‘Aardfork’ Broadfork

Description

How to use
A broadfork relies on body weight to sink the tines into the ground before pulling back on the handles. Leverage makes it easy to break open the soil while keeping it in place, which opens and aerates with minimum disturbance; therefore making it a no-till practice.

1. Throw the broadfork down with force to penetrate the ground, then step or jump onto it – in soft ground you can usually press it in with one foot, but in harder ground you’ll need to stand on the crossbar and move the handles back and forward a bit to allow your body weight to sink the tines in. The aim is to sink the tines all the way to the crossbar, but in extremely hard soil you might not be able to and that’s okay – some ground needs a few ‘passes’.
2. Next, stand back on the ground, and putting one foot back for extra reach, pull back on the handles to open the soil, but stop before the tines break through the soil surface (the top of the handles should be about waist-height at the most).
3. Push forward to get the handles back to about vertical and then pull out. Step back, line up the tines about 20 cm back from the last entry point and repeat, making sure to keep your feet well away from the tines. Moving backwards as you go means you are not standing on the ground you have just decompacted. As you move, the worked ground should look as if a pack of moles have had a party under it, without making any molehills!

Don’t – wiggle the broadfork from side to side in order to sink the tines – this places unnecessary pressure on the tines. Rather do the back and forwards motion as described above.
Don’t – force the tines in if you feel a rock or other obstacle. Rather pull out, move back and sink them in a few cm’s back.
Don’t –  pull back on the handles if you feel that the tines are caught on an obstacle like a rock or tree root.
Don’t – leave your broadfork lying on the ground with the tines upwards. Rather push it into the ground and leave it standing upright, or lean it against a wall.

Good for your body and good for soil

The action of broadforking is a great ergonomic upper body workout for the arms, shoulders and back, with the back staying upright and straight through the range of motions. But most importantly, it is a fun and satisfying action, almost like playing on an adult jungle gym!

Gloves are advised, unless you are looking for the calloused, rugged look.

Research into soil health is increasingly telling us that the less we interfere with soil, the happier it is. A broadfork is the perfect tool to aerate and loosen soil, without turning it. This action preserves soil structure and increases soil biodiversity, allowing air, water and nutrients to penetrate to depth. Not only is it better for the soil, but it’s a helluvah lot less work than digging it up with a spade or garden fork. Your back will thank you too!

*Warranty
We offer a lifetime guarantee on manufacture faults on the Aardfork, which only applies to tools that have been properly used according to our instructions above. We will replace any damaged tool with a new one and repair the used one to donate to a worthy agriculture project in need of a broadfork.

Check out our blog on how to use a broadfork here, and how to care for your tools here. 

Detailed Description
The business end of the Aardfork is made of a 60cm long thick-walled cross bar 38mm in diameter onto which are welded 5 profile cut 23cm tines, angled for easy penetration into the soil. We find that the round foot-bar provides a more comfortable surface for your feet than a square bar. Welded to the foot-bar are two upright handles 120cm long, finished with plastic caps. The entire unit is double-powder coated, first with an anti-corrosion e-coat, and then with a durable outer finish.

Random Fact: The broadfork, or ‘grelinette’, was first invented by Msr. André Grelin in France in the 1950s. Vive la broadfork!