Gathering Tools
We've recently begun to gather a few new tools in preparation for our eventual move to the land we've grown to love from afar. This effort reflects our commitment to the accumulation of 'real wealth'. Of course, at the top of the real-wealth stack is our relationship with God and with one another, first in our family and then with our neighbors. But beyond relationships, there are a few other things we also regard as real wealth. Among them are wisdom and tools.
To gain wisdom requires a certain insatiable thirst for truth. That thirst includes the reading of books, chief among which is the Bible. But wisdom is also gained from the experience and writings of others who have stepped out of the industrial current long enough to gain a new perspective on what is really important in life. Some of these writings and experiences are published in books and others on the Internet. But all of these works, except for the Bible, must be considered as imperfect works that document a segment of a journey in the writer's continuing quest for truth. Thus, there is no work that I can recommend that will be without error, not even my own.
In the beginning, when we didn't even know what to buy to get started on our little homestead, the best tools we could buy were books. Since we lived overseas, we had to be very judicious about the books we chose. After all books are heavy and shipping overseas is expensive. The first wave of books tended to be encyclopedic, that is to say, of a general nature providing enough basic knowledge to cast a vision in our hearts. Three books come to mind from this first stage:
The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It, by John Seymour
The Encyclopedia of Country Living, by Carla Emery
Country Wisdom & Know How, from the editors of Storey Books
These three books gave us enough inspiration to begin formulating a more concrete vision of what we wanted in a homestead. But beyond this first stage, we also needed to tool our dreams and for this we needed some more concrete input. That need opened up our second phase of book buying. The books from our second phase were as follows:
Langstroth's Hive and the Honey Bee, by L. L. Langstroth
Beekeeping: A Practical Guide, by Richard E. Bonney
Timberframe Construction, by Sobon and Schroeder
How to Live Without Electricity and Like It, by Anita Evangelista
Let It Rot: The Gardener's Guide to Composting, by Stu Cambell
The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure, by Joseph Jenkins
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables, by Mike and Nancy Bubel
Building with Stone, by Charles McRaven
Throughout every phase of agrarian transition (past, present and future), we fully intend to undergird our agrarian philosophy with the writings of innovative thinkers. So far, the most inspiring writings we have found along these lines are those of Herrick Kimball, Gene Logsdon, and Wendell Berry. The best single source we've found for "helpful resources for folks pursuing the good life" is Cumberland books:
Both Kimball and Logsdon also currently have a web presence where you can read their writings or find their books.
However, Wendell Berry, who, as far as I know, doesn't even own a computer, has no web presence other that that his publishers and sellers of his books afford him. Yet, his philosophical voice is one of the most inspiring and thought provoking of our day. We currently have three of his books, all priceless treasures:
The Unsettling of America
The Art of the Commonplace
Citizenship Papers
The more important key to wisdom is not so much the accumulation of volumes of knowledge as much as it is a curious mind and a love of truth. If you love anything more than truth you'll settle for deception and, if you lack curiosity, understanding will consistently evade your grasp. Wisdom is not available to those content with deception or to those that lack curiosity.
Beyond books and essays, we have also tried to identify tools that would have a genuine, long-term value. We believe tools, and how to use them, can be as much of a heritage as land. In this regard, I am reminded of a conversation my wife, Aimee, recently had with some good friends. She mentioned to them that we were looking at eventually buying a pair of scythes for use on the rolling hills of our land, and how useful they might also be for the land they oversee in Cyprus. This drew out recollections of their German grandfather who was so skilled in the use of the scythe that he could sharpen his scythe without breaking his rhythm. Unfortunately, this skill died with the grandfather.
In selecting tools, there are a few principles that we have tried to consider:
1) Every tool has a weakest point. My father taught me this principle, probably unintentionally, when he pointed out the craftsmanship of his big black metal toolbox. The aspect we considered together was the handle. Whether or not he used these actual words I do not remember, but the lesson was this, "A tool is no better than its weakest point and this toolbox is no better that its handle and hasps." My Dad, an engineer, now long retired, knew this principle well and, I'm certain, thought about it often as he designed machinery for John Deere. Though I am certain he never intended such a simple illustration to become a guiding principle of my life, nonetheless, it has shaped my decision-making process ever since. Now I look for the weak link in every chain.
2) Quality pays for itself over time. The unfortunate result of our addiction to instant gratification is that we expect the value of a tool to reveal itself in the same way, instantly. But a good tool, quiet and forgotten, sits wherever it was last laid, waiting for the moment when its craftsmanship will prove indispensable. It may rest in a tool shed for days, weeks, months, or even years unused. But when the day comes that it is finally 'necessary', no cheaper substitute will do. Reliability is the one true measure of quality that we must not ignore and that is what you are really paying for when you buy a good tool. If you can't depend on it when you need it, it's a trap -- not a tool -- a trap that has robbed you of money, thwarted your efforts, wasted your time, and possibly endangered the lives of those that depend on it.
3) The best tools have only one purpose. There are a lot of multipurpose tools on the market now. But I have yet to find a multipurpose tool whose individual functions surpass that of the single-purpose tools it was designed to replace. Given the choice, I would rather have a more expensive collection of single-purpose tools. Invariably, multipurpose tools are interim and lesser replacements for the tools you really need. They're good in a pinch, but I'm not prone to rely on them to do quality work.
4) Skill is the better half of a good tool. Skill is gained only when you apply what you know. There is no substitute for experience. It transforms theoretical understanding into practical knowledge. If you're unwilling to endure the process of gaining experience, it matters little the quality of tool you've bought. Every tool has one inherent defect. That defect is the skill of its user. Don't blame the tool for your impatience or lack of diligence in learning how to use it. Its usefulness depends on you as much as you depend on it. If you learn to use it and care for it well, it will serve you well. A tool is only as 'good' as the skill of its user.
That being said, here are a few tools and some equipment we've recently invested in:
1" Corner Chisel - Lehman's (haven't seen one anywhere else, locally crafted by the Amish, useful to square mortise holes)
Hardwood Carver's Mallet - Lehman's (dense hardwood, bell-shape for comfort and accuracy)
1½" Framing Chisel w/tip guard - Barr Tools (hand forged from carbon steel, locally manufactured, shaving sharp)
2" Framing Chisel w/tip guard - Barr Tools (hand forged from carbon steel, locally manufactured, shaving sharp)
AquaRain Model 404 Water Filter - AquaRain - (locally manufactured in Missouri, finest ceramic filters we've found, we think it will filter faster and longer than other, less expensive, two filter options)
American Style Wooden Scythe Snath - Lehman's - (good price from a company with a good reputation, USA made, seasoned ash)
26" American Style Long Grass Scythe Blade - Lehman's - (Finest steel, hand-ground blade, made in Austria)
Scythe Book - Lehman's - (complete guide covering equipment, sharpening, techniques)
Carpenter's Brace - Lehman's - (need something for those big peg holes, good basic non-electric hand tool)
I hope you enjoy the journey more for the tools and wisdom you've gained!
Michael Hennen
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
