I'm constantly on the lookout for ways to make the work I have to do a little easier, more comfortable, or more fun. 8 years into farming, I've wasted SO MUCH time, money and effort doing things the hard way, buying and trying the wrong tools, but you don't have to. Here are the top 15 must have tools to hack your homestead.

There’s nothing worse than wanting to get a new tool that’s going to make your homesteading life easier, only to have the tool not do the job well, break, or not deliver on the promise of actually making your life easier.

Trust me when I say I know how this feels! That’s why I’m counting down my top 15 must-have tools from last to first. These are tools I have and use myself almost on a daily basis to keep my homestead running smoothly and to keep my sanity intact.

Keep reading to the end to find out my very most favorite, must-have tool that makes this homesteading life worth living!

This post was brought to you by Lehman's the old fashioned hardware store, a one-stop-shop for all your homesteading needs. A family business started in 1955, my family has been shopping the Lehman's catalog since my mom started grinding her own wheat when I was 2. From Cheesemaking to Wood Fired Ovens, you can find it all in-store, order through their catalog, or shop online. Lehman's helps you build a simpler life.
The link below will take you directly to Lehmans' website and using the code “GardenHack21” will get you 10%* off your order from Sept. 1-Sept 30, 2021 at Lehmans.com.
*Excludes major appliances, gifts cards and out of stock items

Broadfork

A steel broadfork is the perfect tool for those who practice no-till gardening, but need to loosen their compacted soil between plantings! It’s the best way to loosen clay or other compacted soil, makes it easy to dig in compost and maintain weeds.

The steel broadfork from Lehman’s features five angled tines that are sharp and go through the dirt easier with less effort. And with a dig depth of over 10", it beats hoes, cultivators and rakes, and is the best way to loosen garden soil.

Step on the crossbar and use your body weight and the two handles to work the fork down into the ground, then pull back gently to break up and aerate the soil
Great for digging and harvesting root crops
Handles can easily be removed (4 bolts) for simpler storage
5 tough, slightly angled steel tines (10-3/4"L)
Smooth, strong fiberglass handles (42-1/2"L)
54-1/4"H x 20"W
The lighter weight makes it an easy to lift garden tool
USA made

BONUS TOOL: Cardboard is my bonus tool on the list of 15, scratch that, 16 must-have tools. Though you may not consider it a tool, it’s extremely helpful when it comes to weed control around the homestead.

Very little of what we “recycle” actually gets recycled, so why not make our online shopping and all those boxes we receive work for us? Laying a layer of cardboard down before topping it with compost and soil is a fantastic way to make a weed barrier, and keeps plastic out of our garden and out of the landfill.

Propane Torch

From starting brush piles and bonfires to managing weeds a propane torch is not only a handy tool to have around the homestead, it’s also really fun!

Who needs a bonfire when you can just roast marshmallows with your torch? ;)

It’s also fantastic for pre-heating my wood-fired oven in my outdoor kitchen, which is a huge time and energy saver!

Instant Change Spigots

If you live in an area where hoses and water lines can freeze up during the winter, then these frost-free water hydrants and instant change spigots will be music to your ears! By using dedicated hoses, these hydrants are convenient and time-saving.

With instant flow and shutoff options, there’s no more worry of burst pipes or the need to weatherproof.

Expanding Hoses

When you’re lugging around 100-foot hoses, every pound adds up, especially when you’re also moving a 100 lb trough in the 90-degree sun with full humidity (but really, TN is GREAT!).

That’s why I love these expanding hoses, they’re incredibly lightweight, they come in various lengths, they don’t kink like regular hoses, and you don’t have to roll them up!

Though they don’t work as well in low water pressure situations, if that’s not an issue for you, I’d definitely recommend getting one, or a dozen!

Fruit Harvester

They say the camera adds 10 feet (or is it pounds?), but in real life I'm, how does Adam put it? Vertically challenged. This fruit picker helps me to reach high up fruit without a ladder.

It has a cushioned basket to keep fruit from getting bruised, extends up to 9-feet high, has a telescoping handle so it collapses to 5-1/4 feet for easy storage, and it only weighs two pounds (this is important when harvesting heavier fruit!).

For you city folk, Most states also have a "public use" rule that allows you to pick fruit from trees if it's hanging over neighboring fencelines or public property. I took full advantage of this picking mangoes off the neighbor's tree as a kid when we lived in Hawaii.

