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A Worthy Investment + a giveaway

November 27th, 2012

I learned long ago that cheap gardens tools don’t cut it. My first garden tools were purchased inexpensively at the local hardware store, most of them have already broken or desperately need to be replaced. My mom has a wonderful collection of old garden tools, most of them were left in their first home. They’re quality tools, the kind I want to spend my hard earned money on.

I love the old tools, they’re sturdy and well made, but it can be tough to find them when you need them. As a result, I’ve been looking around for good quality garden tools to buy. I know these will last me for the rest of my gardening career. After much searching, I found Clarington Forge tools and added them to my wish list hoping I might receive one for Christmas.

Why did I choose Clarington Forge? Because they are still hand made in England, just like they have been since 1780 (that’s a LONG time). Each handle is made of ash, which is strong, beautiful, and very comfortable to use. Each spade and fork head is forged from a single piece of steel. I know investing a few extra dollars in these tools will result in a lifetime of use rather than just a few years like my previous ones. When you pick up one of these tools you know it’s made to last!

Imagine my delight when cClarington Forge contacted me about a new their affiliate program and offered to give a beautiful garden tool to one of my lucky readers!

I’m more than happy to recommend a wonderful product that I’m willing to spend my own money on. It’s even better when they offer an affiliate program that helps me pay the bills associated with this blog. If you’re looking to upgrade any of your tools or need a fabulous gift for that gardener on your list, consider investing in a tool that will last a lifetime. I know I’d be delighted to find a new spade or potato fork under the Christmas tree on December 24th! Whenever you want to buy new garden tools, click through the link in my sidebar, it helps keeps my hosting bills paid each month!

Comment below, tell me which garden tool you use most and which tool from Clarington Forge you’d like find in your garden shed should you win.

Emily K from Dirt, Dishes and Design is our winner – congrats Emily!!!
Screen shot 2013-01-14 at 12.35.12 PM

If you’d like see other ways to support this blog check out my Support Page, every little bit helps keep this blog up & running.

98 Comments to “A Worthy Investment + a giveaway”
  1. Sarah R. on November 27, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    I probably use a pitchfork the most right now. I’d love to try their Dutch Hoe!

    Reply to Sarah R.'s comment

  2. Joy Giles on November 27, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    I love my heart hoe I bought at a local nursery. It works great in my raised beds, but the Fred’s Onion Hoe I saw on the Clarington Forge site is a beautiful design and great for getting in between my narrow rows.

    Reply to Joy Giles's comment

  3. Janet on November 27, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    The Strapped Manure Fork looks awesome, so does the potato fork!! Some of the tools actually don’t seem too expensive… Definitely a good item to put on a wish list for presents! Thanks for the tip off! Shipping also is surprisingly affordable.

    Reply to Janet's comment

  4. DebbieB on November 27, 2012 at 1:58 pm

    Since I’m a rudimentary container gardener, my most used tool is a hand trowel – and it’s cheap and rusted and falling apart. I’d love to have a new hand trowel from Clarington. I hope you get your potato fork under the Christmas tree!!

    Reply to DebbieB's comment

  5. Mark S on November 27, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    I use a rabbiting spade most often but that’s only because I don’t have a good garden spade. I’d love to have the Treaded Garden Spade with D handle!

    Reply to Mark S's comment

  6. Emily K on November 27, 2012 at 3:35 pm

    We are definitely in need of some quality gardening tools, but we need so many it’s hard to choose! I use our pitchfork most, but I am in desperate need of a spade, so I would choose the rabbiting spade.

    Reply to Emily K's comment

  7. Becky on November 27, 2012 at 3:43 pm

    I use my hand trowel most often. I tend to buy cheap tools right now, too. I don’t have a pitch fork (potato fork sounds interesting) but would love to have one to turn my compost!

    Reply to Becky's comment

  8. igardendaily on November 27, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    Well, I love my hand trowel and my clippers at certain times of the year. But, I have a new found passion for composting and the Clarington potato fork would be divine!

    Reply to igardendaily's comment

  9. KimP on November 27, 2012 at 4:43 pm

    Most? A pitchfork. Which tool if I win? How do I pick just one? A potato fork, a compost fork, a dutch hoe. Probably in that order.

    Reply to KimP's comment

  10. Amy B on November 27, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    A pitchfork. So handy for digging, loosening soil, mixing compost in, etc. Would love to have one of their long handled garden forks.

    Love your blog!

    Reply to Amy B's comment

  11. Rachel on November 27, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    I feel like I use my pruning shears the most – especially late in the season when I’m having to hack off dead woody stems and try to untangle dozens of feet of tomato vines from their trellises. Something I would love, because I can never seem to keep on top of the weeds, would be a Dutch hoe.

