Farm Tools for Women
July 12, 2014 7:52 AM Subscribe
Farming and gardening tools that are actually useful for women. “Women play a critical role in producing food,” she says. “Our philosophy is to build on the strengths of women.”
I would love to try out one of those shovels.
posted by emjaybee at 8:05 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by emjaybee at 8:05 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
The attachable grips look really useful for anyone.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:07 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:07 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I love how the photography equals the article itself - you really need to see the tools being used to appreciate them.
This paragraph gives the stats:
Great post.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 8:33 AM on July 12, 2014
This paragraph gives the stats:
"It seemed like a market opportunity dying for attention. After all, in the past 30 years, the number of farms in the U.S. operated by women has nearly tripled. According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, women operated five percent of the nation’s farms in 1978. By 2007, they owned 14 percent. While women-owned operations tend to be smaller (most have annual sales of less than $10,000), their numbers and their revenue are growing. Some 2,000 female producers have sales of $1 million or more.""Tripled" sounds like a lot but it turns out it's trippling a small number; still.
Great post.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 8:33 AM on July 12, 2014
I wonder what second-wave feminists would think about gendered farm tools.
posted by Avenger at 8:35 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Avenger at 8:35 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Interesting. As a woman who works in horticulture, I definitely notice that I use tools differently than my male coworkers - and that there are tasks that I'm not as good at as a result. It would be interesting to try out their spade/shovel thing, although I'm a big believer of using a spade when you need a spade and a shovel when you need a shovel.
posted by sciencegeek at 8:36 AM on July 12, 2014
posted by sciencegeek at 8:36 AM on July 12, 2014
I love truly ergonomic tools, it sometimes seems that term is thrown around without real work or research behind the design. I really appreciate that this company is researching how tools are used, almost enough to want to farm. But then I remember I have the blackest of thumbs.
posted by dawg-proud at 8:40 AM on July 12, 2014
posted by dawg-proud at 8:40 AM on July 12, 2014
Huh, I admit I'm not a second-wave feminist, just a boring old first-waver, but I just thought of these as ergonomic tools, not "gendered" farm tools, but to each their own.
posted by dawg-proud at 8:42 AM on July 12, 2014 [18 favorites]
posted by dawg-proud at 8:42 AM on July 12, 2014 [18 favorites]
I wonder what second-wave feminists would think about gendered farm tools.
The gendering makes sense for marketing, but really these tools would be good for anyone not built like me (big, strong upper body, big hands). Plenty of men have small hands, slim shoulders, etc, and probably aren't well served by anything on the tool rack at the local hardware store.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:44 AM on July 12, 2014
The gendering makes sense for marketing, but really these tools would be good for anyone not built like me (big, strong upper body, big hands). Plenty of men have small hands, slim shoulders, etc, and probably aren't well served by anything on the tool rack at the local hardware store.
posted by Dip Flash at 8:44 AM on July 12, 2014
They should really go for "ergonomic" and then show plenty of their target market using the tools. I enjoyed torturing a male sales rep when I was looking for power tools which were light and fit my hands while also being well-powered and sturdy. This was some years back and he had no idea how to sell the tools based on anything but power and warranty.
But seriously, men would appreciate a variety of ergonomic options nearly as much as women. And then you won't have the issue of women feeling embarrassed to be using a "girls" tool.
posted by amanda at 8:59 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
But seriously, men would appreciate a variety of ergonomic options nearly as much as women. And then you won't have the issue of women feeling embarrassed to be using a "girls" tool.
posted by amanda at 8:59 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
Lee Valley sells both the Green Heron ones from the article and the Radius brand which are similar.
posted by bonehead at 9:05 AM on July 12, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by bonehead at 9:05 AM on July 12, 2014 [3 favorites]
A lot of things are just made for men (people the size of average men) as a default. And women (people smaller than the size of average men) have to adapt to using stuff that is too big and uncomfortable.
Interesting detail, from bonehead's link: These shovels were developed in cooperation between Green Heron Tools and researchers at Penn State University, through a USDA grant for redesigning agricultural tools for women. However, the resulting design offers distinct advantages for all gardeners, regardless of gender.
posted by travelwithcats at 9:11 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
Interesting detail, from bonehead's link: These shovels were developed in cooperation between Green Heron Tools and researchers at Penn State University, through a USDA grant for redesigning agricultural tools for women. However, the resulting design offers distinct advantages for all gardeners, regardless of gender.
posted by travelwithcats at 9:11 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
Oh that tiller, yes please! No being shaken the entire time or stupid pull to start engine, sold! We have an old tiller that I wish would give up the ghost already because its loud, shaky, and heavy, not to mention a pain to start, but I hadn't even bothered to look for a replacement because they're all like that. But this tiller? That's a game changer Green Heron, take my money!
