Tools Used Around the Farm
Kevin Felts 02.21.17
Here on the farm in rural Southeast Texas, I find myself using certain tools on a regular basis. Whether it is taking up an old livestock fence, cleaning brush or cutting down trees, there are certain tools that I keep going back to.
Maybe it is because I am performing certain tasks over and over? Maybe it is because the tools are vital to life in a rural area?
Regardless of the reason, let’s talk about life on a rural farm.
Clothing
Leather steel toed work boots – Starting from the ground up, a good pair of work boots are invaluable. Even though they are not snake proof, they are better than nothing against ankle biters like copper heads and coral snakes.
When walking through dense brush, the boots protect the ankles from stickers and other ankle jabbers.
Running the tractor, boots protect the ankles from limbs, vines, stickers and flying debris.
Jeans – Good heavy denim jeans help protect your legs from all kinds of stuff.
Carhart shirt – I prefer short sleeved shirts in the summer and have paid the price with cut arms. A good work shirt is as important as everything else.
Wide brimmed hat – I prefer a boonie hat over the typical baseball cap. The wide brim keeps the sun out of my eyes better than a baseball cap and protects the top of the ears.
Men tend to develop skin cancer in the same locations. That is on the lips, nose, top of the ears, and back of the neck. A wide brim hat protects those areas better than a baseball cap.
Work gloves – Good quality leather work gloves. Your hands will thank you for it later.
Hand tools
Chainsaw – This includes the scrench and file. A good quality chainsaw such as a Husqvarna or Stihl is a must have on any farm.
Large saw for cutting down a tree, and then a smaller saw for delimbing. Delimbing means to cut the limbs of the tree off after it has been cut down.
Bolt cutters – When cutting fence there is nothing like using bolt cutters.
Post hole diggers – An auger is nice, but not everyone has that luxury. Post hole digger may be slow, but they work.
Come along – Whether it is stretching fence or picking up something heavy, a come along is a tool that I use on a semi-regular basis around the farm.
A couple of weeks ago my oldest son and I used a come along and a red oak tree to unload a tractor mounted log splitter from the back of a truck.
Axe and maul – Some things just can not be replaced. The oldest axe found so far dates back to 50,000 years ago. Axes have been used by people for tens of thousands of years and nothing is going to change that.
Sledge hammer – When something will not move, time to grab the hammer. Four and eight pound hammers are a must have.
Special mentions
We could go on all day about stuff used on a farm. Other examples include a tiller, tractor, disk, plow… but those a seasonal.
Log splitter, this makes life so much easier than using a hammer, wedge, and splitting maul. Not everyone has a use for a log splitter though.
Hand tools, your typical wrenches, sockets, and pliers. This should be a given. Hand tools are like toys to men. We just cannot get enough of them.
There is an old saying:
What is the difference between men and boys?
The price of their toys.
