Must-Have Tools Every New Farmer Should Add to Their List
Becoming a farmer can be a rewarding endeavor. That said, quite a bit goes into ensuring that your land, crops, and animals are properly tended. One of the first steps to setting yourself up for a successful career as a farmer is stocking your acreage with the tools you need to thrive. So explore some of the must-have tools every new farmer should add to their list.
Electric and Hand Tools
Running a successful farm requires an expertly stocked tool kit. After all, half the work you do will involve tinkering, fixing, and constructing things somehow. That’s why it’s wise to ensure that you have a healthy supply of electric and hand tools readily available.
In general, most farmers like to keep a wide selection of all the basics, such as hammers, pliers, and screwdrivers, close by for minor repairs like broken fencing. Additionally, it’s good to have a circular saw and an electric drill on hand for farm projects like constructing a compost bin.
Of course, if you anticipate needing a more extensive collection of power tools, then feel free to add the items to your list that you think will meet your needs. If you expect to garden or sow crops, we recommend adding some essential gardening tools like a shovel, broad fork, and hoeing mechanism to your itinerary.
And finally, it’s always beneficial to have fencing tools such as hammer tackers and fence staples nearby—especially if you plan to raise livestock. Being able to fix fencing issues quickly is imperative to keeping animals from wandering onto someone else’s property.
Pickup Truck and Compact Utility Vehicle
You can’t discuss must-have tools every new farmer should add to their list without mentioning the need for trucks and utility vehicles. Part of being a farmer is managing large plots of land—a task that becomes much more difficult without a sturdy set of wheels to assist you.
For this reason, it’s crucial to have a couple of vehicles to help you with the heavy lifting. To start, pickup trucks are incredibly helpful when it’s time to move supplies like feed, fencing, and large tools from one location to another.
Further, having an additional vehicle like a compact trailer, ATV, or UTV is also useful. This is primarily due to their versatility and capabilities. For instance, depending on what kind of attachments it has, a compact utility vehicle can:
- Mow acreage
- Dig a foundation
- Bale hay
- Push snow
So it’s safe to say that having these vehicles at your disposal is vital to the success of your farm. Plus, they make your life easier, and who doesn’t love that?
Handy Miscellaneous Items
Indeed, you need specific types of tools to run a successful farm. But there’s also a wide variety of miscellaneous items you’ll add to your itinerary over time. These are the kinds of things you pick up as the need arises.
Perhaps you have chickens, and you learn through experience that it’s best to keep a little extra feed on you. Or maybe you find that you have to work after dark on Thursday evenings.
If so, you’d likely find value in having an extra flashlight and batteries in your truck’s glove compartment. In any case, it’s wise to keep a few miscellaneous items nearby. Of course, which items you choose to include in your toolbox is ultimately up to you.