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 9:20 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by julie_of_the_jungle at 9:20 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
It's unfortunate that it's even necessary to gender a design like that, but I'd just parse it as correcting a longstanding design flaw, where certain types of tools have been designed with a single body type in mind.
The gendering is just shorthand, and it seems unfair that people who are working to correct flaws like that get called out for using that shorthand moreso than the people who have been marketing products designed for 'male' bodies as though they're the default.
It's a big generalization to say they're designed 'for women,' and it is sort of cissexist, but it quickly conveys information that just calling them ergonomic doesn't.
posted by ernielundquist at 9:30 AM on July 12, 2014 [6 favorites]
The gendering is just shorthand, and it seems unfair that people who are working to correct flaws like that get called out for using that shorthand moreso than the people who have been marketing products designed for 'male' bodies as though they're the default.
It's a big generalization to say they're designed 'for women,' and it is sort of cissexist, but it quickly conveys information that just calling them ergonomic doesn't.
posted by ernielundquist at 9:30 AM on July 12, 2014 [6 favorites]
A lot of things are just made for men (people the size of average men) as a default. And women (people smaller than the size of average men) have to adapt to using stuff that is too big and uncomfortable.
The converse is true as well - men larger than the average have to adapt to using tools that are far too small. Snow shovels are my big complaint, but axes* and other hand tools as well are usually much to short to use to full effect.
But that applies to all facets of life - furniture, clothing, transportation. At least we can see at concerts.
* Fiskars anything is largely the exception to this rule - their stuff is so well made and balanced that they are a joy to use. My Fiskars axe is where I ama viking Paul Bunyan.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 9:34 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
The converse is true as well - men larger than the average have to adapt to using tools that are far too small. Snow shovels are my big complaint, but axes* and other hand tools as well are usually much to short to use to full effect.
But that applies to all facets of life - furniture, clothing, transportation. At least we can see at concerts.
* Fiskars anything is largely the exception to this rule - their stuff is so well made and balanced that they are a joy to use. My Fiskars axe is where I am
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 9:34 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I hope they aren't pink.
As someone of somewhat shorter stature, this makes sense to me if marked, as noted above, they are marked as "more ergonomically suited for people between X and Y height" and others "MESFP between Y and Z height".
With my luck, however, I will be Y. A will feel too small and B will feel too big. I'm too tall for petite and too short for average in just about everything else.
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 9:48 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
As someone of somewhat shorter stature, this makes sense to me if marked, as noted above, they are marked as "more ergonomically suited for people between X and Y height" and others "MESFP between Y and Z height".
With my luck, however, I will be Y. A will feel too small and B will feel too big. I'm too tall for petite and too short for average in just about everything else.
posted by Buttons Bellbottom at 9:48 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
How much of the difference is that men are generally so "macho" to think that they can just overpower bad design in tools? Women do not usually make that mistake.
posted by petrilli at 10:45 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
posted by petrilli at 10:45 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
I am an average-height woman who is no stranger to digging. I would be interested to try out one of these shovel-eque doomahickies, but am puzzled by the assertion that one uses "calf and thigh muscles" for digging. I mean, sure, to the extent one uses them climbing stairs, but I've always used my weight to set the shovel into the ground. You know, by standing on it. With the handle resting against my shoulder providing balance. Step up, do a little pile-driver bounce, in goes the (well-sharpened) blade, step off, lean back on the handle to pop off that chunk of dirt, move back six inches for the next bite, repeat. Almost no bending over. To me, this looks like lower-back pain waiting to happen, and that big-mahonkin' grippy thingie just looks like it would be in the way. Like I said, though, I would like to try one out, preferably on previously-undug ground. It could be that the angled blade would be a wonder.
posted by miss patrish at 10:53 AM on July 12, 2014
posted by miss patrish at 10:53 AM on July 12, 2014
I should add, I am all about that big wide folded-over cleat, though. I wish they made a regular long-handled shovel with those.
posted by miss patrish at 10:56 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by miss patrish at 10:56 AM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I do volunteer work at a smallish little place, and while it's not my main role, I often end up doing little odd jobs as they come up. Just simple little repairs and adjustments that need done, and one thing that's struck me really hard is how unusual many of the other volunteers seem to think it is. It's a very heavily female group, so it's just really weird that so many of them think it's remarkable to see a woman using a screwdriver or something.
