For more than 10 years, Jean-Martin Fortier and the team at the Market Gardener Institute have tested, trialed, and even collaborated with tool companies to design and refine countless farm tools and small farm equipment tailored for regenerative farms, and market gardens. This extensive experience has led to the creation of our annual review, where we list the tools we deem the best for growers. Updated every year, this curated list features more than 30 must-have tools for diversified vegetable farming.
This year’s updated list highlights the newest tools designed to improve productivity, ergonomics, and sustainability, enabling growers to practice no-till gardening and other regenerative techniques effectively. It reflects our commitment to providing growers with the most innovative and practical farm tools.
Not sure which farm tools to invest in during your first year?
To help you make smart financial decisions from day one, we’ve put together a free budget list breaking down the essential tools and equipment every first-year farmer needs. This will save you time, money, and unnecessary purchases, so you can focus on growing a productive and profitable farm.
Download it now and set yourself up for success!
If you have tools you recommend or would like us to trial, we’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at info@themarketgardener.com.
Small Farm Equipment For Soil Preparation & Regeneration
Broadfork
The broadfork is an indispensable small farm tool for loosening soil deeply while preserving its structure. With its large U-shaped design, two handles, and sturdy steel tines, the broadfork aerates the soil without disturbing its layers, making it a must-have for small regenerative farms and market gardens.
Our top pick is the Growers & Co. Broadfork, which boasts wooden handles and reinforced tines. Its lightweight yet durable construction, along with the ideal length of the tool and its tines, makes it perfectly suited for 30-inch permanent bed systems, as detailed in The Market Gardener.
You can also check out this video to learn more.
Bed Preparation Rake
The bed preparation rake is an essential small farm tool for efficiently preparing soil for planting and evenly spreading amendments. It also doubles as a cost-effective alternative to a dibbler, making it easy to mark rows for transplanting.
The ultimate version of this rake is the Growers & Co. Bed Preparation Rake, expertly crafted with a 30-inch width, making it ideal for standard permanent beds. Its durable design ensures long-lasting performance, making it a must-have for any small regenerative farm or market garden.
Two-Wheel Tractor (Walk Behind Tractor)
Very compact and powerful, the two-wheel tractor (or walking tractor) is an essential tool of small farm equipment for any market garden. This tool has multiple attachments that can perform a variety of tasks such as cultivating the soil surface, mowing crops, or ridging beds.
The most common two-wheeled tractor model in North America is manufactured by the Italian company BCS. We recommend the 853 model, as most 30 in (75 cm) attachments can be mounted on this two-wheel tractor. It will also do a good job at handling flail mowers and other heavier attachments. We also like to use the rotary plow to shape our permanent raised beds. Check out the BCS America website to see the amazing variety of attachments that can be used with a BCS tractor as well as a list of local suppliers.
Power Harrow
Another attachment tool we particularly like is the rotary power harrow. Unlike a rototiller, which aggressively churns the soil, the rotary harrow works more gently, preserving soil structure and greatly reducing the risk of hardpan formation. This makes it an excellent choice for preparing beds on a small regenerative farm while maintaining soil health.
We’re also big fans of the 35” BCS flail mower, an essential tool for managing cover crops and crop residues. A flail mower uses rows of small, sharp blades (or flails) attached to a rotating drum to chop vegetation into fine pieces. This process accelerates decomposition, creating a mulch-like layer that enriches the soil with organic matter. Its ability to handle dense, woody material makes it ideal for clearing fields efficiently while leaving a clean surface for further soil preparation. To learn more about how to effectively deal with cover crops check out this video.
Tilther
The Tilther, originally conceptualized by Eliot Coleman, is a 15-inch-wide, lightweight tool designed for working the top 1–2 inches of soil—perfect for small farms and greenhouses. Powered by a battery-operated drill, it’s an efficient alternative to larger tillers.
Small Farm Tools For Weeding & Cultivation
Tine Weeder
Also known as a blind weeder, a tine weeder is a time-saving tool that allows you to weed directly over rows simply by walking down the pathways. This farm tool is particularly indispensable for growers producing a high volume of baby greens. Our favorite tine weeder is crafted by Two Bad Cats.
