Revisiting Farm Blacksmithing

Farm blacksmithing is a term that might be new to many people but it actually has been going on for centuries. It is simply the design of tools for the farm, by the farmer, probably in the farm. Let’s explore.

 

Back in the days, there used to be a Forge on most of the farms. Farms are commonly secluded and are miles away from the commercial centre. A farmer naturally needed to have the skills, and the means to fix broken down tools and machineries in his shed. Today, the functions of the farmer are becoming more and more specialised and diverse. Blacksmithing skills doesn’t have to come naturally anymore; it is now a distinct part of Agricultural Engineering, taught in colleges exclusively.

 

Although there are professional farm blacksmiths available today even on call, one can argue that need to be a handy farmer cannot be totally eliminated by the new trend. No matter the size of the farm, having a farm workshop on it can not only be economically viable, but also enable farmers to be creative, learn new skills on how to solve their minor problems as well as carry on the culture of innovation that ancient farmers were known for.

 

In large farms, having a functional workshop can serve a lot in terms of resources wasted in getting farm blacksmithing services elsewhere. The workshop can also open their service to the public as a one stop centre for farming tool services, to generate extra income for the farm. With the advancement of technology today, farm blacksmithing is almost narrowed down to mostly repairs.

 

The ease and cost of getting a fancy ready-made tool for almost any kind of farming activity that you could imagine trumps the innovative aspect of the trade. However, when it comes to farm tools, a little emphasis is placed on the looks of it; functionality, durability and ease of use are paramount. Sadly, getting tools with this quality can still be an expensive affair for most farmers. In this case go back to/set up your own farm workshop/shed and forge your tools like the good old farmers.