I mean, they're all very complimentary about it, but I hadn't realized how many women were completely intimidated even by simple hand tools.
Never even mind the fact that more than once, I've had one of the men there try to take over for me.
...aaaand I am right now having a fantasy where some dude does that and finds that the tool they've ganked offa me fits their hand as awkwardly as some bigger tools fit mine, so I could say, "Oh, I'm sorry. That's obviously designed for average sized people. They should really make specialty tools designed for men."
posted by ernielundquist at 11:14 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
I mean, they're all very complimentary about it, but I hadn't realized how many women were completely intimidated even by simple hand tools.
Never even mind the fact that more than once, I've had one of the men there try to take over for me.
...aaaand I am right now having a fantasy where some dude does that and finds that the tool they've ganked offa me fits their hand as awkwardly as some bigger tools fit mine, so I could say, "Oh, I'm sorry. That's obviously designed for average sized people. They should really make specialty tools designed for men."
posted by ernielundquist at 11:14 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
Great find!
I don't have a problem with it being gendered. There are more differences between the sexes than mere absolute strength.
Women have less upper body strength than men but better low body strength. They also have wider hips, which impacts their knees and makes them more prone to certain kinds of injuries. Men who do hard physical labor daily tend to develop upper body strength, even if they are small, in a way that you do not see in women. I am slightly taller than my ex husband. He was career military and he was much stronger than me.
Size is not everything. Humans are bigger than chimps and bonobos but much less strong. This is not just a matter of "men are bigger than women." It is more complicated than that.
posted by Michele in California at 11:39 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
I don't have a problem with it being gendered. There are more differences between the sexes than mere absolute strength.
Women have less upper body strength than men but better low body strength. They also have wider hips, which impacts their knees and makes them more prone to certain kinds of injuries. Men who do hard physical labor daily tend to develop upper body strength, even if they are small, in a way that you do not see in women. I am slightly taller than my ex husband. He was career military and he was much stronger than me.
Size is not everything. Humans are bigger than chimps and bonobos but much less strong. This is not just a matter of "men are bigger than women." It is more complicated than that.
posted by Michele in California at 11:39 AM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
I would be interested to try out one of these shovel-eque doomahickies, but am puzzled by the assertion that one uses "calf and thigh muscles" for digging.
They talk about women tending to set the shovel at an angle when putting it into the ground -- I do this, too (and am actually surprised to hear that many people, or rather many men, don't?). How I do it is, I put the shovel at an angle a few inches below the surface of the ground, and then instead of standing on it, I put a foot on it and push into it. Then, once the blade of the shovel is under ground, I push down on the handle like it's a lever to pop off the amount of dirt that's above the blade of the shovel. That might not be how the shovel is designed to be used, but I don't weigh enough to make the shovel go far underground just be standing on it, and my upper body isn't strong enough for me to dig out the amount of dirt that's above the blade if the shovel is straight in the dirt (not at an angle) and I can't use the handle as a lever, either. I'm not small for a woman, but I'm small compared to most men, and I'm physically strong for a woman, but still don't have nearly the upper body strength of most men -- so I don't think that my methods or problems are likely unusual, though of course they're not universal.
The difference in how the shovels are designed isn't *just* that they're smaller, they're also designed to capitalize on lower body strength and to minimize the need for upper body strength (for example, notice the handles with room for both hands instead of just one). So while they're useful for anyone who is slighter and has less upper body strength and more lower body strength than the average man, and in that sense aren't gendered, they are made for a body type that is specifically more prevalent in *women* and assume the *female* body as the default, and in that sense are gendered. Many other tools are gendered, too, it's just that they're designed for a default *male* body. If you didn't get through the article, how I read it was: the shovel designers discovered that the "regular" shovels generally available were designed for male bodies as the default -- *as opposed to female bodies* -- when they saw how women were trying to use the shovels available at big box home improvement stores, and how the design of those shovels worked against them/their physical strengths (using tests that measured CO2 output in people using the tools and things like that, not just by saying "it looked like it was rough for these women to use shovels). Also, the shovels aren't pink, they're green (and bare wood and bare metal). Because part of the company's mission is also about encouraging sustainable/green farming, it looks like (from their website).