Compost Thermometer

This inexpensive little tool is the best thing for reminding you to turn your pile when needed (or walking by because you can confidently see that the pile is doing its job). It makes it obvious when the pile needs turning and makes troubleshooting easier. I know when my compost needs water, needs amendments, and needs stirring.

This tool stimulates my competitive nature - how hot can I get it? How quickly can I get finished compost? (Be sure to check out this blog post for more composting tips and how to build a compost pile.)

Good Hoe

I love a good Amish-made garden hoe complete with wooden handles. Wooden handles absorb shock, making the work easier on your body.

I love to use the sharp edge for weeding and making rows for seeds. The broad edge is great for moving soil in your garden or to clean up after using the broadfork.

I use these a ton and they inevitably get abused, too. These amish made tools come sharp and last forever. believe it or not, it's cheaper in the long run to buy quality tools up front rather than constantly replacing cheap ones.

Lehman’s Amish-made GARDEN HOE Features

Sharply honed on 3 sides - use wide edge in row, narrow edges between plants
Blade is set at a precise 70° angle to cut parallel to the ground when user is upright
USA made by an Amish saw-maker with years of gardening experience

Floor Sweeper & Upright Dustpan

When you have a lot of animals, you have a lot to clean up. Especially if you let your animals free-range around your homestead, including access to my office and shop!

Bending down all day to clean up poops is hard on my back, plus I like to keep my face as far away from the aroma as possible. This upright dustpan/floor sweeper will quickly become your new best friend.

Bushel Baskets

When it’s harvest time in a large garden, a teeshirt just won’t do! These large bushel baskets are perfect for the job. They make it easy to move a lot of produce (or other items) at once, plus they look great in photos, making you look super official in the harvest process!

It’s never a bad thing when your harvested produce looks like home decor while sitting there waiting to be processed or stored!

Use them for harvesting and storing fruits and vegetables, gathering berries, kindling or pine cones, toting food to picnics, holding toys, magazines... whatever you need them for.

Lehman’s Bushel Basket Features

Pack of 2 baskets
Made of raw poplar wood that's veneered into thin strips of wood and handcrafted into a finished basket
Metal wire handles.
Each 11-3/4"H x 17-3/4"OD, 2 lb.
USA made by a 75-year-old company

Speed Planter Tool

Starting seeds indoors and transplanting them is a major cost savings for your garden, but all that planting is hard work on your back. Using this speed planter tool (that somewhat resembles a rocketship) can help save your back and sore knees.

Be sure to watch the video below to see this tool in action!

Auto Close Gate Locks

An automatic gate lock is key when you’re trying to keep goats in and predators out. They’re easy to open and easy to close, plus they also keep "city folk" out of your farm fences!

Zip Ties

You don’t even need to be a gardener or homesteader to know the value of zip ties. They’re so handy for instant fence fixes, halter fixes, machine or equipment repair, creating holsters for often used complementary tools, trellising plants, and quick lashing.

What’s the strangest use you’ve used zip ties for? Grab these assorted zip ties for all your homesteading needs.

Harvest Basket

Your shirt is a great option for harvesting in the garden… until it's messy and heavy! I love the mesh sides to these Maine Harvest Baskets from Lehman’s. It makes it super simple to wash your produce before bringing it inside so you’re not bringing in the bugs and dirt from the garden.

I also love that the mesh holes are small enough to keep my okra from falling through! That’s my biggest complaint of other harvest baskets. No more dropping produce on the trek from the garden to the house.

Lehman’s Maine Garden HOD Features

Wire mesh body allows you to wash and drain harvest right in the hod
Doubles as a magazine holder, pantry bin or portable toy box
Food-grade, PVC-coated wire
Pine ends with steam-bent solid oak handle
18-7/8"L × 11"W × 6-1/4"D
USA made

Plastic Storage Bins & 5-Gallon Buckets

Every homestead needs these storage bins and 5-gallon buckets. There’s always a use for them from feed bins to compost screening, dahlia or seed storage, these bins have easy access lids, are rodent resistant, are sturdy and stackable for storage.

Automatic Chicken Opener

Finally, my number one must-have garden tool is my automatic chicken door opener. Mercifully, it has helped me forget I even have chickens, while still keeping them safe from predators.

This seemingly simple change to my chicken routine has quite literally changed my life, because I'm no longer tied to my dawn and dusk routine with the chickens. It's also pretty darn great that this coop cleans itself, because chickens are disgusting - check out the full build for this chicken coop here.

15 Must Have Tools for the Homestead and Garden