How to Use (and Buy) a Broadfork

The broadfork is one of the most important tools on our farm (we have two). And since we are doing a ton of broadforking right now I thought I would explain how to do it and which kind of broadforks to consider purchasing.
The broadforks featured:
Meadow Creature broadfork: meadowcreature...
Way Cool Tools: waycooltools.c...
Johnny's Broadforks: www.johnnyseeds...
For information about CSA in Central Kentucky click here: www.roughdraftf...
For more videos on tips and tricks to cook through your CSA, make sure to hit the subscribe button, and share it with your friends and farmers.
Follow us at roughdraftfarmstead.com
Instagram: www.instagram....
Facebook: / roughdraftfarmstead
Overhead shots of the farm provided by Blackhawk Aerial www.blackhawka...

[@nommindymple6241]

Old video, but I just wanted to say that I don't jump on my Treadlite broadfork to get it into the soil. I just stand on it and shift my weight back and forth until it fully sinks in (and yes, our soil's never been broadforked before and is hard). Then I lean back until the soil pops and shift my grip to push down until it's fully forked. It's all a very smooth, calming motion.

[@acej7271]

You’ve sold me on buying a broad fork. But first I’ll need to buy a farm.

[@mathgasm8484]

my family always had land so i bought broad fork to use family land to work my way up to my own 5 acres.

[@DeepSouthHomestead]

We just got the ezdigger broadfork and it works great. Wouldn't mind trying out some of the other styles. Thanks for the info.

[@snorman1951]

One of the best broadfork presentations I've seen. You covered it all I think. I just got a Treadlite and am eager to try it out.

[@notillgrowers]

snorman1951 thank you!

[@HumbleHillsHomestead]

How did the Treadlite work out for you? I just ordered one this morning.

[@shadbridges6893]

I work on a farm. We have broadforks and a bcs. The grounds are old hay fields. It takes 45 mins to do a 100ft row and 3 in a day is painful but we break large sod blocks then form beds. The end result is worth the work.

[@omoelenia]

45 minutes per 100' of compacted soil is closer to my experience. I think a full demonstration is in order.

[@thefishfin-atic7106]

Thank-you! I have never heard of way cool tools until I watched your video, and they have an amazing product, AND it's in stock! Thanks again!

[@ruthbarrett8907]

This has to be the best and quickest description of broadforks I have encountered! Thanks!

[@angielarson8737]

Thanks for the info! I just placed my order for 5-tine fork from Way Cool Tools & now I just have to wait for spring.

[@jefferyhammond1421]

I ordered one in October 2021. I waited over A QUARTER OF A YEAR for this thing! What really upset me was that they kept pushing it back just a couple of weeks, a couple more weeks, a couple more weeks again and again, you get the point. I was never warned it would take so long to ship or even warned that they were on back order. I gave up waiting and got my money refunded. Order in march and you might have it by Christmas! Ridiculous.

[@Chilly-uq2zl]

Who did u order from? I am prepared to buy one but i do not want this experience. Thank for in advance!

[@simd510]

What company?

[@rbbiefah]

Since meadow creature makes the deepest broad forks on the market and since a limiting factor in your 14-16" customer base is shoulder integrity its is your interest to be aware that when pulling back on the 14" fork shoulder strength is NOW totally irrelevant due to this new hack which allows deeper broad forking with no shoulder strain : I took a roll of 2" nylon mesh (quite light weight) I cut off approximately 10 feet and tied the ends to the tips of the handles (double half hitch) then sunk the 14" fork as deep into the compacted earh as it would go (this took about 1 minute of intensive rocking as it was so hard . Then I walked back and put the 2" webbing behind my butt then gently threw my butt down and back and the handle effortlessly came back from 90 to about 70 degrees from there gripped the handles and I I effortlessly brought them back to 45 degrees bringing in a satisfying chuck of ground (busting te bard pan)BTW I keep the nylon webbing in place with rubber bands .

[@YulOkAlan]

Another thank you TO YOU (plural, there you No-Till Growers). Did you weld your Broadfork? It looks like it. Happy Harvest and Gratitude for the crop.

[@Organicagain]

DeWit makes an ultralight Broadfork with a very balanced design. Not for clay, but as you know they have a very impressive pedigree and a light broadfork is a revelation.

[@ardenthebibliophile]

Would love to see an updated opinion on broadforks!

[@crazycarl00]

I bought the cheaper "Bully Tools" broad fork and it didn't take long before I had a bent tine. I suspect it struck a root, as my yard has tons of roots from neighboring trees. I was able to bend the tine back into place, but now that it's been bent, it is never going to be quite as sturdy. I have the dreaded gray anaerobic clay through most of the yard, which is why I bought the broad fork. I guess it's going to be a few years of labor before I turn this yard around.

[@jerrydaniel1530]

i built one just like that. very heavy. works great.

[@andydeardorff3733]

Thanks for the video. I just bought a rebel tool from Etsy and it’s pretty badass. I might have that name wrong but it’s close.