posted by rue72 at 11:48 AM on July 12, 2014 [11 favorites]
They talk about women tending to set the shovel at an angle when putting it into the ground -- I do this, too (and am actually surprised to hear that many people, or rather many men, don't?). How I do it is, I put the shovel at an angle a few inches below the surface of the ground, and then instead of standing on it, I put a foot on it and push into it. Then, once the blade of the shovel is under ground, I push down on the handle like it's a lever to pop off the amount of dirt that's above the blade of the shovel. That might not be how the shovel is designed to be used, but I don't weigh enough to make the shovel go far underground just be standing on it, and my upper body isn't strong enough for me to dig out the amount of dirt that's above the blade if the shovel is straight in the dirt (not at an angle) and I can't use the handle as a lever, either. I'm not small for a woman, but I'm small compared to most men, and I'm physically strong for a woman, but still don't have nearly the upper body strength of most men -- so I don't think that my methods or problems are likely unusual, though of course they're not universal.
The difference in how the shovels are designed isn't *just* that they're smaller, they're also designed to capitalize on lower body strength and to minimize the need for upper body strength (for example, notice the handles with room for both hands instead of just one). So while they're useful for anyone who is slighter and has less upper body strength and more lower body strength than the average man, and in that sense aren't gendered, they are made for a body type that is specifically more prevalent in *women* and assume the *female* body as the default, and in that sense are gendered. Many other tools are gendered, too, it's just that they're designed for a default *male* body. If you didn't get through the article, how I read it was: the shovel designers discovered that the "regular" shovels generally available were designed for male bodies as the default -- *as opposed to female bodies* -- when they saw how women were trying to use the shovels available at big box home improvement stores, and how the design of those shovels worked against them/their physical strengths (using tests that measured CO2 output in people using the tools and things like that, not just by saying "it looked like it was rough for these women to use shovels). Also, the shovels aren't pink, they're green (and bare wood and bare metal). Because part of the company's mission is also about encouraging sustainable/green farming, it looks like (from their website).
posted by rue72 at 11:48 AM on July 12, 2014 [11 favorites]
Thee is a huge difference between digging, and digging efficiently. If you're just futzing about in a little patio garden, it doesn't much matter how you dig. If you're looking at digging a deep, long trench or to shift a couple tons of fill, it makes or breaks you. There's an art to handling a shovel. It involves all your body, working harmoniously to put balance, power, and movement where it's needed.
posted by five fresh fish at 1:13 PM on July 12, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by five fresh fish at 1:13 PM on July 12, 2014 [3 favorites]
I do this, too (and am actually surprised to hear that many people, or rather many men, don't?).
I'm pretty certain that most people (or at least most men) find it easier to just, you know, just step on a thing rather than try to lift their own body weight again and again and again.
Really, I think the key is keeping a sharp the edge of your shovel. Of course, I currently have no hair on the back of my left wrist for tool sharpening related reasons, so I'm kind of predisposed to think sharpening is the solution to most "this tool isn't working for me" problems. (Not that you need to be able to shave with a shovel.)
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:18 PM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'm pretty certain that most people (or at least most men) find it easier to just, you know, just step on a thing rather than try to lift their own body weight again and again and again.
Really, I think the key is keeping a sharp the edge of your shovel. Of course, I currently have no hair on the back of my left wrist for tool sharpening related reasons, so I'm kind of predisposed to think sharpening is the solution to most "this tool isn't working for me" problems. (Not that you need to be able to shave with a shovel.)
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 2:18 PM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I have a whole truckload of upper body strength, big hands etc. and these look like they would be great for me, too.
I don't mind the marketing tactic they are taking, though.
posted by poe at 2:36 PM on July 12, 2014
I don't mind the marketing tactic they are taking, though.
posted by poe at 2:36 PM on July 12, 2014
I'm not sure the default was "for men". I think the default was "easy to make out of available materials" at the local blacksmith shop. Ergonomics wasn't a consideration. (We just spent the afternoon at a local powered forge, and safety wasn't a consideration either. )
posted by sneebler at 2:42 PM on July 12, 2014
posted by sneebler at 2:42 PM on July 12, 2014
five fresh fish: "If you're looking at digging a deep, long trench or to shift a couple tons of fill, it makes or breaks you. There's an art to handling a shovel. It involves all your body, working harmoniously to put balance, power, and movement where it's needed."
