New Exmark Video Explores the Bone Collector's Backyard Paradise

BEATRICE, Neb.–October 5, 2023—With “Bone Collector” as a nickname, it’s safe to say Michael Waddell knows a thing or two about outdoor living. So how does he create his own backyard paradise? A video crew from Exmark traveled down close to the Alabama-Georgia line to find out, and the result of their work can now be viewed on the Exmark Backyard Life site.

When asked about the inspiration behind his dream yard, Waddell said that it’s all about making his friends and family feel welcome.

“We like people, and we have a large family,” Waddell said. “It’s got to be a place where your kids, and your friends and family, love to come.

“We can go a lot of places, but I wanted a place that is the place my friends and family wanted to come to,” he added.

Waddell’s backyard amenities include a beautiful pool, a large grilling station, and a state-of-the-art entertainment area. There’s also plenty of room in the yard to play catch or toss a frisbee. But topping it all off just might be the pit bike track, where they like to race and have a good time.

In addition to being his dream yard, Waddell considers his property a wildlife sanctuary. Since his family loves hunting, the opportunity to enjoy deer, turkey, and other wildlife on their property is very special. The experience of owning a piece of the outdoors has also helped Waddell and his family understand the balance between their lives and nature.

Waddell uses his Exmark mower to maintain his pecan orchards throughout the year, which creates protection for deer and their fawns from coyotes and other predators. Since he’s an avid hunter, Waddell sees it as his responsibility to look after the native wildlife that helps his family live a field-to-table lifestyle.

Coming out of a historic pandemic, Waddell realized how much he took being able to get anything he needed at the grocery store for granted. Not being able to buy certain fruits and vegetables pushed his family to become entirely self-sustained. His property now has all the fruit, vegetables, and meat his family needs without the need to leave.

For Waddell, that’s peace of mind.

Maintaining a property as expansive as the Waddells’ is a never-ending cycle of maintenance, so he needs equipment that’s up to the task, particularly in the spring and summer months. He trusts his Exmark Lazer Z zero-turn mower to give him the cut quality he demands, with the speed to get mowing done faster, so he can get back to enjoying his backyard living to the fullest.

View this and other Dream Yards videos on the Exmark Backyard Life site. There, you can also view additional Backyard Life content, including Done-In-A-Weekend Projects, Backyard Smart, Living Rural, and Prime Cuts, as well as backyard living content from a wide range of backyard experts.