I've not got too many tools on my allotment, preferring to keep it to minimum and have a small selection of tools that really work for me rather than loads that are hung in the shed and never see the light of day. My tools are nothing expensive of luxurious but they all work for me and there isn't anything particular that I'd like to add to my portfolio. Apart, maybe, from one thing...
Brian who used to have the allotment next to us had the most amazing, five prong cultivator. It was an old school tool that looked something like this and seemed to effortlessly break up the soil before planting. A couple of times when we were working on our plot Brian lent it to us and it was such a pleasure to work with that I wished that we could have one of our own. However, despite searching all over, I was never able to find one to buy to add to our own tool collection. So imagine how surprised and happy I was when my partner in growing crime bumped into Brian on the street to be told that, since he'd given up his allotment he'd decided that he wanted to donate his precious cultivator to us.
I feel absolutely privileged that Brian has been so kind as to pass this useful tool onto us but his kind gift also got me thinking about the heritage and story that all the different tools we use have got. Take the fork you can see in the picture for example, it's a bog standard example from a well known supermarket but my mum bought it for me when I had my first garden and it's been with me ever since so it's a really precious piece of equipment to me. It's actually a little border fork so not so good for bigger jobs on the allotment but it still remains the perfect tool that I always reach for when I need to turn over the compost. Then there's the beautiful hoe that my friend gave to us after her grandfather passed away, of the gloriously crafted fork that my sister bought me for my birthday. All these tools tell a different story and play an essential part in the history of our experience as growers and gardeners. They also illustrate that it doesn't always figure that the most expensive tool you can buy will necessarily be the best. Sometimes the most wonderful tools are the ones that have been cherished, looked after and used by other gardeners for years and years before they come into your hands. And, if this post has given you a taste to get your hands on some vintage tools of your own why don't you have a browse on Ebay ?- you may be pleasantly surprised by the pre-loved garden bargains that you will find.
Recent Comments