Few things are more satisfying than a day out in the garden. Gardening is an activity with results that are in some ways immediate, and in other ways teach us important lessons in patience. Everyone can garden, from small children alongside a parent, to people in the golden years of their lives. 

Maybe you garden to cultivate organic produce for your family and create a healthier, more earth-friendly lifestyle. Maybe you garden because you can’t wait for new roses to blossom. Maybe you love to give your daffodil or iris blooms room to surprise you or to prune fragrant pots of herbs. When we garden, we create order from chaos, so that we can look out our windows and see the results of honest, hands-on work.

Regardless of your goals, gardening allows us to carve out a piece of true, personalized beauty in our corner of the world.

Conversely, many of our garden tools are made with flimsy plastic handles and metal fixtures that rust, bend, or corrode into ugliness. The general idea is that these tools are the kinds of things you can buy new over and over again every time they start getting a little too icky. 

If you’re someone who appreciates aesthetics (which, if you're a gardener, you probably do), that’s not an ideal situation. And if you’re someone who loves our planet, it’s doubly disconcerting. 

You’ve got your compost bin full of worms doing their magical, underground work. You’ve got flowers, trees, and vegetables in a range of colors housed in tasteful planters and pots. Then, lying out on your potting table are rusty metal tools with cheap, weathered plastic handles.

In the words of one of the most famous Sesame Street bits: "One of these things is not like the others."

Fortunately, with a greater focus placed on sustainability in our culture, the artisan is making a triumphant return. Items that once could really only be found at big box stores and wore out after just a few months are now being made into long-lasting, high-quality heirlooms. And make no mistake, these heirlooms are not the kind that sit on your mantle collecting dust. They’re the kind that you can enjoy over and over again, year after year ~ well worn with loving use with each generation.

Currently, my favorite collection of garden tools is Fisher Blacksmithing from Bozeman, Montana. All the garden tools in the collection are made with metal handforged by Tuli Fisher, then set into black walnut handles. Black walnut is one of the most rot-resistant types of wood available, making it ideal for use out amidst the tulips and turnips.

True Goods offers four different tools from Fisher Blacksmithing, as well as a set of three gardening tools that comes packaged in a rustic burlap bag. They make great gifts for newlyweds, garden-enthusiasts, or even when you just feel like it’s time to treat-yo-self.

Have a great week, and be sure to enjoy some time out in your garden. You’ve earned it. 

~ Liz