Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: Free Rodale Book (fwd)

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: CtopherP@aol.com
  • To: permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Free Rodale Book (fwd)
  • Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1999 15:37:43 EST


In a message dated 1/5/99 11:48:27 AM, you wrote:

<<Gardeners,
I'm collecting information about garden tools and gadgets for a book
i'm working on for rodale press. i'd like to hear from people who have
favorite garden tools, either store-bought or home made. What's in it
for you? not only the notoriety of your story in print, but also a
free copy of the book upon publication.

thanks a lot.

Warren Schultz
>>

Warren-

Thanks for asking and offerring. I am very particular regarding tools and am
completely devoted to the tools of the english and japanese. I have a mix of
the Bulldog tools such as the spade, fork, and some others. I also have 4-5
japanese hand tools. To tell tale of two in particular: the professional tree
diggers spade from bulldog tools, bought from smith and hawken is one of my
favorites. I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico and we have notoriously poor soils,
with serious digging difficulties such as caliche and lots of rocky, compacted
"soils." The spade narrows to a curved edge that's about 3-4 inches. You can
transmit a tremendous amount of force into that edge, which is made of fine
stel and will actual hold an edge. None of this ridiculousness that passes for
tools at your local hardware store. The rather hefty price tag for a spade of
this quality is easily repaid in savings in not having to buy numerous fall-
apart shoody shovels. There's another non-economic benefit, these quality,
hand-crafted tools are a joy to use. They're well balanced, they actually dig
through difficult soils, and they make hand work much easier. Obviously I'm a
big fan. The japanese hand tool I want to rave about is a three-pronged claw
with a wooden handle that's about a foot long. It's great for loosening garden
soils when I'm planting starts or even seed. It's not appropriate for the back
forty, but in the garden it's the tool I always reach for.
I hope this long-winded praise is what you were looking for. Thanks for the
question.
Christopher Peck
Santa Fe, New Mexico USA
505.989.6676




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page