Friday, February 26, 2010

The Machete in the Garden


The machete has been used for thousands of years, primarily for agricultural purposes. One form we know is the sickle, which is really a machete with a highly modified, curved blade. The advantage of the sickle is that the stalks or canes are pulled together toward the center of the curve, so that they are easier to gather together.

Uses of Machetes or Sickles for Gardeners and Farmers:

1. Chop vegetable matter into small pieces to compost.
2. Cut grasses, brush, leafy vegetaion, or branches for compost material.
3. Remove branches shading your garden.
4. Harvest a variety of grain crops.
5. Make trellis poles.
6. Practice no-till gardening by removing only the above-ground vegetation.
8. Cut fodder for animals.

1 comment:

  1. A sickle is a great tool for the garden. You can also use it to cut shrubs. Most people just use a weed whacker nowadays.

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