Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Garden Tool Quiz

Do you know what this is?




NEW MAXIM BHW-24 HI WHEEL WOOD STEEL FARM GARDEN CULTIVATOR PUSH PLOW USA SALE
When I was growing up, we called it a hand cultivator.  It was used in our garden from the time I can remember.  Ours did not have the multiple attachments, just the prong thingy that is in the middle of the picture.   Since dad didn't want it anymore, for sentimental reasons, I nabbed it.  I always used it and liked it.  Yeah, I know, how weird is that?  Most people would prefer a "real" tiller.   I still have this darling antique.  The center prong is missing, but it still gets the job done.  

Since our little Mantis tiller isn't working (something about gunk and a carburetor), I've been using this old one.  It looks like this only with more dirt ground into the wooden handles and a bit of rust on the wheel.  It is a great upper body workout, for those who are interested in such things.

I'm probably just old-fashioned or maybe I just like to live in the past, (sometimes, I still like my telephone and running water) but there is something satisfying about using this old cultivator.  It helps me remember my dad, who taught me about planting and caring for a garden.  Who taught me about putting up fence and burning horns off calves.  He taught me about loving the country.  There I go getting nostalgic.

It was a lovely, cool evening.  Perfect for working in the garden.  Garden work is usually preferable to cleaning the bathroom.  Bathroom cleaning is important, too, It's just that I would rather be outside.  I was able to get half of the upper garden worked up this evening.

The happy news around here is that my John Deere, while repairs are yet to be completed,  is about done with her surgery and just needs to be stitched up.  That can't happen soon enough.

Giver of All Good,
Streams upon streams of love overflow my path.
Thou hast made me out of nothing,
   hast recalled me from a far country,
   hast translated me from ignorance to knowledge,
                                 from darkness to light,
                                 from death to life,
                                from misery to peace,
                                from folly to wisdom,
                               from error to truth,
                               from sin to victory.
Thanks be to thee for my high and holy calling.
I bless thee for ministering angels,
                  for the comfort of thy Word,
                 for the ordinances of thy church,
                 for the teaching of thy Spirit,
                for thy holy sacraments,
                for the communion of saints,
               for Christian fellowship,
               for the recorded annals of holy lives,
              for examples sweet to allure,
             for beacons sad to deter.
I entrust myself to thee, for thou hast redeemed me.
I bless and adore thee, the eternal God,
   for the comfort of these thoughts,
     the  joy of these hopes.

~an excerpt from Comforts, from The Valley of Vision

               

3 comments:

Cary ~ My Wool Mitten at Serenity Farms said...

I love those old tools! I have a hand scythe (sp?) that was my Dad's and I still use it.

Kerry Cowman said...

Hi Linda,
I too love my high wheel cultivator, I inherited from my dad. I have the row marker and cultivator but not the shovel plow attachment.

The little mantis tillers gum up these days because of ethanol in the gas. I buy either pre-mix or high octane gas to mix with the oil. Some people are using racing gasoline for the mix.

lsjohnson said...

Cary~ Good for you using that hand scythe! You're one up on me!!

Richard~ My husband was saying that the gas is not good for a number of things. His chain saws are another item that needs the high octane gas. I'll have to pass on your info about the Mantis - Thanks!!