Or, you rent a trencher, because we solved most of the problems these manual labor tools solve ages ago with steam engines.
posted by pwnguin at 3:38 PM on July 12, 2014
Or, you rent a trencher, because we solved most of the problems these manual labor tools solve ages ago with steam engines.
posted by pwnguin at 3:38 PM on July 12, 2014
dawg-proud, sorry to be pedantic, but the first wave of feminism is generally thought to encompass turn-of-the-century suffragists, many of whom had been abolitionists in their younger days.
Second-wave feminism is late-60s til about 1980 (although all this talk of waves is pretty loose, and ymmv).
Which is to say, if you are a first-waver, more power to you!
Also, these tools look cool.
posted by allthinky at 7:09 PM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Second-wave feminism is late-60s til about 1980 (although all this talk of waves is pretty loose, and ymmv).
Which is to say, if you are a first-waver, more power to you!
Also, these tools look cool.
posted by allthinky at 7:09 PM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I keep my shovels sharp but sure can't shovel the way my fellow-farmer hubs does. I do the shovel-at-an-angle thing too. Should get one of these.
The things I struggle with the most are hooking up PTO shafts, as mentioned in the article, and hydraulic hoses with back pressure. I dreaded summer the first few years we farmed, because we had a whole bunch of implements that needed to be hitched and unhitched to a little tractor, and they all had big heavy PTO shafts and hydraulic hoses and that bloody tractor always developed back pressure and I'd spend an hour trying to hitch up the mower or the land leveller or the grain vac or whatever. Hubs could just whale on it on and get it but only with his full strength, so I had no hope.
Also, less related to this post, but the ergonomics in modern tractors and combines and even pick up trucks SUCK for smaller folks! On our combine, the arm rest and joystick are really far away for me, there's no way to adjust it, and I always end up with knots and strains in my right side from stretching funny for 16 hours a day, working in a seat designed for a 300 lb, 6'4" guy.
posted by bluebelle at 8:55 PM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
The things I struggle with the most are hooking up PTO shafts, as mentioned in the article, and hydraulic hoses with back pressure. I dreaded summer the first few years we farmed, because we had a whole bunch of implements that needed to be hitched and unhitched to a little tractor, and they all had big heavy PTO shafts and hydraulic hoses and that bloody tractor always developed back pressure and I'd spend an hour trying to hitch up the mower or the land leveller or the grain vac or whatever. Hubs could just whale on it on and get it but only with his full strength, so I had no hope.
Also, less related to this post, but the ergonomics in modern tractors and combines and even pick up trucks SUCK for smaller folks! On our combine, the arm rest and joystick are really far away for me, there's no way to adjust it, and I always end up with knots and strains in my right side from stretching funny for 16 hours a day, working in a seat designed for a 300 lb, 6'4" guy.
posted by bluebelle at 8:55 PM on July 12, 2014 [5 favorites]
You should contact your tractor/combine company and kick them into starting an ergonomics team. There's big money in Designing Things Right.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:43 PM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by five fresh fish at 10:43 PM on July 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Hmm, oh yeah, I tossed off that comment too fast, I was thinking third-wave feminism versus second-wave, yipes and totally was thinking that Avenger was referring to third-wave feminists, hmm, now I'm not sure.
So while I would love to claim to be a first-waver I am a bit young for such a designation. Therefore, as a boring old second-wave feminist I can comment that I don't think of these tools based on gender, but function and love to see such thought put into design.
posted by dawg-proud at 10:54 PM on July 12, 2014
So while I would love to claim to be a first-waver I am a bit young for such a designation. Therefore, as a boring old second-wave feminist I can comment that I don't think of these tools based on gender, but function and love to see such thought put into design.
posted by dawg-proud at 10:54 PM on July 12, 2014
Plenty of men have small hands, slim shoulders, etc, and probably aren't well served by anything on the tool rack at the local hardware store.
Their sort-of-FAQ page mentions this too:
Their sort-of-FAQ page mentions this too:
Could hergonomic® tools work well for men, too?posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 4:56 PM on July 13, 2014
Hergonomic® tools may work well for some men, particularly older men or those of smaller stature. This is similar to the suitability for women of some tools that were designed for the “general population” (which usually means for men, or for some “average” person whose height, strength etc. are more similar to a man’s than a woman’s) but that ended up working for women anyway. An example is Asian-made cutting tools, which are built for a population generally smaller than Caucasians and therefore end up fitting many women’s (generally smaller) hands.
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posted by Dip Flash at 8:04 AM on July 12, 2014 [2 favorites]