Is it too early to wish you all a Merry Christmas? I say no, definitely not!
Thanksgiving is over, Black Friday is in the books, and the Christmas shopping season is underway. If you’re like me, you’re keen to get an early start so you’re not trying to think of gift ideas for your favorite farmers at the last minute. This is especially true if you’re shopping for a farmer.
It can be hard to find good, practical, and budget-friendly gifts that farmers don’t already have.
Need some help with your Christmas shopping this season? Here are seven gift ideas for farmers (mostly related to tools and machines) to spark your imagination and get you started.
1. Bungee Cords
Let’s start with a perfect stocking-stuffer item. Bungee cords are incredibly useful for quickly tying down loads of all sorts for transport.
Around my farm, I’ve moved hay bales, corral panels, loads of brush, potted trees and more using bungee cords to secure them safely to a wagon or cart. Consider gifting bungee cords of several different lengths for maximum versatility.
Read more: Consider these features when buying bungee cords.
2. Stone Boat
Yes, I’ve used bungee cords to tie down loads to a stone boat as well. A wooden stone boat (you can build one yourself) is a simple way to move heavy items like stumps, logs, boulders or even small machines.
Tie down your load, hook up the stone boat to a tractor or ATV, and you’re ready to go.
3. Leaf Shredder
Is the farmer in your family using a lawn mower to shred leaves for mulch? This approach can work, but it’s not necessarily as effective as using a standalone leaf mulcher/shredder.
When prepping large amounts of leaves to use as mulch or as an addition to garden soil, a leaf shredder is a convenient tool to have.
4. Tripod Stepladder
Apple pickers are helpful for harvesting apples from high in trees. But a tripod stepladder can elevate your apple-harvesting game to another level—literally.
They’re wider at the base than the top and feature three legs instead of four, providing much better stability for outdoor use and on terrain that isn’t perfectly flat. When used carefully, tripod stepladders make picking hard-to-reach apples easy.
Read more: These 5 tools make apple harvesting easier.
5. Tractor Ballast & Weights
Do you know a farmer who is struggling to perform heavy farm work with a lightweight tractor? Maybe you can’t afford to gift them a bigger tractor, but a little ballast might be all their lightweight tractor needs to gain proper traction and sharply boost performance.
Properly counterbalancing heavy loads can be the key to operating a front-end loader or lifting heavy implements on the three-point hitch. And a little extra weight near the drive wheels can help with towing or negotiating tough terrain.
Suitcase weights or wheel weights might be the perfect gift for farmers.
6. Tire Chains
While not a necessity in every climate, tire chains can make a world of difference for the farmer tackling snowy and icy conditions with their truck, tractor, ATV, etc. Using snowblower and snowplow attachments is a lot easier when tire chains are providing a big traction boost.
7. A Subscription to Hobby Farms Magazine
Let’s face it, we’ve saved the best gift idea for farmers for last. For inspiration, innovative ideas, equipment reviews, tips and tricks, farming news, instructional projects and much more, a subscription to Hobby Farms magazine brings recurring joy to mailboxes all year long.
Merry Christmas!
