What could be better than to be greeted with a new hoe when you get home? You tell me! Yes, I’ll admit a new bloom gives a new hoe a run for the money, but it’s always nice to find a new hoe waiting for you on your front porch when you get home from a long day of work.
And just how is a hoe shipped? Wrapped in plastic with some extra protection for the hoe head and the end of the handle. I wonder what the delivery man thought when he delivered this to me, or if he is so used to delivering hoes to all the good gardeners in the world, it was no big deal?
Anyway, I present my new hoe, a DeWit Stirrup Hoe from Tierra Garden.
I took my new hoe, handmade in the Netherlands, for a “test spin” last night and it’s a keeper. I can see where this will be a good hoe for weeding in the garden. With the open stirrup design, I’ll be able to cut through weeds without really moving all the soil in the process. Soon I’ll be adding this hoe to my official “collection post” once I take a more suitable picture (portrait) of my new hoe with a better background.
Now, let’s talk about hoes for a minute and why a gardener would have so many hoes. Not counting some antique hoes that I don’t actually use, I now have 14 hoes, 15 if you count my hand digging hoe. I realize that is maybe 13 more hoes than most gardeners have.
Was I raised in a family with a lot of gardening tools? No, my Dad was really a “one hoe” gardener, who also had one shovel, one rake, and one trowel. But he had several leaf rakes, because he wanted to put us all to work helping with that fall chore! I believe I actually bought him his second hoe for Father’s Day one year right after I had graduated from college. The handle on that hoe broke, but I still have the hoe head, hanging in my garage.
Who knew there were so many different types of hoes? A lot of people, gardeners included, don’t realize how many different types of hoes there are, until they look at some of the specialty gardening tool catalogs. But, fellow gardeners, once you see all the different types of hoes, don’t you want to try them out to see how well they work or don’t work, and find out for yourself if one is really better than the others? What if one of them truly is “the one” that’s perfect for you and how you garden? You’ll never find out if you don’t try them out.
Do I use all these hoes? Ummm, some more than others. I probably use the hand digging hoe the most. After that, I would group the other hoes into three categories… those I use a lot, those I use for special situations, and those I tried but don’t really like that well.
Do I ever get rid of my older hoes? No, it never crossed my mind to get rid of any of my hoes. Even those I don’t use that often might come in handy for some special garden work in the future.
What do I call my hoe collection? I’ve been thinking about that. If a fleet is a bunch of cars, and a flock is a bunch of geese, what does one call a collection of hoes? (I’m accepting only clean answers to that question!)
If you have more questions about my collection or a specific hoe, feel free to ask. I’m happy to answer any questions.
Hello, Karol!
All very good. thank toy
have a good weekend
A hurd of hoes?
BTW I like the fact that this one is Dutch. So many good things come from the Netherlands, don’t you think? 😉
To answer your question about what could be better when coming home, than to be greeted by a hoe: by mr Darcy of course with a nice cuppa and an offer of a foot massage and then progressing on to … erm I’m dreaming again, sorry! 🙂
I love naming contests! How about: a harvest of hoes?
How about a “rack” of hoes. Don’t you hang them on a rack?
Yay!!!! Congratulations on your new hoe, Carol!
I love hearing all about your hoe collection… probably because I have never in my life used one. (Terrible, huh?!)
Hurd, harvest, and rack, all good ideas for what to call a collection of hoes! Thanks for the comments and suggestions. And Blackswamp_Girl, I am shocked you have never used a hoe!
I don’t use a hoe very much, so I’m far from an expert, but I wouldn’t have thought to use a design like this. I would have thought cutting the roots below the soil would just allow the weeds to grow back again. I hope you’ll post on some of your experiences with it later in the season.
I never would have imagined a hoe from Holland. I guess I’ve seen these in garden centers here, but never paid attention to them. I certainly didn’t know they were exported. How did you come across it, just in a garden catalog?
I cannot believe you didn’t have a stirrup hoe before, Carol! (And you call yourself a hoer! snort) I think you will really love it. I like the fact you can go back and forth with it; it saves a lot of work.
Patrick…I just assumed everyone in the Netherlands used these fine garden tools made there!
El… I know, I’m kind of ashamed that I didn’t get one sooner, too. And I should have given you credit for being one of the ones who put the idea in my head, because you wrote something about a stirrup hoe on your blog or in a comment here someplace!
Hi Carol-
It is very clear to me that a collection of hoes should be referred to as a “hoard” of hoes.
I have a hoard of hoes….
I even bought one at a garage sale that was too old to ever use again, as the handle was completely bowed from over use…but it needed a good home…
so, from one “hoarder” of hoes to another…I adore your new hoe!
Hi Carol, What an excellent looking hoe – in fact I was so taken by the design of it that I’ll be ordering one from the site you so thoughtfully placed in your article. Again, I’m enjoying your blog a great deal and look forward to reading what you do each day. You have an excellent sense of humor and can make anything fun and interesting. Thanks for letting us in on your life. Alyssa
Hi Carol, as the maker of these tool it is nice to see that you like it. Greeting from The Netherlans where we make much more hoes and other tools. Take a look at http://www.dewithandtools.com for more wonderfull hoes and more.