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 Tools
Required for a Successful Farm
After moving to the Tanegashima, Japan, I made a commitment to myself to only
use hand tools and forego any mechanization, including rototillers, weed eaters,
and anything else requiring energy other than elbow grease. A daunting task to
say the least considering I was dealing with three farms totally over 400 square
meters.
That said, I went on my way hauling, tilling, sowing, and harvesting, using
pretty much only what you see in the picture.
After a year of farming I was able to lose a fair amount of weight, got much
stronger, and grew a tremendous amount of veggies. All this and the respect of
the locals....Japanese people really appreciate hard work, especially from a
foreigner.
Picture - A wheelbarrow
with all of my farm tools. |
Now on to the tools. I basically divide them into two categories....working
tools and hand tools.
Working tools include a wheelbarrow, shovel, hoe,
and a rake.
Hand tools include a shovel, hoe, rake, clippers,
and a tree saw.
With this arsenal at your disposal, there is no way you can go wrong. These
tools can be used in many different ways, for many different tasks, and really
all you need for successful farming. In addition, avoiding mechanization is good
for you, good for the environment, and a way to really make you feel connected
to nature. |
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 Working
Tools
Wheelbarrow - The hardest worker in the farm, used
for hauling dirt, weeds, and also used as a work table for tools, compost, or
whatever while you're working in the farm.
Shovel - Probably the most basic farm tool, used
for breaking up the soil,
digging out tree roots, and making holes for trees and posts.
Hoe - This tool is a must for making furrows. This is also a handy tool for
weeding, pulling out tree roots, for breaking up the soil, and then for
repacking the soil when making beds.
Rake - Another invaluable tool used for raking
leaves and grass while leaving the soil in place. Also very useful for smoothing
out the sides of farm beds and the space in between the beds.
Picture - Basic working tools for
farming. |
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Hint - Ever mess up the handle on one of these
tools? Then you probably know the wood is really difficult to get out of the
metal piece and is usually secured with strong welds. What to do? Simply toss
the wood end of the pieces into your next campfire and burn the wood out. Keep
the metal out of the fire as much as possible since the painted surfaces will
begin to melt. |
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 Hand
Tools
These hand tools are all you need for all the small work spaces in the farm.
Hoe - Same as above.
Rake - Same as above.
Shovel - Same as above.
Saw - A saw which folds out is great for
cutting tree branches and other pieces of wood in the farm. A folding saw works
great and neatly, and safely, tucks away when not in use.
Clippers - Very useful for trimming small branches
and leaves.
Picture - Basic hand tools
for farming. |
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With this arsenal at your disposal, there is no way you can go wrong. These
tools can be used in many different ways, for many different tasks, and really
all you need for successful farming. In addition, avoiding mechanization is good
for you, good for the environment, and a way to really make you feel connected
to nature. |
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