If you have ever considered growing your own food or tending to livestock, there are some simple farm tools and gardening gear that you’ll need. Every single one of these items will greatly impact the productivity of your farm or garden.
Below is a list of must-have farming tools and their uses, plus a few essential gardening gears:
1. Composter
A composter will help you create compost that can be used in your garden. Compost is made up of organic kitchen waste and yard waste that decomposes.
The end product is used to fertilize the soil.
2. Sprinklers
A sprinkler is a device that you can use to water plants, lawns, and more. You can also use it for cooling and to control dust.
3. Small Hand Tools
These are farm hand tools that do not need electricity or gas to power up and are very easy to handle. For example:
- Your standard hammer
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
- File
- Cutlass
- Machete
- Ax
- Sickle
- Drill
- Wrenches
These are priceless.
They will work during a power outage and when gas is not available. Besides, they are very easy to use.
4. Fencing Tools
Whether farming or gardening, tools such as fencing pliers and wire stretchers are a must-have.
Farmers usually want to keep animals inside the fence. Gardeners usually want to keep animals outside of their gardens.
Rabbits and deer can eat all of your crops in very little time, so it is very beneficial to put up a fence to keep them away from your produce.
5. Gloves
Gloves are items every farmer and gardener needs.
Take a look at the hands of any old farmer or gardener who did not take care to wear gloves, and you will certainly want to go get yourself a pair right now.
A cut or small irritation can turn into a bad infection, but gloves can help protect your hands. In addition to wearing gloves, it is also good practice to regularly wash your hands.
6. Pruning Shears
Pruning shears are also called hand pruners and secateurs. These are scissors-like tools meant to trim or cut shrubs and plants.
Rather than ruin your kitchen scissors by overworking them, get a pair of pruners.
7. Trowel
A trowel or spade is invaluable for a wide array of chores. These include digging small holes, smoothing, and applying.
You can also use this small handheld shovel to pick up dog poop while keeping your hands clean. But remember to wear your gloves while doing any of these activities for the utmost protection.
8. Watering Gears
Watering cans, garden hoses, and troughs are useful to have on a farm. After all, plants and animals need water in order to survive.
These items are the most efficient and cost-effective way to give them water.
9. Shovel
While technically a hand tool, a shovel is so necessary that it deserves a spot in this article.
Use a shovel to dig, lift, and move large materials such as soil, snow, and gravel. You can also use it to mix large amounts of livestock feed and stir organic manure.
Imagine that you need to dig a hole because one of your goats has died. Certainly, you must bury her before the stench attracts predators, not to mention the flies.
Get your shovel and start digging. Rest in peace.
10. Garden Fork
A garden fork is one of the most vital agricultural tools.
Also known as a digging fork or spading fork, it is just what you need to dig that compost out of the composter and spread it around the garden.
You can use it to loosen, turn over, and lift the soil. In addition to that, garden forks are ideal for breaking up clumps of dirt and aerating the soil.
11. Rake
Rakes come in handy time and time again. For instance, if you live in an area with deciduous trees, you will be raking and raking every fall.
A rake is also good for heaping or leveling debris from your soil.
12. Hoe
Hoes are great for weeding, shaping, and working the soil. It’s also an excellent tool for making seed furrows, and it can easily reach across beds.
13. Wheelbarrow
A wheelbarrow is also a common tool for agricultural purposes. It is a small cart that usually has one wheel at the front and is pulled and guided by one person using the two handles at its rear.
You can use it to transport small loads such as fertilizers, tools, small dead animals, and harvested crops.
Remember that dead goat? How do you think it will get into the grave you dug with the shovel? That’s right—unless you have a whole lot of friends, you will have to get that dead goat into the wheelbarrow and wheel it over to the grave.
14. Dibber
You may not have heard of a dibber before, so thankfully you are reading this article. This is a wooden farming hand tool that is pointed. It is also called a dibbler.
The purpose of this is to drill holes into the dirt so that you can plant seeds, seedlings, or even small bulbs.
Moreover, some of them have markings on them like a ruler, so you can see just exactly how deep the hole is.
15. Crowbar
A crowbar can be used as a lever to force two items apart. It can be used for removing nails, prying apart boards, digging holes, removing rocks, and more.
16. Garden Knife
Another set of invaluable tools to use in the garden are garden knives. These hand tools are also called soil knives or weeding knives.
You can use them for a number of chores, such as digging, cutting, and even harvesting vegetables and fruits.
17. Bib Overalls
These are protective trousers that people wear when working. These trousers also have a bib area that covers the stomach and chest.
The pockets, the protection, and the style. Do you need another reason to get yourself a pair?
18. Apron
If you don’t like bib overalls, an apron is a great solution to keep your gardening clothes clean. It’s also flexible, as it gives you more ability to carry around small planting tools.
19. Sprayer
While sprayers are widely utilized on commercial farms to apply pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers to crops, you need them on organic farms too.
They come in various sizes, and you can use them for water projection, killing weeds, and protecting crops from pests and diseases.
20. Miscellaneous Items (Suspenders, Lights, etc.)
Miscellaneous farming materials such as outdoor lights, a cattle prod, a good pair of suspenders, or even sunglasses will help you greatly.
Spare no expense when stocking up on these miscellaneous items. Aside from having to store them when they are not in use, there is no downside to having quite a selection.
21. Riding and Driving Animals (Mules, Donkeys, etc.)
Though these are not tools or items, you may need animals to help around the field.
If you have the means and the room, a team of mules or donkeys can help carry heavy loads. A larger operation would, of course, get more use out of the beasts of burden.
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