First published: 26 June 2021 @ 6:00 pm
We are familiar with using hand tools for handywork at home or in building projects. But do you know that hand tools are also used for farming activities? This article will help you find out the different hand tools for farming and their uses!
For thousands of years farming has been one of the most important and primary occupations in the world. Farming has always been a key to development of civilization.
There are different types of farming systems and farm machinery in the world such as extensive, intensive, organic, low input, etc. These farming systems have different methods of production such as crop rotation, inter cropping, mulching, no-tillage system, organic farming etc.
These methods play a very important role in crop production and management. The basic hand tools for farming in farms are:
1) Spade or Shovel:
The first in the hand tools for farming list is a spade or shovel. A spade is a proper tool for digging or lifting materials like soil or gravel. They usually make it up of steel and has a flat blade and pointed at one end and can be flat on both sides also depending on the usage of the tool.
We can use it for digging holes for seedlings or to level off soil after ploughing to make it smooth for cultivation purposes. They usually make shovels up of wood or plastic with flat blade but without pointed end unlike spades which have pointed ends.
2) Hoe:
A hoe is a tool for cultivation purposes mainly for tilling soil to loosen it, aerate it, and kill weeds. They usually make it up of steel with a flat blade at one end and pointed at the other end.
3) Rake:
A rake is a tool for loosening and leveling the soil, smoothing the surface of the soil, removing weeds, collecting hay etc. They usually make it up of steel with long tines from steel or wood.
The teeth of the rake are usually in two types i.e. straight teeth and criss-crossed teeth which help in removing weeds or hay or to level off the soil after sloughing.
4) Sickle:
A sickle is a tool for harvesting crops such as rice, maize, wheat etc. It has a curved blade attached to a handle for cutting crop stems from ground level or at waist level when standing on ground level (ground sickle).
We use the other type of sickle for harvesting crops from higher levels like cobs of corn (hand sickle). We use both these types in farming activities.
5) Harrow:
A harrow is one of agricultural tools for smoothening rough surfaces, levelling off soil and destroying weed seeds by covering them with soil. They usually make it up of steel with sharp teeth which are fixed to a frame in such a way that animals or humans can pull it.
The different types of harrows are: disc harrow, sloughing harrow, ridge harrow, chain harrow etc.
6) Horseshoe:
A horseshoe is a tool for protecting the hoofs of animals from wearing out or being injured by rocks and stones while they walk on the rough surface of the fields.
7) Scythe:
A scythe is one of farm tools for harvesting crops like wheat, barley etc. It has a long curved blade attached to a handle for cutting crop stems from ground level or at waist level when standing on ground level (ground scythe).
We use the other type of scythe for harvesting crops from higher levels like cobs of corn (hand scythe). We use both these types in farming activities.
8) Axe:
An axe is a sharp tool used for cutting trees and clearing land to make space for planting crops and plantation purposes. It can also be used as an effective weapon in case of any emergency situations like accidents, thefts etc.
9) Haulm:
A haulm is a tool used by agriculture workers for cutting grass and fodder for feeding animals. It is usually made up of steel with a long handle which can be made up of wood or steel.
10) Plough:
A plough is one of agricultural tools used for preparing the soil for planting crops by loosening, aerating and turning the soil. It has a metal frame with wheels at the bottom and sharp blade attached to it.
The sharp blade is pulled through the soil to loosen it, aerate it and turn it over to expose the upper layer of soil which contains nutrients required by plants for growth. The different types of ploughs are: mould board plough, disc plough, offset disc plough etc.
11) Pickaxe:
A pickaxe is a tool used for breaking up hard surfaces like rock, concrete etc. It has a long handle with a pointed steel head attached to it which is used for breaking hard surfaces.
12) Pitchfork:
A pitchfork is a simple tool used for lifting hay, straw, dung etc. It has three prongs attached to a long handle which can be made up of wood or steel. The three prongs are usually made up of steel or wood also depending on the material of the handle.
13) Scratch-plough:
A scratch-plough is one of agricultural tools used for breaking up the soil to a shallow depth. It is usually made up of wood with three pointed blades attached to it which are used for scratching the soil.
14) Wagoner:
A wagoner is a tool used for pulling small wagons and carts by animals. It has two wheels at the bottom of the frame with traces (leather straps) attached to it which are pulled by animals to pull wagons and carts.
The traces are usually made up of leather but can also be made up of metal wires in some cases.
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