Tinbender

Did you take the starter off and get it checked? Most part stores will do this for you. The reason I ask is that after reading these forums for a few years I would highly suspect the key switch.

Anything JD is worth a good chunk of change. I googled that model and it appears to have a captive (JD style) mounting system. It is set up to use a frame mount that goes forward to the loader brackets. That is something that could be built, but you would want to make a trip or two to the local JD store to take measurements of the back of the frame where the back hoe mounts. If one dropped in my lap I'd make a frame for it, but like you don't really need one. I'd check pricing on a new one and compare with the condition of hers, in good shape I'm thinking in the 3-4 grand range because it's green and says JD.

Lucky you live in Virginia. Call Ronald at Ranch Hand Supply, he's listed under dealers on this site. He knows more about these tractors than the people who build them 

A neighbor has this same backhoe. With most of our area being rock, boulders and lava caps covered by 1-2' of “Central Oregon moondust” this is the smallest useful backhoe for the area in my opinion. I drove the tractor down to his house awhile back and drilled 20+ holes for his fence and he will reciprocate when needed. If I was still living in the bay area or N central California these smaller tractor mounted  backhoes would be very useful, just not here.

It wouldn't be a bad idea, I'd use a 40 amp. Something would have to short out to blow that, that's why I used a 40 amp circuit breaker (behind the switch/relay in the picture). I used this for if a momentary surge did require 40 amps (not at all likely) it will shut the relay, and when cool, it will reset. That and I have a catchall drawer in my toolbox with several of these laying around.