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Guest post by Wendy Dessler

Humans have never been shy of using technology to make work easier, more efficient, and increase yield. Clearly, the agricultural sector has gained a lot from power-- tools used to make cultivation easier and crop farming more productive. But according to Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI), there’s a need for reforms if more sustainable farming is to be realized.

And since you are reading this, you probably believe the same.

“So, what can I do?” you might be wondering.

This is a good question, with a simple answer – use human-powered garden tools. According to statistics, gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment releases 20.4 million tons of carbon dioxide a year. This means that if you switch to any of these 5 human-powered garden tools, you’ll be saving Mother Earth from a horde of carbon dioxide and contributing to a greener planet. And that is the true meaning of sustainable farming.

So read on and take your pick.

1. The Garden Cart

A dump trailer at the back of a lawn tractor is the easiest way to get things around your garden. Who in this time and age would want to carry mulch by hand? No one. But a sustainable farmer would get a garden cart.

This simple machine is hand-powered and works as a Walmart shopping cart – but with bicycle wheels and an enormous U-shaped handle for easier maneuverability. And thankfully, it’s big enough to carry enough mulch on one trip.

2. The Broadfork

Much debate has been going on concerning the role of tillers in upsetting soil structure and affecting microorganisms’ life in the soil. And while they are still pretty handy on the farm, a more sustainable alternative is the broadfork.

This tool uses the farmer’s rocking movement and a bit of effort from his or her feet to slowly break up the soil and aerate it. Eventually, you can tremendously reduce the amount of regular tilling you need on the soil.

3. The Shovel

It can get as simple as this. A shovel is the handiest tool when it comes to digging holes for planting fruit trees, hauling manure, and digging a garden bed.

How can you use one? You don’t even need 5 minutes of YouTube to figure that out. Just go back to your grandpa’s store and revive the old rusty one, or you can buy a new one from Easy Digging or other reliable vendors. Just remember to shovel with your knees slightly bent and hold the tool close to your body to prevent back injury.

4. Mattock

More compact soil might be harder to break with a broadfork. But instead of running back to a tiller, you can get a mattock. This pick-ax looking tool features a metallic head mounted to a wooden handle. The head consists of an arched blade, called an adze, on one end, with the other side having either a pick or an ax.

The dreadful design is not only great for killing zombies but also breaking through heavily compacted soil, with lesser damage to the soil structure than a piece of mechanized equipment would have.

5. Scythe

This is for the human-powered, gardening grim reaper. Featuring that instinctive design, the scythe consists of a curved blade connected to a long pole. This tool serves as a weed remover, harvester, and mower. To operate it, you just need to hold onto the handles and use a bit of twisting motion to grab the weeds’ souls, cut tall grass, or grain crops.

The scythe comes in different sizes, each with a different purpose. Smaller blades are better for cutting grass or wheat, while the larger ones befit bigger tasks such as clearing of small saplings.

But why not get a mower? Well, the scythe is nimbler and can thus reach tighter areas in the garden.

You can master the use of any or all of these tools with just a bit of effort. Best of all, by using them you can do your part to help minimize the environmental damage caused by power tools. You’ll also add more of a workout to your gardening routine, to boot!

Wendy Dessler is a super-connector who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the

industry and competition.