Of course, it may be that they’ve been largely forgotten in the last 30 years or so. That’s certainly been the case in Scotland. Most people under 50 who see our big hoes are surprised by them, but we do get the occasional older person who remembers them being used in the neep and tattie fields in the 1950s or earlier. A book I have on my shelves has a man earthing up tatties with an agricultural hoe in the 1950s or early 1960s.

I suspect standardisation of tools, the disappearance of the blacksmiths and the decline in home-grown vegetables (especially on a large scale) have all contributed to the decline of tools like the large hoe.

Regards, Gary

Divorcefire, thanks. Most people think the posts just materialise and fail to realise how much time it takes to research, photograph and write them. It’s sometimes difficult maintaining the quality and quantity that readers expect, especially when I’ve done 12 hours work on the croft and then spend a further couple of hours doing this once everyone else is in bed.

I should also have mentioned by two preferred manufacturers of garden tools (in the UK): Bulldog and Sneeboer. And if you have children who garden, look for Joseph Bentley children’s tools, which include a spade, fork, dutch hoe, soil rake and spring tine rake. Harrod Horticultural have Sneeboer and Joseph Bentley (note, there are other sources, some cheaper but Harrod have most of ranges).

I had to return to the UK and buy myself a border spade and fork though for proper digging. I can’t use the full sized ones as it stresses my back too much.

The azada and ground breaker are common here too along with something that looks a bit like the groundbreaker but has 2 tines on the back rather than the pick. I find that the took a bit of time to learn to use effectively but I think I’m getting the hang of them now, and they are the only tool to break up the rain compaction on my clay loam.