Stirrup Hoe
Hoes are essential, ergonomic small farm equipment that make weeding efficient and comfortable by allowing you to work while standing. Beyond cutting weeds, they also aerate the soil surface, stimulating soil biology and improving water infiltration, which creates optimal growing conditions for crops. Hoes are most effective when used on young weeds still in the cotyledon stage. Our favorite hoes, designed for both precision and durability, are manufactured by Growers & Co.
The Growers & Co. 3 ¼-inch stirrup hoe is ideal for weed control on a permanent bed with several rows of narrowly spaced crops such as spinach, green onions or baby kale.
The Growers & Co. 5-inch stirrup hoe is an essential tool for weed control on a permanent bed with crops with medium row spacing, such as beets, winter radishes or rutabagas.
The Growers & Co. 7-inch stirrup hoe will be your best bet for removing weeds that can smother crops on a permanent bed with one or two rows.
The Growers & Co. 7-inch collinear hoe is the tool of choice for weeding crops such as lettuce or cabbage. This hoe can be used in many situations because it has a flat, sharp blade that cuts weeds close to the plants, under the foliage.
Flame Weeder
By using a controlled flame to eliminate weeds, a flame weeder helps maintain soil integrity while supporting no-till practices. Our longtime favorite flame weeder is the 30-inch Flame Weeder Single Wheel, available at FlameWeeders.com. It’s been a reliable tool for efficient weed control in our gardens. We also really like the 15-inch Flame Weeder developed by Neversink Tools, which offers precision and ease of use in tighter spaces.
Whether you’re using the Neversink model or another flame weeder, we prefer carrying the propane tank on our back to avoid the hassle of moving a large, clunky setup across your beds. The best option here is the Red Dragon Flame Weeder Backpack designed to hold a small 5-lb propane tank.
Wheel Hoe
The wheel hoe is an excellent farm tool for hoeing weeds around single row crops or for weeding pathways. It can also be used to incorporate soil amendments, such as compost, and prepare beds before planting. Our favorite wheel hoe is the Growers & Co. Wheel Hoe, featuring an 18-inch oscillating blade for precise weeding and soil aeration.
Weed Barrier
Landscape fabric is an essential tool for weed suppression and moisture retention, making it perfect for crops that stay in the field for 50 days or more. It helps reduce labor while promoting healthier plant growth. You can easily customize standard fabric by burning holes to match your spacing needs, or opt for pre-burned options for added convenience. One standout option is Quick-Plant Fabric by Farmers Friend.
Cultivator
Terrateck’s Double wheel hoe is a highly versatile tool that can be further enhanced with the addition of bio-discs.
These innovative attachments allow for precise weeding both between the rows and directly on the rows. By lightly raising and reshaping the soil around the crops, the bio-discs effectively bury emerging weeds, reducing competition without disturbing the main plants. A game changer in efficient weed prevention.
Sillage Tarps
Black silage tarps are a very valuable small farm equipment, on a diversified vegetable farm. The UV treated polyethylene tarps are used to accelerate the composting of crop residues on a permanent bed so that the next crop can be planted. By covering the soil, they activate the biology of the soil, force the germination of weed seeds and limit the leaching of nutrients into the water table. They’re an excellent tool to ensure the succession of crops in a no-till market gardening. Sillages tarps are available from Farmers Friend and Dubois Agrinovation.
You can also check out this video about how to build fertile and healthy soils.
Small Farm Equipment For Seeding & Crop Protection
Push Seeder
The Jang JPI Seeder is in our opinion the best precision seeder on the market for small-scale farms.
You can see our best tips and tricks about the Jang in this video.
The Jang 5-row seeder takes precision planting to the next level, making it an excellent choice for high-density crops like baby greens, significantly improving efficiency and uniformity on small-scale farms. Sold with the right rollers by Modern Growers.
Pinpoint Seeder
The Six-Row Seeder, originally designed by Eliot Coleman, has been improved by Johnny’s Selected Seeds to enhance precision and ease of use. It can plant up to six rows simultaneously with 2¼” spacing between rows, making it ideal for crops like greens and radishes.