    Reply to Rachel's comment

  12. sarah on November 27, 2012 at 7:26 pm

    i could use a good compost fork!

    Reply to sarah's comment

  13. Melanie in California on November 27, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    I scrolled through their web site and coveted just about everything I saw. I think the Dutch hoe would be an amazing addition to my motley collection of cheap-and-barely-serviceable garden tools.

    Reply to Melanie in California's comment

  14. Danielle on November 27, 2012 at 7:42 pm

    What a great company. I’d love to put some of the children’s tools under our tree for Christmas! We have been trying to find non-made-in-china tools for our daughter to play with while my husband and I work outside in the garden and this would be perfect for the spring! Thanks for introducing us to Clarington.

    Reply to Danielle's comment

  15. Marianne on November 27, 2012 at 8:11 pm

    Thanks for bringing this site to our attention – right in time for the holiday season! I would love a compost fork – I jab at my compost with a variety of the current tools at my disposal, none of which work very well for turning my compost!

    Reply to Marianne's comment

  16. Wendy Green on November 27, 2012 at 8:21 pm

    ooooh, I’d love a well-make garden fork. It’s my go-to tool in the garden.

    Reply to Wendy Green's comment

  17. Moira on November 27, 2012 at 8:22 pm

    This will be my first year having a real garden after having lived in an apartment for many years without any outdoor space – so I don’t have a favorite tool yet because I’m just getting started. I can’t wait to get started and figure out which tools work best for me! I quite love the hand tool gift box – just right for a beginner and I’m glad to know I should invest in quality from the start, since I hope this to be a lifetime pursuit in my new home! I may have to buy this set as a house warming gift to myself.

    Reply to Moira's comment

  18. Wendy on November 27, 2012 at 8:32 pm

    I like the looks of their hand weeding fork.

    Reply to Wendy's comment

  19. Anne-Marie on November 27, 2012 at 9:54 pm

    I’d probably pick the basic garden spade, although I’m also tempted by the forks and hoes. We have some old-but-good tools we inherited from my ILs, but some are getting a bit rusty.

    Reply to Anne-Marie's comment

  20. Janice on November 27, 2012 at 10:04 pm

    I seem to do all (most) of my on my hands and knees using a hand fork, trowel and a dandelion poker thing. Wha tool would I like, hmm. I guess a trug doesn’t count. I think I would like a good set of hand tools. I enjoy being on my hands and knees!?

    Reply to Janice's comment

  21. Tammey on November 27, 2012 at 10:24 pm

    Oh my! Ican see why you are so excited about these beautiful garden tools! I love them all…like all of us I’m sure!!! I want everything about my garden to be pretty as well as productive..so these tools would fit right in :) The web site is amazing,,,I’ve never heard of a lot of these tools. the regular garden hoe is what I use the most. The hoe they show is a lot different and I can’t figure out if it is used like the regular hoe..I bet it is much better! I hope your shed is full of all of these beauties Christmas morning! Take care

    Reply to Tammey's comment

  22. Pat L. on November 28, 2012 at 12:39 am

    A long handled garden fork would sure make my tall guys happy. Quality garden tools are a delight to handle.

    Reply to Pat L.'s comment

  23. EL on November 28, 2012 at 12:42 am

    I guess it’s a tie between my trowel (an incredible solid piece of aircraft aluminum that is longer than most trowel and that has a red handle — so it can’t be lost easily) or my shovel (spade?).

    I would love another shovel. Mine is cheap and falling apart.

    Reply to EL's comment

  24. Rebecca on November 28, 2012 at 2:17 am

    If I don’t break my tools, someone else comes along and does it for me. I could always use a treaded long handled spade.

    Reply to Rebecca's comment

  25. Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary on November 28, 2012 at 7:28 am

    I love the edger. We have gone through so many. They always break. A great quality one would be terrific. Thanks for the chance!

    Reply to Lisa@The Cutting Edge of Ordinary's comment

  26. Miranda on November 28, 2012 at 9:11 am

    Definitely some type of spade. We’ve gone through a couple that have broken where the handle meets the spade, and it’s so frustrating in the middle of a task.

    Reply to Miranda's comment

  27. Andrea Duke on November 28, 2012 at 9:29 am

    I love my cruuk for weeding in my raised beds and all of my Smith and Hawkin tools.

    I would love a new pair of pruners that are durable. I go through lots of those!

    Reply to Andrea Duke's comment

  28. Sheila Z on November 28, 2012 at 9:36 am

    Disabled and only do container gardening to avoid bending and lifting. Hand tools are where it’s at for me.

    Reply to Sheila Z's comment

  29. Hailey on November 28, 2012 at 10:24 am

    The Hand Tool Gift Box looks divine as the children always snag mine!

