Build Your Own Farm Tools is a handy book to have on the homestead. It is “handy” to have in a paper book format as you can bring it out with you as you work on your projects. There are projects and instructions which include measurements and diagrams. You might be able to find some of the info on the internet but you’d have to do a lot of searching. This would be a wonderful book for a homesteader who is new to DIY or a very experienced builder.

This book of handmade farm tools will be useful for anyone with a small farm or large garden. Volk covers practical solutions for everything from bending metal into hoops (such as you would use to cover a vegetable bed), to making heated tables for a greenhouse. Pen and ink illustrations accompany each project (assuming these do not get replaced by photographs in the final layout--I like the look of the drawings!). Something for everyone, although it'll definitely help if you have a basic knowledge of carpentry or woodworking.

This book has some interesting projects to build. I got it because I enjoy gardening, but now I have many ideas of tools my husband can build for me.

I'd heard about Josh's book "Build Your Own Farm Tools" in a few farm groups. Since my husband & I own a small-scale farm I was curious if there would be anything of interest for us. When the opportunity arose to get a sneak peak I jumped at it.

I believe in not reinventing the wheel whenever possible. To say I was impressed with this book is an understatement. With so many new people entering into farming, or growing food for their family, Josh does an excellent job going over basic safety, and wood/metal working for the novice. Josh gives a good run down of different tools that will be needed throughout the book. Many newbies may have to either purchase, rent or borrow some to get the job done. The plans included in this book are items such as seedling benches, germination chambers, hand cart, drip irrigation systems, spray table & more.

Instructions are easy to follow with a good list of materials. He explained why he chose to build that particular item that way and other options that may work as well. You're always free to put your own spin to it. The approximate cost may be off due to the rising cost of building materials, but in today's world that's to be expected.

A great book for a homesteader just starting out, or any independent farmer looking for more cost-effective solutions!

Build Your Own Farm Tools Equipment & Systems is a DIY and tutorial guide for the small scale farmer by Josh Volk. Due out 3rd August 2021 from Storey, it's 208 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

Self sufficiency encompasses so many challenges: food security, shelter, repairing and making tools and the systems to support and provide for the other aspects. There's a lot of satisfaction and pride to be had in making tools which work well for their intended purpose. I worked for quite a long time as a jeweler and goldsmith and often there simply weren't ready made tools for some tasks. Being able to forge tools and build carts and other farm implements can make life on the smallholding a little easier, more fun, and (hopefully) safer.

The author has an accessible no-frills writing style and the book is laid out logically and appealingly. The graphics are high contrast, easy to read, and the tutorials are well illustrated. The introduction covers shop setup, basic tools and materials and some good basic maintenance and important safety. The tutorials are arranged into thematic chapters: greenhouse projects, field, irrigation, tools for washing and packing produce, and office tools (including some really spiffy worksheets for planning and record-keeping, which is my downfall).

Tutorials contain isometric and exploded line drawn schematics as well as materials lists and project time/cost/complexity estimates, followed by step by step tutorial directions. The projects are full of good ideas and variations to make them more specifically useful to individual readers' own needs.

Five stars. This is a very good book for home gardeners, smaller "truck farm" gardens, smallholdings, community gardens, maker's spaces, schools, library activity groups, and similar.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A very useful book, with loads of ideas to make tools to use in the farm or garden. The book starts off with basic roundup of tools and safety information and it continues to hand drawn diagrams of items to make for various needs. Some are Greenhouse tools, irrigation equipment, tools for the field and much more.
This is not a glossy book with lots of photos but a very good, easy to follow book on making life easier on your plot, without a great outlay but sturdy equipment which will last and is easily repaired.

I enjoyed this book. I loved the suggestions on what tools I would need and the safety and origination suggestions. I am anxious for the weather to get nice so I can build the potters bench.

Thank you Netgalley and Storey Publishing for allowing me to review this title for an honest review.

Not what I was hoping for. I feel like if someone has all the tools listed in the beginning, they probably already know how to do most of this. Might be good for a teen who has access to a relatives tools. Not really a beginner book though. Definitely not for the first time farmer or gardener who is looking for a way to frugally build and obtain tools they need.
The instructions are well done with good images, I'll give them that.

A very good guide to making your own tools for small farming. Easily understood text, plenty of illustrations, good projects to help beginning and small-scale gardeners. Some projects are very easy, some are more complicated, but all are attainable. I came away with several ideas to try myself.

Excellent book on how to build a wide variety of farm tools and items from potting benches and greenhouse tables to grid rollers that evenly mark soil for plant spacing and barrel washers. Included is information on setting up an irrigation system along with water calculation methods. It is obvious that a great deal of time and experience went into the design of each item, which will help new market gardeners avoid costly purchases that may not be as efficient as desired. I think this is a valuable addition to the library of anyone who farms on a small to medium level of production.

This is very much a book for a beginner craftsman, and therefore I am very much the target audience. While my partner would find much of the explanation at the beginning needless, I found it very helpful. I come from the "Just drill a hole willy-nilly in the wall and let's hope it is in a stud and relatively in the middle" school of DIY projects. I liked that the diagrams and explanations were clear and simple enough that I could execute many of the projects myself. There are still some that are probably a little beyond my comfort zone, but I am looking forward to building several things for our yard and garden, especially once lumber prices recede. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC! I will definitely be coming back to this one once it is published.

This is a very hands-on book, not revolutionary, but there are lots of practical details. The text is easy to understand and the illustrations are very good.

This is a well illustrated, highly detailed book with a variety of farm tools you can built. These are way over my head and outside of my wheelhouse, but it will be an indispensable guide for those who are handy with tools and have the equipment. A great resource.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.