David's parents bought him a beautifully hand-forged broadfork from Red Pig Tools for his birthday this year. It's helping us move into our next stage of preparing beds without the use of a tiller. David was able to prep a no-till bed in half the time he usually is able to with a shovel. It's long tines are slightly spaded at the ends which helps dig into the soil when you stand on it. Then you rock backwards and it aerates the soil, breaking it up a bit, but with less disturbance to the delicate flora and fauna already well connected there. Two of the several things I dislike about tilling is the ways it breaks apart soil communities and injures or kills worms along its path. The broadfork is much more gentle, and you get the added benefits of leaving the soil layers in place and breaking up the hard pan created by earlier tractor tilling.
David did a lot of research before deciding to go with Red Pig Tools. We visited their shop in Boring, Oregon before making the final investment. It was well worth it and it feels good to know that if anything ever happens to it, we can take it to Bob and he can service it there in his shop. Thanks Bob and Rita!