Monday, February 17, 2025

Katriel

Katriel Purdue unfinished PHello everyone! I’m Tim & Christy’s daughter, TTWT’s least reliable cameraman, and most expensive member of the cast.

I grew up in Carmel, Indiana, which similarly to Dad’s hometown experiences a drought of stoplights, but because we’ve replaced them all with roundabouts. My high school graduating class was around 1,200 and I didn’t know the people sitting on either side of me alphabetically at graduation. But through marching band, concert band, jazz band, show choir band… okay, the band program… I was able to find my close-knit community in a large school.

If you want to know what growing up with Tim as your dad is like, it’s basically like having an interesting encyclopedia for a dad. One day, when I was two, I apparently asked my dad to “tell me about the moon” which ended up in a lifetime love for space and NASA that has involved numerous trips to space centers all around the US and more school presentations about space than I can count. On a trip to my grandparent’s house, 12-year-old me asked what a drug cartel was, and dad had an answer. His natural ability to collect information, and willingness to share with me, has helped me become an endlessly curious person.

On the weekends, we would often work on some project around our house. When I was 13, my parents decided to redo literally half of our entire house, and I was not happy about it. But I that’s when I started to learn some of those skills that really impressed my middle school friends – wiring outlets, using compound miter saws, you know, stuff like that. I slowly came around to it. Before I knew it, my dad had bought a tractor, which only added to the list of projects we had. I added “tilling” and “operating a front end loader” to my resume. Soon, my grandma, who lives far away, asked if we would video some of our projects so she could see what we were up to. If I remember it right, one day dad noticed that one of these videos had like 100 views and asked “why in the world are people watching this?” And then, being the curious, opportunistic people we are, we decided to see if we could grow our newfound channel. It wasn’t like we were total newbies at this videography thing – dad was constantly filming on our family vacations or for church projects. He loved to ask me “what do you think, Katriel?” to which younger me responded with an eye roll.


Around the same time, I discovered a passion for agriculture and food security. I had gone on a mission trip with my church and heard about people abroad who had enough food to eat, but there were not enough nutrients in that food to keep them alive. Growing up in a very suburban, Whole-Foods-five-minutes-walking-distance-from-my-house environment, I didn’t have much exposure to agriculture at all. I got involved with World Food Prize, an organization that awards a prize similar to the Nobel Prize for agriculture and world hunger issues. Within a few months, I was off to China to do research on hybrid rice.

After I got back, I started school at Purdue University in Biological Engineering. I soon discovered engineering was not what I wanted to do, and through a very long journey, I am now an Agricultural Economics major. This past summer (2018), I was a part of the Land O’Lakes Global Food Challenge, which selects 10 college sophomores from around the country and gives us experience in all sectors of ag – from development in Malawi and South Africa to policy in DC and production ag in co-ops around the US.

I’m now a junior in college, and grad school decisions are quickly approaching! Thanks to my parents, I can’t decide because I find so many subject areas fascinating. I’m hoping to work in development in some capacity – helping to feed the world in whatever way I can.

Outside of trying to maintain a decent GPA, I enjoy reading, playing piano, running, and trying new gluten-free food. Oh, and I guess YouTubing isn’t too bad.

Tim Marks
Tim Marks
Compact Tractor Lover. Rural Lifestyle Enthusiast. Tractor Time with Tim on YouTube. Married to Christy for over 31 years. We love showing tractors, attachments, maintenance, storage ideas, and our daily activities around our 10 acre property. We also do some contract tractor work, and significant amount of charity projects.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Hey Katriel, Thanks for being the glue that binds your family together. I really enjoy all of the videos and tutelage that your father brings to us tractor enthusiasts. I still haven’t decided on whether a 1,2,or 3 family JD tractor is right for me. But I digress.

    You mentioned trying new gluten free food. So I assume you have Celiac’s. Not sure if you heard, but a group out of Australia just started a Phase 2 trail on a vaccine to allow those with Celiac to start eating normal food again. As you know, Phase 2 is a long way off from getting the vaccine to the market, but here’s praying!! Here is the link to the article. Thanks again.

    https://celiac.org/about-the-foundation/featured-news/2018/09/immusant-announces-initiation-of-phase-2-clinical-trial-of-therapeutic-vaccine-for-celiac-disease/

  2. Katriel, are you familiar with Amy Shira Teitel on you tube? If you have an interest in Space as I do I am sure you would enjoy her channel! I am now reading her new book and enjoying it.

  3. Hi Katriel, we have known your folks for many years. Our journeys have taken us to different states. Glad we have kept in touch. Just got a postcard and decided to check TTWT out. Amazing and interesting. Also curious about the food information. We have connected with a mission group going to Haiti. Living Water Ministries of the Palm Beaches. Check them out. They are currently getting food from Feed My Starving Children. I have been to Haiti myself and have seen the differences good nutrition can make. Let me know what you think.

  4. Hi Katriel. It’s great to be able to relate to you and your family. I am from south west Alabama and grew up on a farm. I see from your bio you are a Agricultural Economics major at Purdue. When you finish at Purdue, have you looked at any of the Agricultural studies at Auburn University. You may be interested in some additional studies from there and the “Family” atmosphere is one of a kind.

  5. This section about materiel was posted or written on my birthday Sept 23 3018 haha that’s cool I get a kick out of the fact that you consider yourself the least reliable cameraman hahaha

  6. Good afternoon Tim and family. Dennis Plucinik here from Baldwinsville NY. I am currently in Carmel IN for a safety conference with our insurance carrier (Protective Insurance). I watch every video you post. As a result I purchased a 2018 1025R last year. I have been doing a lot of projects for friends and customers around town (SYRACUSE area). I would love to meet you folks and buy you a cup of coffee (or hamburger) while I’m out here if your time permitted to say thanks for all your advice and wisdom.

  7. The last session I may skip out on early. Do you think you would have a few minutes for a quick visit. Should be done around 10:00 this morning

    • Dennis, I’m sorry. I don’t get notifications on these comments. I didn’t see until now. That is why I listed my email address.

  8. No problem Tim. Sorry I over looked that part. I am back home in NY now. Got here at 1:30 this morning. Next time I am heading your way I’ll give you a heads up earlier. Be safe. Dennis

  9. Prayers to you and your family in the passing of your grandpa! Tims dad! Was looking for his obit but I figure it’s in Illinois. And we don’t know your last name. Our son lives in indy also and we live by Ft Wayne. Pass on to your parents our condolences.????

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