Ho-Mi Are HERE!

Just a quick update for you . . .

The Ho-Mi are here, and have their own page on our website , where you can order online in the usual way.  We are really pleased that the prices have worked out very reasonably – they are some of the cheapest tools we stock!

Despite Royal Mail's substantial price rises from April 30th, we have managed to keep our own price rises  to a minimum on the rest of the range.  Prices are on the web pages.

You can also download the new editions of our Catalogue and Price List from the website – click on the links!

Ho-Mi on the Way!

From time to time over the years, we have heard about a traditional Oriental hand tool which many gardeners consider to be the most useful in their 'armoury' – the Korean Ho-Mi. It is used for a wide variety of everyday garden tasks, including hoeing, making and covering over seed drills, planting, weeding, digging and furrowing, and many gardeners have found that it seems to replace almost any other hand tool.  It has at least four other names in popular use: 'Ibis Hoe' in the UK, 'Kin-Shori', 'Korean Hand Plough/Plow', plus 'E-Z Digger' in the USA.

Now, thanks to our link with 'Gundaroo Tiller' in Australia, we are about to start importing 5 versions of the Ho-Mi from Korea. We thought you would like a 'sneak preview' before they show up on our website, so here they are:–

First, the 'Large' Ho-Mi, which is the standard size for all general use around the garden.  It is about 30 cm (12 inches) long and weighs about 300 g (10½ oz), so it is neither bulky nor heavy.  What it IS is TOUGH!  This is not some mass-produced, pressed steel toy, but a hand-made, hand-forged, one-piece tool that will last and last.  Because it is hand-made, no two are 100% identical, though obviously they are made to a standard pattern and each one is very similar. 

Next, the Small Ho-Mi, with a smaller blade but otherwise very similar to the Large Ho-Mi.  It is about 27 cm (10½ inches) long and weighs about 170 g (6 oz).  Ideal for working in smaller areas, small greenhouse beds, etc.

Then, something a little different, the 'Scraper' model.  Yes, it looks like a scraper, and you could certainly use it for scraping soil, but perhaps the main benefit is that this is an 'ambidextrous' Ho-Mi.  Some left-handed people (but certainly not all) find that using the Large or Small Ho-Mi is a little awkward because the blade is not symmetrical.  The 'Scraper' overcomes that problem with its double-pointed blade, and many gardeners (left-handed and right-handed) have found it very versatile for general use.

When Ho-mis became really popular with their customers in Australia, the folks at 'Gundaroo Tiller' extended their range to include Ho-Mi blades that could be attached to a long handle and used in a standing position.  Using them is very similar to using the Collinear Hoe, invented by Eliot Coleman, giving an effective hoeing action without stooping.  Here is the 'Large' Ho-Mi blade – weight 187 g, 6¾ oz.

Here is the 'Scraper' version without a handle, weight 149 g, 5¼ oz. 

Sending long-handled tools through the post is not very practical, so we plan to provide a simple kit with instructions so that you can fit your own Ho-Mi to a long handle.  This approach has proved very popular with Australian gardeners.

As you know, we always like to sell what we use, so we are trying out samples of the Ho-Mis ourselves while we wait for the first proper order to arrive, which will probably be in early April or so.

If you would like us to let you know as soon as we have stocks (and have been able to work out the prices!) please just send us an email with 'Ho-Mi' in the subject heading and we will email you just before we put them up on our website.

New Year – New Catalogue – New LOWER Prices !

OK, so it's not quite the New Year yet, but it will be very soon, so we have brought out our new catalogue for 2012 and it's available online for you at http://www.blackberrylane.co.uk/PDFs/Cat1201.pdf .

Even more to the point as you plan for your new season's growing, all our prices on Glaser tools are down, by about 8% in most cases.  That means a saving of £2.00 on a Collinear Hoe and more than £30.00 off the price of a Wheelhoe!  The price list is online at http://www.blackberrylane.co.uk/PDFs/prices2012a.pdf .

These are not just 'January Sales' prices, but will remain valid until the new postal rates force prices up in April (as usual!).

And, don't forget, ALL OUR PRICES INCLUDE U.K. POSTAGE and there is no VAT to pay.

Our OnLine Toolshop is waiting for your visit at http://www.blackberrylane.co.uk/toolshop1.html

Tools ordered over the holiday period will be in the post from the first week in January.

May we wish you a happy and productive 2012 – and enjoy all the planning, seed and plant ordering that goes before the actual propagation and planting!

Dave & Val

Improved BroadFork Handles

In the past, we have had our battles with even getting handles for our BroadForks, but for the last year or so we have had excellent service from a new supplier, providing us with robust, one-piece solid ash dowels which are certainly up to the task, measuring 1200 mm (4ft) and 38 mm (1½ inch) diameter.

The only problem until now has been that you - the customer - have had to convert these very nice dowels into suitable handles by squaring off one end to fit in the BroadFork and rounding off the other end to make a comfortable top.

Now we are able to supply the handles to you ready squared-off and rounded, though you may want to trim them a little more and will still need to drill the holes for the retaining bolts.

One thing we haven't done for you is treat the handles with linseed oil.  This is a good old-fashioned way of prolonging the life of wooden handles and we really recommend it.  Just give the handles a couple of generous coats of oil and then stand the ends in jam-jars of oil to soak for a few days.  If you do this again every year or two, the handles should last a good long time.  Of course, this works for all the wooden handles on your other tools as well!

Glaser Row Marker – Out of Production ?

One of the slightly more unusual Glaser tools!  If you need to mark up to 5 rows together, over a width of up to 73 cm (28½ inches), this is the ideal tool.  You only need a string to mark the first row and of course you can go on using the 5th row to mark the next 5 rows – how many do you want? 

Five rows are quickly and easily marked as you walk backwards over well-cultivated soil, keeping one tooth strictly on the marking string.

The less good news is that Glaser GMBH in Switzerland decided to cease production of the Row Marker at the end of 2009, apparently due to lack of demand.  We still have two in stock, and the price remains unchanged from our 2009 price list (apart from postal costs).  £58.90 including UK postage.

It is of course possible that Glasers may resume production if there is fresh demand but, in the meantime, if you need one of these, don't delay!  Here's a link to the relevant page on our website:- http://www.blackberrylane.co.uk/toolshop1.html

125mm Oscillating Hoe – SPECIAL OFFER!

When a well-known gardening magazine contacted us and asked for an oscillating hoe to review, we were a little surprised that they did not expect to pay for it! However, they said that they would be sure to return it in saleable condition. After a bit of chasing, they did return it, but hardly 'as new'!

So here it is, just a little soil-marked and showing where it was screwed to the handle, but once you have used a new one for a couple of minutes it would be in the same condition.  SOLD !

BroadFork Handles In Stock

Yes, as expected, we now have a stock of handles for the BroadFork.  These are simple 1½" (38mm) diameter solid ash poles, 48" (1200 mm) long.  You will need to 'square off' the ends to fit into the sockets on the BroadFork, and you will probably also want to round over the other ends at the top of the handles.  See the revised website page at http://www.blackberrylane.co.uk/broadfork.html