Overview of the Farm Tools and Classes of Farm Tools
Farm tools remain one of the most valuable hand-operated tools used in performing various agricultural operations on the farm and in the workshop. These tools are called different names such as simple farm tools, small farm tools, traditional tools, ancient tools, crude farm implements, and hand-operated tools.
These tools are the oldest types of farm tools used in agriculture before the advent of technology that has helped to modify or develop better versions of these tools or farm implements to improve efficiency or farming operations.
These tools are still very much in use in the agricultural sector, whether on the farm, workshop, or farmstead these types of farm tools remain paramount for agricultural development.
Though the tools demand the use of excessive energy, time, and effort, they are still needed in both commercial and subsistence agriculture or when the need for cost is to be minimized.
In agriculture, these tools are used for performing different operations on the farm, workshop, abattoir, and in kitchen. These tools are used in various areas of the farmstead and are used independently or in combination with other tools.
For example, when using the nuts and bolt, the spanner or pliers are needed, when using a knapsack sprayer the bucket or head pan is required, and when using the hand trowel the head pan is necessary. Hence various types of operations on the farm require special types of farm tools to accomplish such tasks or activities.
More so, one type of farm tool cannot be used for performing all the operations on the farm, different operations on the farm require various types of farm tools.
Examples of different types of farm tools used in the agricultural sector are cutting, spraying, digging, transporting or carrying tools, irrigation or watering tools, gathering tools, loosing tools, and tapping tools.
Classifications of Types of Farm Tools
The classes of various types of farm tools used for agricultural development are:
Cutting tools
These tools are designed purposely for cutting. They have metal blades constructed for cutting. Some cutting tools have curved straight, or serrated metal blades. These tools have well-designed handles for firm holding.
The blade is usually sharpened with the sharpening file, manual sharpening machine, or the sharpening stone. Examples of these types of tools are cutlass, machetes, axes, kitchen knives, shears, hand saws, sickles, pliers, chisel, and secateurs
Tillage or Digging tools
These types of farm tools are specially constructed with features that aid digging. They have wide blades and sharp edges for digging or tillage.
Tillage which is the process of loosening the soil structure for the purpose of receiving seeds is made possible with the aid of these types of tools. These tillage tools have wooden or metal handles that help to control the blade in order to turn the soil. Examples of the tillage tools are spade, hoe, and pick axe.
Transportation or Carrying Tools
These are simple farm tools designed with the features to hold water, agricultural produce, or earth. They are designed like a basin or bow that aids the transportation of agricultural produce or products from one place to another.
They have handles that provide convenient access to lifting and carrying while others have single or double tires that when force is applied can move from one place to another. Examples of transport or carrying tools are baskets, buckets, head pans, and wheelbarrows.
Gathering Tools
These tools as the name sounds are used to gather farm produce. They are designed with special blades or prongs to aid the gathering of farm produce. During the processing of farm produce certain agricultural produce needs to be spread on the sun for proper drying, also when harvesting fruit crops they fall arbitrarily and these tools help to gather them together.
For example, when processing paddy rice locally, the rice has to be poured onto a wide polythene mat while it is still very hot, and then the rake or the spade is used to spread the boiled rice. The same also goes for manure or fruit harvesting.
These tools are crucial tools in rice processing, plantation agriculture, and soil management. Examples of gathering tools include rakes, shovels, etc.
Irrigation / Watering tools
These tools are specially designed to supply water to crops during periods of drought or water shortage. They have handles, and inner containers that can help to accommodate water.
Examples of irrigation tools are watering cans, buckets, and knapsacks Sprayers.
Spraying Tools
Farm tools such as knapsacks, and hand sprayers are used for spraying agrochemicals, fungicides, fertilizer, and water. They are special tools used for crop protection.
They are specially designed to spray chemicals that will help to protect crops from the adverse effects of pests and disease. These tools are like gallons with pumping features and nozzles to spray chemical solutions to crops.
Harvesting Tool
Harvesting refers to removing mature crops or fruits from the soil, containers, or trees. Harvesting is made possible with the aid of the harvesting tools.
Tools such as cutlasses, spades, hoes, axes, fruit pickers, berry pickers, tapping knives, harvesting rakes, handle forks, etc. are used for harvesting different types of agricultural crops. They have special blades, prongs, or comb-like prongs that help to dig, cut, and remove the fruit from the pedicel.
Loosening Tools
The loosening tools are specially constructed with metallic tools used for losing the nuts and bolts of farm implements and machines.
They are designed in such a way that they can fit into different sizes of nuts and bolts. Some have both edge designs with a specific size for loosening nuts and bolts. Examples of loosening tools are spanners, Allen keys, and pliers.
Building Tools
These are tools used for the construction of farm structures and buildings. They are used for packing sand or mortar, mixing mortar, and laying bricks or concrete blocks.
They are metallic tools designed for the purpose of building and construction Examples are, hand trowels, spades, shovels, hand saws, hammers, measuring tape, Head pan, etc.
Sharpening Tools
Cutting or digging tools require constant whetting for effective and efficient usage. These tools require the use of sharpening tools to keep their cutting and digging edges sharp.
They are specially designed with sharpening grit or single-cut teeth for sharpening farm tools. Examples of sharpening tools are sharpening files, sandpaper, sharpening or whetting stones, manual sharping machines, and electric sharping machines.
Measuring Tools.
These are tools used for measurement. They are used to measure the length, breadth, and height of farm buildings, tools, and sizes of land.
These are very necessary in the agricultural industries for performing various types of measurement. Examples include a ranging pole, measuring tap, Gunter chain, beacon, peg, etc.