocked out in a fraction of the time. “Game changer” doesn’t quite cover it.
A Partnership Rooted in the Outdoors
Joe’s history with Exmark goes back a ways—all the way to Bramble Mower, his local dealer for a generation now. Any time he’s had a question or needed a hand with service, they’ve been there. He’s also tight with the folks over at Power Equipment Distributors (PED), the big Exmark distributor in his part of the country. It’s that whole family atmosphere, he says, that keeps him coming back. Exmark just seems to have bred it—and it doesn’t hurt that everybody involved loves the outdoors as much as he does.
At the end of the day, Joe will tell you his dream yard is really just a reflection of how his family lives. They hunt, they fish, they chase shed antlers, and his daughter’s an avid birder. If you can do it outdoors, chances are they’re doing it. This property is where they find their value, and folks always love it when they come to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions About Building a Rural Dream Yard
It really comes down to the right equipment. A large rural property—Joe’s runs about 4.2 mowed acres—can eat up eight-plus hours behind a garden tractor, but a commercial-grade zero-turn with a wide cutting deck (Joe runs a 60-inch model) can cut that time way down. Matching your deck size and mower type to your acreage is the trick to keeping weekly upkeep from taking over your life.
CRP stands for the Conservation Reserve Program, which encourages landowners to keep certain acreage in natural habitat instead of farming it. On a dream yard, a managed CRP-style field makes great bedding and cover for deer, turkey, and other wildlife—basically turning part of the property into a little nature preserve, while still leaving room to mow a walking trail through it.
