Tools and Toys

Documenting the useful items we use around the homestead. No toys really, of course, it's just that some tools are more fun to use than others.

Hand tools

Our favorite garden and related work is with hand tools. They require little maintenance, are always available, always start, rarely break except by fault of the human, no fuels of any kind needed except hands and back. They are listed here largely in order of usage and dependence, from daily to infrequent. All are necessary to have on hand. Most of these are personal favorites, some are rather generic. They are generally sized to fit the primary user, a tall, strong human who easily breaks things, with some notes on versions for the smaller companion on the homestead.

Felco pruners.

Felco #2 for the large human, #37 for the smaller human. Get a leather scabbard of your choice, clip on or through the belt and never go outside without them. They are widely considered the best hand pruners for very good reasons.
One can pay less for hand pruners but with reasonable care, these will essentially last a lifetime. Available from many retailers.

On Amazon. Or someplace else if you can find a better price, shop around.

Dewit Dutch hand hoe.

This is our indispensable tool for all weeding, minor cultivating, soil conditioning, furrow making, and so on. Get one and paint the handle a bright color because you will inevitably lay it down and forget where. It visually blends in extremely well with the garden. Buy shorts and pants with a thigh loop to hang it from.
It thoughtfully comes in right and left handed versions.

Buy it and other great garden products here

Spading fork.

Our favorite is a heavy duty stainless steel fork with an indestructible handle. One can, however break the tines by using it as a pry bar or digging bar. We have done so twice being too lazy to put this tool down and retrieve the appropriate one. When you encounter the large stubborn root or rock, just go get the pry bar, trust me. Lee Valley Stainless Forks

Border spade

Digging bar

Chainsaws.
Be safe!
We have three in a Goldilocks set. One for the large human for large jobs, one for Goldilocks for smaller jobs (although the ogre usues it frequently also), and one that's just right for everyone for any kind of job.

Tractor

PTO chipper.

Be safe!

This wonderful and fun attachment to the Kioti tractor will chip up to 5" diameter slash and brush. Creating piles of useful wood chips for a wide variety of homestead projects.