While it may be more sensitive to soil debris compared to the Jang JP-5, its updated features, such as an adjustable handle and improved drive wheel, make it an excellent complement to the Jang JP-1. You can see these improvements in action in this video.
Nursery Seeding Equipment
For our nursery seedlings, we rely on 72-cell trays, 128-cell trays, and 10-inch pots, which are perfect for a variety of planting needs. Our top choice for multi-cell trays and potting pots is Bootstrap farmers. whose durable and reliable products have consistently met our standards.
You can check out this video to learn how to start seedlings.
When it comes to compost, the best we’ve encountered is crafted by Glen Road Organics in Ontario, Canada. This high-quality compost has consistently delivered exceptional results for our seedlings, ensuring strong and healthy growth.
To streamline seeding operations, we highly recommend Johnny’s Selected Seed’s Manual Cell Tray Seeder. Its precision and efficiency make it an indispensable small farm equipment for any market garden aiming to save time and improve accuracy.
Garden Dibber
A garden dibber is a simple yet essential farm tool for any grower, making transplanting faster, easier, and more precise. Our favorite is the Growers & Co. Garden Dibber, which creates uniform planting holes with ease while allowing you to measure depth for consistent and healthy plant growth. Alongside their dibber, the Growers & Co. Garden Gloves stand out as the most durable we’ve tested.
You can check out this video to learn different tips and tricks.
Insect Net and Floating Cover
The insect net is one of the simplest and most effective tools of phytoprotection in organic and ecological agriculture. It greatly minimizes crop losses to insect pests and the need for biopesticide spraying.
Row covers also protect crops from freezing and retain heat near the plants to create a microclimate favorable to their development. Both Insect nets and floating row covers are available from Dubois Agrinovation and Farmer Friend. To learn more about insects nets check out this video.
Backpack Sprayer
Electric backpack sprayers are an absolute must-have because they save incredible amounts of time and effort by eliminating the need for manual pumping. After trialing and testing many options on the market, our top choice is the Chapin 24-Volt Battery Powered Rechargeable Backpack Sprayer (Model 63924). It’s user-friendly design, and efficiency make it the standout choice for all spraying needs.
If you’re interested in spraying compost tea or liquid fertilisers you can check out this video.
Small Farm Equipment For Harvesting
Rain Gear
Rainwear is essential for fieldwork, and investing in high-quality apparel is well worth it. Our top recommendation is the bib overalls with integrated knee pads and the raincoat from Growers & Co. These garments are lightweight, breathable, and durable, offering excellent protection during rainy planting and harvesting. Both pieces are thoughtfully designed to keep you comfortable and dry, even in challenging field conditions. Our favorite rain boots are made by Xtratuf. We particularly like the Legacy Series boots lined in neoprene, 100% waterproof, resistant, warm and comfortable.
If you’re interested in learning more about comfort in the fields and about how to deal with hardships check out this video.
Harvesting Knife
The harvesting knife is an essential tool to have with you at all times. It’s especially useful for harvesting zucchini, frisée, leeks, lettuce and greens. We really like the French knife, Opinel, which is a high quality tool. Our favorite is the #10 which is light and comfortably fits in your hand. Opinel and Growers & Co. have teamed up to create a special edition of the #10 knife with a ruler for measuring crops.
Pruning Shears
The Felco 310 pruning shears are our favorite for a variety of reasons. We love their durability, straight blades, and the fact that they open effortlessly with a spring mechanism. These shears are incredibly versatile and can be used for tasks ranging from harvesting delicate crops like herbs, flowers, and leafy greens to crop maintenance activities such as pruning tomato suckers, trimming fruit trees, or thinning dense foliage. Their precision and reliability make them an indispensable tool for growers working with diverse crop types.
To learn more about how to prune different crops you can check out this video.
Tool Sharpener
We sharpen our harvesting knives daily. This job is much easier with the Work Sharp MK2 high-speed electric knife sharpener, which we also use to sharpen the blades of our Opinel, Quick Cut Harvester or stirrup hoes.
