Handy Farm Devices and How to Make Them [Paperback]

Rolfe Cobleigh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 17, 2007

Dating from the Golden Age of American Farming, this volume is both a tribute to days gone by and a resource for present day homeowners, farmers, and ranchers striving toward greater self-sufficiency. Here you will find hundreds of clever ways to transform those odds and ends that might seem like junk into very useful gadgets and tools, from a treadmill that can power a dairy separator and churn, to a drinking fountain for chickens. Other devices include a rig for moving large trees; a self-feeder for bees; a hand garden cultivator; and gates that lift over snowdrifts. It’s full of useful illustrations and includes a whole section of tried-and-true tips.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Originally published in 1909, "Handy Farm Devices" is more than an engaging trip down memory lane. For any small farmer or homesteader, the techniques and devices described in detail are just as useful, durable, and fully functional today as they were 75 years ago. You will learn to build a portable chicken coop, a stone boat (for moving stone), a lightweight orchard ladder, gates that don't sag, and a handy wood splitter, as well as rudimentary farm structures, well houses, bee hives, a baby's cradle, a cheese press and much more. The charming, turn-of-the-century language and useful and inspirational quotes from Shakespeare, the Bible, Bacon, Longfellow and many others make this book a delight to read. --Mark A. Hetts --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“[You’ll] find wisdom in this thrift-conscious and often environmentally wise celebration of self-sufficiency.” —Country Living

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (October 17, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602391033
• ISBN-13: 978-1602391031
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,457,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Home & Garden > Crafts & Hobbies > Woodworking > Projects
  • #94 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > How-to & Home Improvements > Hand Tools

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

139 of 143 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book will save you both time and money., August 11, 1998

By 

David Lilligren "Farmer Dave" (Sandstone, Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handy Farm Devices: And How to Make Them (Paperback)

This reprint of the 1909 classic should be on the shelf of every serious homesteader. Farming is hard work, and this book will teach you how to save both time and money to get the job done. In this little gem you'll learn how to make your own tools for your workshop, how to build things for around the house, for the barns, and for your livestock, in addition to other devices for your garden and orchard, including a section that discusses fence-making and gate-making. Several pages are devoted to building a farmhouse (including the floor plan for my wife's "dream house"), barns, and other outbuildings. This book also makes for very entertaining reading. Peppered throughout are worthwhile quotes from famous (and not-so-famous) farmers from the past. I'm glad I found this book. I hope you will be, too!

77 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book is worth its weight in GOLD!, March 2, 2000

By 

Mark A Griffith - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handy Farm Devices: And How to Make Them (Paperback)

I bought this book on 29-Feb-00 because I am inheriting a farm in West Virginia. I read through it last night and am 110% convinced that the ideas in this book will cut my workload in half and make my life better when I move to the farm. I have placed 27 yellow stickies in this book; one for each idea that I will be able to use in the coming year. If you own a farm, buy this book!

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure practicality & lots of nostalgia, October 31, 2001

By 

Jeffrey W. Behm "Jeff B." (Belle Mead, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handy Farm Devices: And How to Make Them (Paperback)

Handy Farm Devices is a really great book if you'd like to read about early 20th century practical living. There's no fluff here; just practical tips for simple living, and lots of good ideas for fixing/making things around the house.