​Meet Our New Farm Hand: The SDLanch IRET13 Electric Tricycle!

​Life on the farm is a constant balance of hard work, ingenuity, and finding the right tools for the job. For a long time, we've had a recurring challenge: moving stuff. Whether it's bags of feed, tools, garden waste, or a small load of firewood, the process has always felt a bit... Goldilocks.

​Wheelbarrows are great for small, quick jobs, but for anything substantial, they quickly become a massive drain on time and energy. We'd spend hours pushing and pulling, feeling the burn (and not the good kind!). On the other end of the spectrum, our tractor is a workhorse, but it's often overkill for these smaller hauling tasks. Hooking up an implement, firing it up, driving it across the yard – it all adds up to a lot of wasted time when you just need to move a few things.

​We needed something "just right." Something small, nimble, and efficient. A tiny mini-truck, if you will. And if it could be electric, even better – imagine the savings on gas and the quiet operation!

​Enter the Oddly Named Wonder

​My amazing wife, ever the resourceful one, stumbled upon something truly unique: the SDLanch IRET13 Electric Tricycle with Dump Bed. She found one brand new at a local auction, and for a grand total of $1200 all in, it was a steal we couldn't pass up.

​The pickup was an adventure in itself! The auction crew expertly forklifted it into the back of our mini-van (yes, a mini-van!), and with some creative tie-downs and a scenic ferry ride, our new farm helper made its way to our island home.

Assembly Required (and then some!)

​Now, a word of warning for anyone considering one of these: they arrive as what can only be described as a giant bag of parts. And the "instruction guide"? Comically unhelpful is an understatement. It's a single page that offers more in the way of abstract art than practical assembly advice.

​It took an entire day, a lot of head-scratching, and more than a little trial and error to get the IRET13 put together. The wiring, in particular, is a wild ride. There's a nest of random wires, seemingly connected via no discernible system of colors or types. Much of the electrical hookup involved patiently testing connections until something sparked (or, ideally, didn't spark in a bad way!). We still have a few wires we're not entirely sure about, but so far, so good!

​First Impressions: Small But Mighty

​Despite the assembly shenanigans, we've ended up with a sturdy little dump truck that's barely 33 inches wide! Its compact size means it can navigate tight spots where a tractor would never fit, and being electric, it costs almost nothing to operate. The silence of it gliding across the farm is a welcome change from the roar of a gas engine.

​We're incredibly excited to put the IRET13 through its paces. We'll be testing its limits with various farm tasks, seeing how it handles different terrains, and generally putting it to work. I'll be sure to post more updates as we get a better feel for its capabilities and any quirks we discover.

​In the meantime, if you've been considering a similar solution for your hauling needs, I hope this initial peek at our experience is helpful! Stay tuned for more farm adventures with our new electric tricycle.