If you’re turning compost or collecting the grass you’ve scythed or woodchips that have been left by the side of the road by the tree loppers or moving gravel, you’ll need a fork. And having the right fork makes all the difference to the effort and time required for the job. Our forks are sturdy, reliable tools, forged at the Falci factory in Italy.
Nicki likes to use the 5 pronged fork when we are turning compost. The fork is sturdy enough for the job and the prongs are close enough together to catch all the compost yet the fork is still light enough for her to use comfortably. When we make a hot compost heap, they tend to be 1.5 to 2 cubic metres in volume so the job of turning it every few days isn’t for the faint hearted. Choosing a tool that is light yet still sturdy and will do the job turns a chore into an enjoyable workout.
Jobs the 5 pronged fork is good at:
- turning very young compost when the vegetation is still intact and very tangled – the 6 pronged fork has more difficulty with compost at this stage
- turning compost at any stage of development – although if you have the strength, you can move more with each lift with the 6 pronged fork, which is why men t
- collecting mown grass
- collecting coarser woodchips
Jobs the 5 pronged fork is not good at:
- collecting gravel
- collecting ballast
- collecting fine material like very fine and dryer compost or even our goat manure – the material just falls through the gaps between the prongs
Note: All of our forks come without handles. This means they can be sent via Australia Post. Handles are available locally for sale in most good hardware stores. We find that a good long hoe handle works well. You will have to fit the handle yourself, but it is a skill that can be learned fairly quickly with patience. The fork itself will last a long time, but wooden handles often have to be replaced after several years (less frequently if you keep them oiled) so learning to fit a handle is an investment for the future.
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