Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this barn shovel thing for a while now, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. I wanted to get my garden in tip-top shape this year, and I figured a good shovel is where it all starts, right?
First off, I had to figure out what kind of shovel I even needed. I mean, there are, like, a million different types. I started poking around, reading up on what’s what. Turns out, there’s your classic round-point shovel, which is good for digging into hard soil. Then you’ve got square-point shovels, which are more for scooping up loose stuff. And don’t even get me started on all the specialty shovels – trenching shovels, edging shovels, you name it.
After a bunch of back-and-forth, I decided to go with an all-purpose shovel. Figured it’s a good starting point, you know? Something that can handle a bit of everything. I saw a few folks online raving about this Bully Tools one, so that got added to the list of maybes.
Choosing My Shovel
- Round-point: Good for digging.
- Square-point: Good for scooping.
- All-purpose: A bit of both.
Next up was figuring out what this thing should be made of. I mean, you don’t want some flimsy shovel that’s gonna snap in half the first time you hit a rock. From what I gathered, the good ones usually have handles made of ash wood. Apparently, it’s strong and flexible, which is exactly what you want. And the metal part? Steel seemed to be the way to go – tough and durable.
So, armed with all this newfound knowledge, I started actually, you know, using the shovel. Dug a few holes, moved some dirt around, the whole nine yards. It was a bit of a workout, I’ll admit. But hey, that’s gardening for you, right?
I tried a couple of different shovels in the end. Some felt too heavy, some too short, it was all trial and error. I realized pretty quickly that the length and weight of the shovel really matter, especially if you’re gonna be using it for a while. You don’t want to be killing your back after just 30 minutes of work.
In the end, I found one that felt just right. It’s got a good weight to it, feels sturdy, and the handle is comfortable enough. It’s not too long, not too short, kind of like the Goldilocks of shovels. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now, and so far, so good. My garden’s starting to look like something, and I haven’t thrown my back out yet, so I’d call that a win.
Anyway, that’s my little shovel saga. It’s not rocket science, but it’s definitely one of those things where doing a little research and trying things out makes a big difference. Happy digging, folks!