[@harrykersey3181]

Jessie this video took me back to my first years on Merritt Island and our first digs preparing our veggie garden and in the Sykes Creek flood plane region on the Island and also home to the Cape Kennedy or Cape Canaveral Space complex just north of us on the Island in Central Florida. Unlike most of florida's poor soil structure of sugar sand and generally either more of the same or heavy Muck , or Marl or heavy clay mixed with shell on the Island we have them all oolite limestone covered by caprock and on top of that Muck so you got your work cut out for you . I literally wore out pick axes and un earthed huge limestone cap rocks some of them 6 ft across but most 1-3 ft across with some marl and shell there as well most were brought up by the draglines used to develop our community located in the Citrus groves planted by early French and Italian citrus farmers who settled the Island around the turn of the century 100 or so years ago after the pineapple industry went belly up from cold weather and rodents along with the price of land and taxes to keep it. I knew alot of the old timers from the early days of fruit production in Florida we also grow Mangos , Avacado , and lychee , along with pineapple and carambola or star fruit , Several types of Banana , Papaya, and Guava . There are many other Tropical and Subtropical specie's that inhabit the area as it is probabily the most diverse growing area in the Continental USA with the highest natural sugar content . Being a flood plane however has shortened its production of industry products and am glad to have seen its better day. like some of Mom's Catley Guava jelly or her Surinam cherry jelly my favorite ! I really enjoy your vids ! I've been an organic gardener since the early 60s when mom enlisted my services in her garden . she was my best friend . Thanks for sharing . later dude ...

[@brianchrisman4331]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Meadow Creature. I figure I'm 6'6" 300lbs and I'm hard on everything, so I need a beast of a fork to stand up to me lol. Even tho my FL soil is sandy and not ever really hardpan. My question is since they are 20" wide is one "forking" in the middle of the bed (on a 30" row) enough?

[@notillgrowers]

Great question and the answer is... Kinda. In your case it should be fine with the sandy soil. But not on compacted soil. If its compacted I go back abd forth a little sorta staggering my pulls as a go (one to the left, next one slightly to the right).

[@Ewout12345]

I’m building 4 feet beds, guess I won’t find a broadfork that size 😂. Do you recommend doing one half, then the other?

[@02271953me]

Very informative. Thank you!!

[@Grinlathak]

Noob questions: 1) Why are broadforks more expensive than rototillers? 2) Why would you use one instead of a rototiller?

[@Forestgump12able]

There is a soul web system underground. It is like the Solar System. When it is like it should be. When you use a tiller you kill 4 or 5 major parts of that system. A Broad Fork or small spade, which you actually would want to be right off, no questions ask, do not kill or destroy these living organism. Building Broadfork is a specialty So they can charge more. You need no gas. Carburetor won,t mess up. Do not have to replace engine. You wont cuss it out. It lets water in. It lets carbon or organic matter in. It lets air in. This is the big three. I bought a 400.oo dollar tiller and loaned it. The man didnt use oil in gas. Destroyed it. Im going to buy one. Not the heaviest duty one. Im small and can take my time. Will wait untill a good long rain and use this to my advantage. Hopes this explains a little more.

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

1. not sure, but there may be an issue with materials being sturdy 2. lower operating costs

[@beccal7950]

I’m a masochist and I gotta know...how do you use a meadowcreature to plow a new garden bed?

[@mathgasm8484]

hows the meadow plow?

[@camofrog]

Whoever is forking this is lazy, using a 45-degree angle. Stick that thing in at 90 degrees and stand on it, wiggle your hips to sink it all the way down, then pull the bars back. That’s how you get full depth.

[@jaredwilkinson24]

Great page! Are you broad forking all your "no-till" beds?

[@notillgrowers]

Hey Jared! So no not really. We are using it less and less. That said, some beds are still a little compacted so it helps there. But the goal is to no longer use it within a year or so. I think it's a great tool to start but once up and going it's good to work towards not needing it. If you're doing right by the biology, you eventually shouldnt need it.

[@psycheb2088]

Would this work on rocky soil? I've recently moved to an area that is much rockier than I am used to and think using a regular tiller would be good until I clear out more rock.

[@brad4theanimals]

I just bought a property that has an area that was a "tilled garden". It appears to have a season or two of overgrowth since it was last used but the outline is still clear. It's about 16 feet by 64 feet. What size/shape Broadfork would you suggest? I found someone local who builds and sells them so I can order whatever would work best. Thanks!

[@billherrick3569]

Doesn't adding 02 deep into the soil cause decomposition of the soil food web?

[@notillgrowers]

So yes and no. If you add a lot (like with a tiller) you essentially build an environment that is ripe for bacteria but not fungi. A little is good, essential even. All the beneficial organisms we want are aerobic--you want to make sure there is some amount of O2 for them at all times.

[@eddyvideostar]

2:45 minutes: The actual usage performed.

[@kevinadkinson2666]

Aren’t you tilling... losing soil organic matter and disrupting mycorrhizal fungi. I would think once the broad folk slides into the bed with ease you probably don’t need it anymore.

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

It would be tilling, yes

[@kuunda8363]

I tilled my beds this and last year with a mattock. Works but do not recommend