Garden tools

[rd200]

I am thinking of buying some garden tools with some left over xmas money from a bonus. Is there any brand that you would suggest?? or a tool that you love and cant live without?? I was looking at Hoss garden tools, they look interesting. I need a garden fork forsure. Any suggestions?? Thanks

 

[Marianne]

Mine are fairly old and I have no idea what brand they are now. I spent the extra money to get heavier garden tools at the local farm and ranch plus our local co-op had some. They have held up the best, for sure. Better quality for folks that really put them to use. Some things we got at Ace Hardware, but I don't know what they carry now.

I'm pretty sold on my garden fork. I seem to use that more than anything. Another one that I use a lot is a snow shovel to do some cleaning in the coop. And finally, I have a three prong hand fork that has a long wooden handle. The entire thing is probably 15" long, really heavy duty.

 

[JacksFlock]

Eliot Coleman has designed some really great tools. I would research them and see if there's anything you like. I have the small narrow hoe for weeding and LOVE it. I know Johnny Select Seeds carries his tools, but not sure who else does.

 

[Dawn419]

rd200,

It would help if you could explain your soil conditions and your garden interests, as far as tool suggestions go.

Back in TN (clay soil), the garden fork was my #1 tool. When we move out here to AR two years ago, the fork just didn't do a thing in the Ozark rocky, thin soil and a dandelion weeder/puller became tool #1 as it was a huge help in removing rocks to actually be able to dig a hole out here.

Now that we're setting up raised beds I use both tools about evenly, especially since I've done fall-planted garlic the past 2 years. I use both at planting time and at harvest time.

We are also looking into one of the HOSS cultivators, with all attachments included and we'd love to own some Eliot Coleman tools but Eliot is gonna have to adopt us and then he can give them to us for presents! I know you get what you pay for, but EC is out of our range at this point in time.

 

[~gd]

Mine are fairly old and I have no idea what brand they are now. I spent the extra money to get heavier garden tools at the local farm and ranch plus our local co-op had some. They have held up the best, for sure. Better quality for folks that really put them to use. Some things we got at Ace Hardware, but I don't know what they carry now.

I'm pretty sold on my garden fork. I seem to use that more than anything. Another one that I use a lot is a snow shovel to do some cleaning in the coop. And finally, I have a three prong hand fork that has a long wooden handle. The entire thing is probably 15" long, really heavy duty.

That long handled 3 prong fork is probably a real pitch fork used before hay baleing became common. It was used to pitch hay to the top of a stack or up into a haymow. that is the reason for the long handle and it is heavy duty because a good man could pitch 100 pounds and with that long handle the leverage put a heavy strain on the fork and the handle. I have a short handled one that I keep under lock and key. you can not buy the heads anymore and the handles used to be custom made for the man that was going to use it. I paid $50 for mine with only about a 7 foot handle [may have been a womans model] You have heard the expression " make hay while the sun shines " on a old farm haymaking was a all hands operation. a 12 year old might drive the team and wagon while other young ones would gather what was dropped. It was a dusty dirty job that didn't end until the hay was under cover. wet hay was useless because it would start to mold and was only good for compost. To lose a cutting of hay was a diaster the animals needed it and you needed the animals in order to eat. Or to plow. General Grant let Lee's men keep their horses because otherwise they would have turned outlaw rather than go home and starve....

 

[CheerioLounge]

Mine are fairly old and I have no idea what brand they are now. I spent the extra money to get heavier garden tools at the local farm and ranch plus our local co-op had some. They have held up the best, for sure. Better quality for folks that really put them to use. Some things we got at Ace Hardware, but I don't know what they carry now.

I'm pretty sold on my garden fork. I seem to use that more than anything. Another one that I use a lot is a snow shovel to do some cleaning in the coop. And finally, I have a three prong hand fork that has a long wooden handle. The entire thing is probably 15" long, really heavy duty.

