A farmer loves their hoe. And every farmer has their favorite. My favorite I found by the dirt road behind our farm one day. Must have been left their by one of the migrant crews working in the seed cabbage field. A perfect, collinear type hoe. Sharp edge, smooth, comfy handle. I LOVED this hoe. Sadly, however, one day last spring as I was planting spring onion transplants I set the hoe down and it DISAPPEARED! I looked, and looked, to no avail. I was sure it would show up in the wintertime when the tall grasses had died back. Nothing. Now, a whole year has passed, and I'm starting to think it must have decided it had sliced and diced all the weeds it needed to at Willowood Farm and was time to move on...Somewhere, perhaps, another farmer was in need - looking for that perfect hoe!
I would also just like to add that the collinear hoe - which is referenced as being "invented by Elliot Coleman" and sold for lots of $$$ by Johnny's Seeds - is as far as I know just the regular old hoe that has always been known to those that spend many hours with it. Skinny rectangular design. "Slices" the soil, best used on small weeds in good tilth soil. It is designed so you can stand straight while hoeing. In fact, this is one of my first lessons to all interns. Stand straight and tall while you hoe! Elizabeth, in this picture, is doing pretty good, a bit of flex in the lower back, but overall not bad for a newbie (notice the row to the left that is complete!).
And to all farmers and aspiring farmers - forward hence and hoe!
Great inspiration!
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