Quick Cut Harvester
The Quick Cut Greens Harvester from Farmer’s Friend is so efficient that it has revolutionized mesclun production for small vegetable farms. Gone are the days of harvesting on your knees for hours with a knife—what once took two people four hours can now be done solo in just 45 minutes. If your farm harvests more than 100 lbs of greens per week, investing in a greens harvester is a game-changer.
To see the tool in action you can check out this video.
Harvesting Bins
When selecting harvesting bins, it’s essential to choose a uniform system that stacks securely for easy transport and storage. Our preferred bins are approximately 18 inches wide to fit garden pathways and come in various sizes and colors to designate different crops. Both sturdy plastic bins for greens and perforated bins for other produce are available at Dubois Agrinovation. For more detailed guidance, you might find this resource helpful: How To Quickly Harvest and Store Your Produce.
To learn more about harvesting tips and tricks you can check out this video.
Harvesting Cart
For hauling harvests from the fields, we highly recommend the Model M26 large harvesting cart from Carts Vermont. Its light, practical design and high clearance allow easy travel over beds, with its wheels fitting perfectly on the pathways. The cart’s 41.5-inch width aligns well with our permanent bed system, ensuring efficient navigation through our fields. Different carts made in Europe by Terrateck are also very interesting. To learn more about this small farm equipment check out this video.
Farmwear
Of course, you can farm in the clothes of your choice, but some pieces are more comfortable than others. Growers & Co. designs and manufactures durable clothing specifically for the needs of farmers. Pants with built-in kneepads, comfortable clothing with UV protection, market aprons, tool belts, and more!
Farm Infrastructure & Planning Tools
Greenhouse and tunnels
Harnois is one of the largest producers of greenhouse equipment in North America and is our top pick for larger greenhouses, including gutter connected houses. For growers seeking cost-effective solutions, Tessier and Farmer’s Friend offer excellent products at very affordable price points, particularly in the lines of cold tunnels and caterpillar tunnels.You can see this video to best understand why the purchase of a greenhouse is THE best investment for your small farm. Why A Greenhouse Is The BEST Investment For Your Farm | Climate Resilience And Epic Yields
To ensure a smooth installation process, check out this video on how to avoid common mistakes when setting up your greenhouse or tunnel. It’s packed with practical tips to help you get it right the first time.
Crop Planning App
The Heirloom Crop Planning App is the ultimate software for market gardeners. It simplifies crop planning for small regenerative farms with powerful features like crop rotation, planting schedules, and yield tracking. User-friendly and efficient, this app streamlines your workflow, saves time, and keeps your season on track—a must-have for any diversified vegetable farm. If you’re new to crop planning, this course will really help you take your farm to new heights.
Irrigation System
For all our irrigation needs, we rely on Dubois Agrinovation, whose knowledgeable team excels at designing tailored irrigation plans. Their expertise was instrumental in helping us create a highly efficient and effective system for our farm.They supplied the sprinklers, micro-sprinklers and drip lines, as well as all the pipes, fittings and pumps.
To see how we set up our irrigation system and learn practical tips, check out this article and this video.
Cold Room
Investing in a new compressor and professional installation is expensive. An alternative is the CoolBot, which adapts a home air conditioner to control a room’s temperature. It’s affordable, easy to install, uses less electricity than a compressor, and comes with a satisfaction guarantee. To learn more about the cool you can check out this video.
For more than must-have small farm equipment and tools
Not sure which farm tools to invest in during your first year?
To help you make smart financial decisions from day one, we’ve put together a free budget list breaking down the essential tools and equipment every first-year farmer needs. This will save you time, money, and unnecessary purchases, so you can focus on growing a productive and profitable farm.
Download it now and set yourself up for success!
To take your learning even further, we invite you to subscribe to our newsletter for ongoing tips, resources, and updates tailored to passionate growers like you.
And if you’re ready to dive deep into mastering the tools, techniques, and strategies for a thriving farm, don’t miss our signature course, The Market Gardener Masterclass. Join us to gain the skills and knowledge to build a successful and sustainable farm, backed by over 20 years of experience in organic market gardening.
To learn more about it check out this video.
Let this be the year you take your farm to the next level—start today!
