Yesterday's Farm Tools & Equipment

As a wee lad, I can remember wandering through the barns and buildings on my uncle's farm, marveling at all the scythes, rakes, plows, threshers, buggies and assorted tools on display. Most likely, some of what I saw dated from Great Depression days. Given that background, it's not surprising how enchanted I was at discovering YESTERDAY'S FARM TOOLS & EQUIPMENT. Published by Schiffer Publishing in 2010, Michael Emery and Irwin Richman's wonderful book is an evocative trip back to the early days of farming.Utilizing over 600 color photographs and vintage illustrations, YESTERDAY'S FARMS TOOLS & EQUIPMENT depicts farming life as it was circa 1850-1918. In a series of chapters on Farming and Tools; Pastures, Meadows and Haying; Grains and Potatoes; Tobacco; Orchards; Market Gardens and Poultry; etc., Emery and Richman describe that aspect of farm life and illustrate the various tools and techniques assocated with it. Many of the items featured have been preserved at the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and, judging from what's found in the book, the museum itself must be fabulous.I wish I had had this book 50 years ago when I was wandering around my uncle's farm! Perhaps then I would have know that odd wooden instrument in the corner wasn't a grain seeder, a clover huller or an apple peeler but a dog treadmill!In short, if you're interested in America's farming past, you'll love YESTERDAY'S FARM TOOLS & EQUIPMENT. It's a well-written, extremely well-illustrated and captivating guided journey through farm life of the 18th through the early 20th Centuries. It's a hoot! Highly recommended.

what a cracking book, great to see how we used to farm. and some of us still use the old ways.

it was a great book lots of pictures and writing.

My dad was thrilled with this Christmas gift. He's ninety and grew up on a farm using many of the tools in the book.