    Reply to Hailey's comment

  30. Deb on November 28, 2012 at 10:55 am

    I would love the weeding hand trowel. I use one a lot and have them break frequently. Although since carpal tunnel surgery not sure how well I’ll be able to use it. Tjhanks for the giveaway. Nice tools but way out of my price range now.

    Reply to Deb's comment

  31. Kathy on November 28, 2012 at 12:40 pm

    Clarington tools do look high quality. I have broken more than one garden fork or its handle using it to pry out Bermuda grass roots. I find a strong garden fork seems most helpful in that regard. Living in the desert southwest, removal of Bermuda grass roots is more or less a continual process. The Shrubbery Fork looks very handy for those short in stature and presumably is a strong tool! Thanks for featuring the Clarendon website.

    Reply to Kathy's comment

  32. Sarah H on November 28, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    I use my fork most- but I really need a broadfork. I didn’t see any on their website.

    Reply to Sarah H's comment

  33. Jill on November 28, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    Oh! Dutch Hoe would be nice. Mmm… but that rabbiting spade would be very useful, so probably that. Although, could use decent pruners. How does one decide?!?

    Reply to Jill's comment

  34. Rue on November 28, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    My most-used tool is the shovel I inherited from my dad, which I wrote about here http://anotherroadsideattractionblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/inheritance/. A Dutch Hoe would be a most welcome addition to my garden shed.

    Reply to Rue's comment

  35. Rebecca on November 28, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    I would love a Dutch hoe or pruners!

    Reply to Rebecca's comment

  36. Jenny on November 29, 2012 at 2:49 am

    I use my loppers the most-to keep the wild alders and willow at bay. I’d like to try a weeding hand fork .

    Reply to Jenny's comment

  37. Jennifer wadman on November 29, 2012 at 12:13 pm

    drooling … potato fork, loppers, weeding trowel, edger … head spinning, what a lovely subject for daydreaming! thanks

    Reply to Jennifer wadman's comment

  38. Christine Jones on November 29, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Wow, the hand tools are really not very expensive at all, and even the more expensive tools would be worth it due to the lifetime warranty. I may go ahead and order that Fred’s Onion Hoe myself (that is if I don’t win of course ). I have been wanting to get a dutch hoe for awhile as well. So hard to choose!

    Reply to Christine Jones's comment

  39. Karen on November 29, 2012 at 5:29 pm

    You are right, they are nice tools. I would like a rabbiting spade. But any of the hand tools looks great too. They look like they will be able to
    be passed down to grandchildren etc. Thanks for a chance to win.

    Reply to Karen's comment

  40. bonnie k. on November 29, 2012 at 7:36 pm

    I would enjoy having a high quality spading fork.
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply to bonnie k.'s comment

  41. Catherine on November 29, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    I’d love one of the beautiful garden spades, My tools definitely need an upgrade!

    Reply to Catherine's comment

  42. andrea on November 29, 2012 at 11:42 pm

    I think a good gardening spade would be the choice for me. Thanks for alerting me to this company – will definitely look more closely at their site. And thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply to andrea's comment

  43. Karen on November 30, 2012 at 7:57 pm

    I love the giant potato fork, but I’d probably get more use out of the regular 4-prong potato fork. Yep, regular old potato fork for me.
    Thanks for showing us this site, I’ll have to do a little shopping for myself after the holidays are over!

    Reply to Karen's comment

  44. Denise on November 30, 2012 at 9:22 pm

    I do love my small spade for digging in the garden. It’s my main weeder too.
    Wouldn’t I love a new border spade from Clarington Forge…

    Reply to Denise's comment

  45. Deborah Auen on November 30, 2012 at 9:42 pm

    We could really use a garden spade….all of our garden tools are cheapos that have seen better days….

    Reply to Deborah Auen's comment

  46. Jill on December 1, 2012 at 12:05 am

    I lost my good hand trowel when we moved houses, so I would love a new one – My most used tool is probably my 5 yr old son’s hand trowel – he lets me borrow it since mine was lost.

    Reply to Jill's comment

  47. Jen on December 1, 2012 at 11:57 pm

    The garden tool I used to use the most was a small shovel that was perfect for carrying around the property doing odd jobs with. I don’t even know what it might be called. It wasn’t heavy and the shovel was the perfect size. It got broken last year and I’m still hoping to try and attach the handle back on to it. The Long Handled Shrubbery Spade looks like it’s about the same size but I’m sure it would last so much longer than what I had. I still use some of my grandparents’ tools and I think they might outlast me too.

    Reply to Jen's comment

  48. Patti on December 2, 2012 at 10:23 pm

    Why is it I always yearn for English made garden tools? I did a quick looksie of their website, but I was had, hook line and sinker, when I saw the 10 prong potato fork.

    Reply to Patti's comment

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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