That long handled 3 prong fork is probably a real pitch fork used before hay baleing became common. It was used to pitch hay to the top of a stack or up into a haymow. that is the reason for the long handle and it is heavy duty because a good man could pitch 100 pounds and with that long handle the leverage put a heavy strain on the fork and the handle. I have a short handled one that I keep under lock and key. you can not buy the heads anymore and the handles used to be custom made for the man that was going to use it. I paid $50 for mine with only about a 7 foot handle [may have been a womans model] You have heard the expression " make hay while the sun shines " on a old farm haymaking was a all hands operation. a 12 year old might drive the team and wagon while other young ones would gather what was dropped. It was a dusty dirty job that didn't end until the hay was under cover. wet hay was useless because it would start to mold and was only good for compost. To lose a cutting of hay was a diaster the animals needed it and you needed the animals in order to eat. Or to plow. General Grant let Lee's men keep their horses because otherwise they would have turned outlaw rather than go home and starve....

15 inches or 15 feet? Do you have any pics of the tools you're talking about? I have an old 3 prong pitchfork(?) but it's only about 4 ft long.

 

[~gd]

Mine are fairly old and I have no idea what brand they are now. I spent the extra money to get heavier garden tools at the local farm and ranch plus our local co-op had some. They have held up the best, for sure. Better quality for folks that really put them to use. Some things we got at Ace Hardware, but I don't know what they carry now.

I'm pretty sold on my garden fork. I seem to use that more than anything. Another one that I use a lot is a snow shovel to do some cleaning in the coop. And finally, I have a three prong hand fork that has a long wooden handle. The entire thing is probably 15" long, really heavy duty.

That long handled 3 prong fork is probably a real pitch fork used before hay baleing became common. It was used to pitch hay to the top of a stack or up into a haymow. that is the reason for the long handle and it is heavy duty because a good man could pitch 100 pounds and with that long handle the leverage put a heavy strain on the fork and the handle. I have a short handled one that I keep under lock and key. you can not buy the heads anymore and the handles used to be custom made for the man that was going to use it. I paid $50 for mine with only about a 7 foot handle [may have been a womans model] You have heard the expression " make hay while the sun shines " on a old farm haymaking was a all hands operation. a 12 year old might drive the team and wagon while other young ones would gather what was dropped. It was a dusty dirty job that didn't end until the hay was under cover. wet hay was useless because it would start to mold and was only good for compost. To lose a cutting of hay was a diaster the animals needed it and you needed the animals in order to eat. Or to plow. General Grant let Lee's men keep their horses because otherwise they would have turned outlaw rather than go home and starve....

15 inches or 15 feet? Do you have any pics of the tools you're talking about? I have an old 3 prong pitchfork(?) but it's only about 4 ft long.

I suspect you have a "hay fork" which was used in the barn to handle hay [where the long handle would just be in the way] there is a slight difference in the angle, curve, and the cross section of the tines that make the difference. A hay fork was to carry hay, a pitch fork to throw hay. Check by trying your fork for both jobs, odds are that it will do better st the job it was made for. but if the handle is original it is likely to be a hay fork.~gd

 

[Marianne]

This is hilarious! No, I was talking about a small hand tool, not a pitch fork. The problem was that I couldn't think of what they were called when I first posted! I think I need more sleep...

You know those little hand cultivators? The things you use when you're sitting on the ground, crouched down, etc? My set is a big version of those tools, very heavy duty, but still garden hand tools. There is a trowel, a three pronged cultivator and some kind of pointed end thing that would make a hell of a weapon. The handles are all long for those kinds of garden tools, makes them all about 15" long. That's fifteen inches.

 

[Beekissed]

Maybe built for use in raised beds? I know they would come in real handy to reach into the center of a wide raised bed garden...

 

[CheerioLounge]

This is hilarious! No, I was talking about a small hand tool, not a pitch fork. The problem was that I couldn't think of what they were called when I first posted! I think I need more sleep..

I thought I was losing my mind... I had to read both posts a few times before I finally figured out ~gd was thinking of something entirely different!