Top 20 Homesteading Tools

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LIVESTOCK

14. THE MERCK VETERINARY MANUAL (8th Edition)

Available for only $32 from Amazon.com, this 2,305-page directory of symptoms, causes and treatments for all diseases of domestic livestock is a real bargain. Also, get the Farm and Ranch Supplies Catalog from NASCO, www.nascofa.com . This free catalog contains antibiotics, worming medication, syringes, bolus (huge pill) shooters, calf-pullers, simple surgical instruments, sutures, needles and any other veterinary device the homesteader should try before calling a professional. Be sure to stock up on tins of Bag Balm medicated petroleum ointment and dauber-topped jugs of gentian violet antifungal wound dressing. For the sake of convenience, you'll want to open these containers before you need them, and leave the lids loose or slightly ajar. The lids for both tend to be quite stubborn initially and get worse after that - likely due to contents drying around the rim.

FENCES

15. CLAMSHELL POSTHOLE DIGGER

If you plan on sinking fence posts, you'll want one of these. Resembling a set of giant pliers, the clamshell posthole digger is essential for sinking wooden fence post deep enough to stay. Posthole diggers have four- or five-foot-long handles of wood or plastic and jaws shaped like opposing spoons. To dig a pesthole, you close the handles and use them to sink the closed jaws into the ground. Then, open the handles out wide to make the jaws take a bite of sod, soil or stone. Pick up the loaded tool (handles held wide open so jaws remain closed - an awkward stance) and close the handles. This will open the jaws to dump the bite of spoil into your garden cart.

16. COME-ALONG AND WIRE FENCE MANDREL

The come-along is a hand-operated fence stretcher with a ratchet/winch. The winch reels up a steel cable to pull on the mandrel. (The mandrel fits over the loose end of a length of wire fence already attached to a well-set corner or line post.) You can buy a wire fence mandrel or make your own to match the spacing of your fence line wires by setting bolts through a length of steel or hard wood.

A three- to five-ton come-along will also winch your truck out of the mud, hoist a steer for skinning, or persuade a felled tree to land correctly.

17. FENCING PLIERS

This may be the most vicious-looking tool in existence: a set of long-handled pliers with a pickax on the working end and a sharp-grooved hammer face for banging big fence staples into wooden post. There is also a pointed pick opposite the hammer end for removing the aforementioned staples.

In addition, there are several holes, clamps and crimpers to cut, bend, splice and swage fence wire ranging from single-strand aluminum electric fence to 10-gauge, spring-crimped Cyclone bull fence. If you find this tool lacking, there is also a long-handled version available. You can acquire fencing pliers from the farm supply and homesteaders catalogs or from your local farmers' coop.

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